L. A. Dreaming: Disrupted

Chapter 8: Begin Again

* Flashback to September 7th 2023*

As Stephen arrived late from his work trip, he found his girlfriend already seated at the dinner table, enjoying a quiet dinner by herself. The apartment was dimly lit, with soft music playing in the background.

"Hey, babe, sorry I'm late," Stephen greeted her, his tone apologetic as he set down his briefcase by the door.

Valarie looked up from her seat in disappointment. "It's okay. Dinner's almost ready," she replied, trying to sound casual despite her underlying frustration.

Stephen took his seat across from Valarie, noticing the tension in the air. "How was your day?" He asked, attempting to make conversation.

Valarie sighed, stirring her food absentmindedly. "It was alright. How was your trip?" She asked, her voice tinged with subtle irritation.

"What's with the attitude?" Stephen replied, his voice growing a bit defensive, sensing his girlfriend's underlying frustration.

Valarie's irritation flared at his response, and she set down her fork, her eyes narrowing. "My attitude? Maybe if you bothered to come home on time once in a while, you'd understand," she retorted, her voice laced with frustration.

Stephen's expression hardened, sending her building anger, "I told you, work is demanding right now. I can't control everything," he countered, his tone defensive.

Valarie stood abruptly, her temper flaring. "That's not an excuse, Stephen! I'm tired of feeling like I come second to your job," she exclaimed, her voice rising in frustration.

Stephen stood as well, his own frustration mounting. "I'm doing this for us, Val! I'm trying to provide for our future," he argued, his tone pleading.

Valarie shook her head, feeling exasperated, "our future doesn't mean anything if we're falling apart now," she shot back, her voice trembling with emotion.

Stephen's frustration reached a boiling point. Without warning, he slammed his hand down on the table, causing the dishes to rattle. In a fit of anger, he grabbed his plate and threw it off the table, the sound of shattering ceramic echoing through the room.

Valarie recoiled, startled and frightened by Stephen's outburst. Her eyes widened in shock as she took a step back, her heart racing with fear.

"Stephen, stop!" Valarie exclaimed, voice wavering.

Realizing what he had done, Stephen took a deep breath, his expression remorseful. "I'm sorry, Val," he muttered, his tone subdued.

"You need to leave, Stephen. Clear your head," she said firmly, her voice steady despite her trembling hands.

Stephen nodded, feeling ashamed of his behavior. "I'll go," he replied quietly, gathering his belongings.

Valarie watched him go, her heart heavy with disappointment and concern. "Whenever you are ready to talk, come back," she said softly, her voice tinged with sadness.

Stephen left the apartment, the weight of their argument heavy on his shoulders. As he walked away, he knew he had crossed a line and had to confront his emotions before he could repair the damage done to their relationship.

Alone in the apartment, Valarie took a deep breath, trying to steady herself. As soon as she calmed down, she texted the one person who could be that shoulder to cry on and help her get through a rough patch in her life.

September 19th 2023

Stephen woke up disoriented near an oak tree, his head pounding with the remnants of a hangover. As he tried to gather his bearings, he realized he was missing his shoes and had no recollection of how he ended up here. His phone buzzed with notifications, as he discovered a series of texts from unfamiliar women, likely from a wild night he couldn't remember.