Forces of Nature { A Novelette }

{ 2 | Volcano }

"You can't just shit all over people, Rory. I love you, I do. But I'm done."

⊱⟣⟡⟢⊰

"Christ, Kasey, do you know how stupid you sound right now?"

"Stupid, Rory? How dare you! I'm telling you like it is!"

"Oh, yeah, because your version of the scenario is totally accurate. I didn't downplay you at all."

"Yeah, well, tell that to my friends, who came up to me afterward and asked me if something was wrong in the relationship. You can spin pretty lies, Rory. You really can. And I love you to bits and pieces, but I'm done."

"Done, Kasey? Done with what? We're engaged to be married."

"That's just it, Ror. We're not."

Rory stopped. For the first time in the argument he realized the enormity of the situation. All this over one tiny comment about her hair color? He'd made a joke about her being blonde, that was it. He didn't actually believe the color of her hair discredited her intelligence. Hell, he didn't even remember the exact phrasing he'd used when he'd said it. But he was a hundred percent positive that he hadn't been so cruel as to make her friends think he was verbally or emotionally abusive. In fact, Rory liked to think he was pretty stellar in the fiance department. After all, they'd been together for five years. They'd gone through numerous arguments like this. They'd bickered and yelled obscenities and she'd raised a hand to him on occasion. Rarely did that happen, though. Rory had known their relationship was rocky. It'd been rocky from day one—hell, they'd met at a bar and had extraordinarily rough sex in a bathroom stall. He was the first to admit that that wasn't a normal way to meet people. But he'd taken her back to his place and things had just progressed from there. Maybe he'd found love in the wrong place and that's why they were so up and down, but... that didn't change the fact that, in the end, Rory loved her unconditionally. Maybe he was insensitive sometimes, and maybe he should watch his tongue more, but... it wasn't enough to make her leave. She wasn't going to give up after five years, was she?

Rory grabbed her wrist as she started to remove the engagement ring.

"No, we're not done, Kasey," he said sternly. "We've been through this way too many times. This is a tiny thing. I'll apologize in front of your friends if you want me to, I'll tell them—"

"You won't tell them shit," Kasey said softly. He started when he saw tears in her eyes. "I thought maybe over time you'd mellow out, that you'd get over this whole macho man thing, or whatever the fuck it is. But you haven't. I've been waiting for three years, Rory. Ever since you proposed. I'm tired of being treated so poorly. You always, always belittle me. I'm your equal, you dip, not your servant. And I'm sick of you making jokes."

"You can't pull this on me now, Kasey, that isn't fair!"

"Neither is the way you treat me, you idiot!"

"No, you gave me no warning! If you've been waiting for three damn years, why didn't you say something?"

"Because—"

"How can you stand there and blame me when you're the one who kept your mouth shut the whole time?"

"Because I—"

"I didn't do a damn thing wrong, Kasey! You're going to throw away five years of our lives because you failed to say anything? Because you—"

"RORY!"

Rory started again. Kasey never raised her voice.

"The reason why I kept my mouth shut for three years is because I can't get a word in edgewise with you. I'm sorry I wasted your time. But I'm more sorry I wasted my time on someone that I knew was never going to change. You're a good man, Rory. You really are. Underneath that hard exterior and thick skull, you're a great man."