BOOK II.
Four months have passed since Ashton and Ria's relationship fell into ruins. He's convinced that she hates him and she believes he never loved her. Giving up on each other, they attempt to mend their loneliness in the arms of their past; Ch...
❝Sacrifices have to be made if everyone wants to win.❞
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"YOU SHOULD LEAVE before Jared gets home," Ria mumbles, removing Chris' wandering fingers from her bare hip. Disappointment coils through her lifeless bones as she reprimands herself for succumbing to his pressure again.
After trying to tell him that they needed space; to which he declared that space would only hurt them, hurt her, he managed to silence her pleas for escape and lure her to bed where he made himself at home between her thighs for nine long minutes.
"Why?" he groans, placing soft lips on her shoulder. He pulls the thin blankets from between them and shifts his naked frame forward, attempting to spoon her. "This feels nice."
"You know Jared hates you," she mumbles. Her gaze falls to the chipping paint on her bedroom door. Cracks reach down the decrepit wood and attempt to distract her from the void expanding in her chest. Sighing, she shifts as far away from Chris' sweaty skin as she possibly can. How do we always end up like this?
"Who cares what he thinks?" He scoots closer and drags his fingers across her stomach and rests his chin in the crook of her neck. "We're in love. We're in our obsessive phase."
You're in an obsessive phase.
If her therapist could see her now, she'd probably shake her head in disgust and yell at Ria for being so weak again. Why can't I escape from this? She replays the scene in her head and wonders where exactly she went wrong. Did she not say it loud enough? Maybe it wasn't clear what she meant by space. Perhaps she'll speak harsher next time...or twist her face into a scowl that reflects the agony in her heart.
"Don't you have to go to work soon?" Ria bites her thumbnail and practices breaking up with him in a more aggressive manner in her head.
"I can always call in sick. We could spend the day together."
"I guess." I don't want you here anymore.
"Ria?" a gentle call of her name falling from his lips.
"Yes?" I don't want to do this anymore.
"Are you happy?"
Ria tenses as the question brings forth a reality she was afraid of. Somehow he didn't understand what she meant by space. Now is her chance to be more clear. She twists her body until she faces him. Dark eyes are practically droopy like an injured pup as he stares and waits for an answer.
"Are you asking honestly?" she inquires, caution laced around her tongue.
Chris proceeds hesitantly, using just as much caution in his response. "I just feel like the only one who's happy that we're together again."
"I haven't been happy in months."
As he glances down, it's written in the air the amount of disappointment her answer brings to him. His forehead creases with self-doubt before he meets her gaze with foreign determination blazing like a fire in his. "I know you still love him."
