Afire Love// ed sheeran

Choices

As I wrote this chapter, I started off very confused on how this woud end. This chapter ended the way I wanted to. I think I will be updating at least once a month. I'm starting to lose my ideas but hopefully, soon, I get over this writer's block. Enjoy.

Alyssa xo

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I sat behind the counter of Intrigue flipping through a magazine absentmindedly. It was the next day and I was working. But as I flipped through the magazine and looked around the empty store around me, I was anything but focused. How could I focus on anything except Julliard? My fingers tingled with the want to pick up a violin and play music until I was satisfied. 

Suddenly, the door opened and I tossed the magazine aside, a smile plastered on my face. In walked Ed and Athina, their hands laced together. Last time they showed up, my stomach had twisted itself into a ball of anger and nausea at the sight of their love. But now, nothing could ruin the happiness that had settled in me and filled me up like helium in a balloon. 

"Welcome to Intrigue!" I chimed, smiling at the couple. Athina ignored me as she ran to the other side of the room, her hair flying behind her as she skipped over to a leather reclining sofa. Ed, on the other hand, stayed by the door, looking at me. A smile was on his lips and his hands were stuffed into the pockets of his jeans. A white tee hung from his chest and I could see the faint outline of his tattoos under the crisp white fabric. 

"Hi," he stated shyly, rubbing his hand on the back of his neck as he slowly walked to the counter where I stood. 

The night before had been magical. Not only had I had received the acceptance letter to Julliard but I had gone out with Ed. We had talked for hours, we laughed at jokes that weren't even funny. I had shared my memories with Ed and he remembered some of them. At the end of the night, when he dropped me off at my apartment building, Ed had expressed a want to meet again and find out what happened next in our story. Now, all there was between us was a deathly silence. Maybe it was because we hadn't expected to see each other or maybe it was because Athina was here and we weren't talking about my memories but it felt like a huge brick wall had been built between us and we had to shout to truly hear each other. 

"Hey," I replied, pressing my palms to the cold granite counter top. I looked down and smoothed out the blue shirt and jeans that I was wearing. "Buying more furniture?" I asked, nodding my head toward Athina. 

"Yeah... Maybe... I'm not quite sure," he replied, a deep sigh in his voice. I had heard this sad voice before when Ed and I were dating and it usually came when he was either sad, confused, or was wondering about the future. 

"You okay?" I asked as I crossed my arms over my chest. A part of me didn't want to know why he was upset. I had repressed my feelings for him back into the deepest parts of my heart. When we had decided to dwell into the deepest, darkest memories to help him regain his memories and fill in the gaps, I had to feel those emotions all over again and I would be lying if I said it didn't hurt at least a little bit, like tiny little electrocutions all over my body. Allowing myself to feel any sadness or empathy towards Ed would not help those emotions recede back into the place where they belonged, hidden away in my heart until they cease to exist. 

"Not really," he stated. He brushed a hand through his messy ginger hair. "Yesterday was pretty fun but afterwards, me and Athina got into a fight about... I'm not quite sure but things aren't looking too great and I don't even know if we're going to move in together anymore." Ed sighed and shook his head. "I'm sorry for telling you this, you don't care." 

As I went to reply, I was interrupted by Athina. She ran over to Ed, wrapping her long arms around Ed's waist, standing on her tip toes, and pressing her lips to his cheek. Her red lipstick stained his cheek and a small smile flickered onto his face but it didn't last very long. 

"Well, hello... Alison right?" Athina asked. Her eyes were cold and hard as she looked at me, her lips pressed into a tight light. She forced her fingers to intertwine with Ed's and she leaned her head on Ed's shoulder. All she needed to do was pee on him like a dog to mark her territory any better. 

"Alyssa," I corrected, forcing a smile onto my face. I pushed a strand of hair behind my ear and looked at her square in the eye. "Is there anything I can help you with?" 

At that question, Athina seemed almost to perk up. Her shoulders raised high, her head raising from Ed's shoulder. A smile was painted onto her face that revealed those perfectly white teeth. She stood up straight, smoothing out the tan fabric of her dress. "Yes, I would like to know how much that baby crib is... Surprise honey, we're expecting." 

Ed's face went dead cold and I could swear the room was so silent that I could hear our thudding hearts in harmony, ready to burst out our chests. Ed's eyes were blank and staring straight into Athina's. She pressed a hand to her invisible baby bump and her smile raised up higher on her cheeks. I felt ready to gag, nervous sweat pouring down my forehead as I held onto the granite counter top for dear life. 

"Right this way," I managed to say as I led Ed and Athina to the side. 

***

"It was like hell Taylor," I sighed into the phone, pressing my forehead to my knees. "She looks at me like I'm a piece of garbage and then comes out and says she's pregnant. And Ed and I... we just sit there in utter shock... It was hell I say." Suddenly, there was a chime on the other line, signaling that another call was coming through. "I'll call you back Taylor." I hung up on Taylor and picked up the other call. "Alyssa here."

His voice was like a satin and I could hear the stress in it. "Hi."

I held my breath, counting down from ten in my head as I tried to rid the frustration from my mind. Finally, I said, "Hi Ed. How you doing after today's... little announcement?" 

Ed laughed quietly, a sigh escaped his lips. I could see him sitting down in the back of his SUV alone as he driver drove him to some interview, wiping beads of sweat from his brow. "Not so well... Is it okay if I see you tonight after my interview with Z100?"

I was so tempted to say yes. But Ed needed to be with Athina. He needed to stay with her and care for her and their child. I wouldn't be the one that got in the way of him, his love, and his reputation. "I don't think that's such a good id-"

Ed cut me off. "We need to talk... Please."

I weighed my options. I could give Ed his memories and fill in his gaps. I could make him happy and risk his reputation and relationship with Athina. I could make him feel what I once felt and risk the chance of falling in love with him again, a thing that I truly did not want to do. Or I could let him be happy with Athina and their child. I could leave him alone and walk out of his life just by saying a simple 'no'. I could give up on us, close the door, and live my life happily. 

"Okay."

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