Falling, Fallen | ✔️

46

~Ayla's POV~

Things between Soren and I were awkward and incredibly off beat now. Of course, I guess that was just to be expected, considering I had confessed my love for him and had been shut down in return.

I headed down into the living room early in the morning, ready to head to work for the day but not necessarily wanting to. The moment I entered, Soren glanced over at me from where he was in the kitchen, two plates full of food in front of him on the island counter. He cleared his throat as I walked closer, pushing one of the plates across the counter to me. "I made you your favorite." He said awkwardly, making me glance down at the plate. He had made breakfast burritos, which actually were my favorite.

"Thank you." I mumbled, avoiding his gaze as I took the plate and turned around, stalking into the living room. I made sure to sit down on the couch that allowed the back of my head to face him, not wanting to risk looking at him, because I obviously had a habit of staring. Well, staring at him, anyway.

Silence floated in the air as I ate in the living room and he ate just a few feet behind me in the kitchen, not seeming to dare to try to come join me, not that I could blame him. It had been another two weeks already since I confessed to him and he and I had hardly said anything to one another besides greetings, goodnights, and the like. In short, I didn't speak to him unless I had to, and that was just the way that it had to be if I was going to distance myself enough to fall out of love with him. Of course I knew my feelings weren't going to fade entirely by the time our divorce came and I had to move back home, but I needed to prepare myself for it somehow. I needed to make it easier when it did happen. The only way was to fall out of love with him as much as I could by then, even if it was only a little bit.

As I was eating, I heard Soren inhale deeply and his footsteps reluctantly began in my direction until he stopped just beside the couch I was sat on. "A-Ayla?" He asked, making me pause. I looked up at him and his eyes immediately softened as he met my gaze, a thing which had been happening less and less often. "Yeah?" I responded, cocking up a brow. His eyes trailed over my face, lingering on my lips far longer than necessary before locking with mine again. "My dad said there's another one of those business parties we have to go to next Friday. Formal occasion, as always." He said.

He must have noticed the way that I scrunched up my nose at that because he hesitated but then spoke again. "But if you don't want to go, you really don't have to. I know you get bored at those, anyway. I can just say that you're at home sick and couldn't come, if you'd prefer that." He suggested, but I quickly shook my head in refusal. I didn't want to do that. "No, no, it's okay. The whole reason we're in this marriage is for me to make you look better, so I'll go. I don't have a problem with it." I assured. Even though what I'd said was entirely true, he still didn't look very happy, making me wonder if he had actually wanted me to stay home instead of going. I'm sure going alone was still miles better than going with me, after all. Regardless, it didn't matter now because I was going to go.

"Ayla, I..." He frowned and trailed off as he always did. This had become rather common over the past two weeks—him starting a sentence and then not saying anything when he realized that he didn't know what to say. Like I always, I just dismissively waved my hand at him, taking a bite out of my second burrito.

Instead of sticking around, he turned and headed back upstairs, shaking his head to himself as he jogged up the steps. I spared him a glance as I watched him go, knowing he wouldn't see me looking at him when his back was to me. He disappeared into his bedroom, probably to get dressed since he had work today as well and he was only in his boxers still, and only when he was gone did I look away to finish off the rest of my food.

**

"Good lord, Ayla," Mitchel gaped at me as I walked into work when Soren dropped me off. "You look utterly wrecked. What dumpster did you go diving in on your way here?"