Love and Ambition

7 - The Confrontation

Sean had his phone up his ear. When we locked eyes, he places it back down into his back pocket. 

"I fucking knew it!" He takes a look at Jason, marching towards us. I approach between him and Jason, stopping him halfway. 

"Weren't you on your way home?" I ask him.

He stops in his tracks, peering down at me with his nose flaring. "Don't start with that."

I hear Jason take a step forward. "What do you know, exactly?"

"You think you're such a smart ass?" Sean walks past me, but I manage to stop him by holding onto his arm. "I knew that you were cheating on me!"

"Jesus Christ, he's just a friend!" 

"Oh, aye?" Sean looks back at me, his blue eyes piercing my insides. 

"Just a friend?" He pulls out his phone, showing me the same screenshot of my Snapchat avatar. "This is where you were that night, Brooke! Here!" 

My chest heaves from staring at the screen. At Sean's dumb face. The face that used to calm me but now sends me to throw everything in my surroundings. I grind my teeth together. I'm tired of this. 

"I'm putting my foot down, Sean," I stare directly into his eyes, swallowing hard to prepare myself for what I'm about to say.

As he processes my words, I notice every emotion pass by his eyes: anger, confusion, realization...

I collect my thoughts; calming myself. "I'm breaking up with you."

...and finally, sadness.

He laughs in dismay. "I can't believe this," he said this softly, looking away from me. "After all we've been through."

"No, after all I've been through!" 

I choke back some air. I didn't mean for that to come out.

My ears twitch from the sound of Jason's footsteps, occupying the empty space beside me. I manage to take a deep breath after feeling his presence.

Sean averts his eyes from me to Jason then back to me. For once, he's quiet. Usually he would argue himself back, or say something to change the subject—anything to keep me from breaking up with him. 

Now, with his mouth agape, the thought finally dawned upon him. I was no longer in his hold and he can't do anything about it anymore. He's so quiet it's as if I set a firm foot down on his throat; keeping him from smooth talking his way back.

"Fine," he finally spoke. He closes his mouth and clench his teeth. "Whatever."

He turns his back and walks away...

...taking the stress that he weighed me down with him.

* * *

"Well, good riddance," Jenn says across from me on her bed. Her room is dark, except for the light from the outside shining in. The fairy lights she hung up on her shelf gives her face a warm glow. She's honestly so beautiful it hurts.

"I don't know if I made the right decision," I look at the floor, bouncing my leg.

"Oh my God, Brooke!" She exclaims, moving closer to me. "You've been complaining about him since we moved here," she searches my eyes, "this is the best thing you could ever do to yourself!"

I heave a sigh. "But we had plans—"

"Honestly, fuck your plans!" She takes my hand into hers. I make myself look at her. "You were miserable."

She's right. Since the beginning of the relationship, she was right. 

Just a few weeks into my relationship with Sean, Jenn came up to me telling me that Sean hit on her. When I confronted Sean about it, all he said was, "Sorry, I didn't know she was your best friend."

I shake my head at the memory. 

A year and a half with his bullshit.

"Anyway," Jenn smiles at me, laying across the bed on her side, her hand supporting her head, "about this Jason guy." 

Even with the dimness of the room, I see the smirk spread all over her face.

I scoff, pulling my knees to my chest. "He's just a friend."

"Really?" Jenn shoots up, her eyes bright.

As I'm about to reply a sarcastic comment, the door flings open. We turn our heads to see Jenn's roommate, Amalia, walk in. She beams us a smile. 

I check my watch to see that it's an hour past midnight. I pat Jenn's leg, raising myself up from the bed. "More planning tomorrow."

"Tsk," Jenn clicks her tongue, seeing me out. "I'm still mad at you for that."

"You can't really blame me," I look back at her, leaving a hand on the handle. "Becca was very adamant. You saw that I didn't get my way either."

Jenn rolls her eyes. "Becca's a bitch."

"I think Becca's nice," Amalia pipes in, her glasses reflecting the light from the outside.

Jenn and I look at each other with a held-in-giggle before saying good night. I close her dorm room behind me and walk across the hallway. 

In my pocket, my phone buzzes.