fragile

35

Mira had shut down on him.

It was like meeting her again for the first time. That wall was built back up and she refused to let him in; she avoided him in the mornings and stayed in her room all day.

Colton knew he had fucked things up.

He regretted saying what he did but it was only because he was so bloody mad. The anger that he always had, even though it was much better than it used to be, it was clearly always going to be there.

And sometimes he said things he really didn't mean and wished he had never said.

"Mira—"

She grabbed an apple and walked away, without even sparing him a glance. He watched as she shut the door softly as if severing her from his heart and life forever.

It bloody hurt.

He couldn't even focus on writing his new books after everything that had happened between them. Every time he would start, his gut would clench as if warning him of something dreadful.

Colton shut the lid of his laptop forcefully and ran his hands down his face in exhaustion.

He couldn't focus on anything but Mira.

***

"So, this is my girlfriend, Ellie."

Sammy introduced a tall, slim and model-like woman to Mira and Colton. They were both invited to a restaurant by Sammy who wanted to introduce them to the new woman in his life.

He wanted to be happy for them but he couldn't focus on anything.

Mira still wasn't speaking to Colton. When they had first arrived, they had sat in the booth but she scooted to the very edge and as far away from him as possible.

The movement didn't go unnoticed by Colton. His face fell as he realised she wasn't even going to spare him a glance. He rubbed at his stubble, trying to come with ways that he could get her to look at him but none of it worked.

"Look, Mira, can we please talk?" he whispered to her after the waiter gave them their menus and left.

She said nothing and remained tight-lipped, not even glancing at the menu.

Mira stared out the window she was seated next to, watching people and couples walk past doing their own thing.

He reached out and gently grabbed her hand, but she yanked it back as if she had been burnt.

"Please don't touch me," she whispered, softly.

That was like a slap to the face.

Swallowing the lump that had formed in his throat, he ignored the painful feeling of being rejected and pushed through.

"I just want to talk to you about what I said. I'm s—"

"Wow, you guys are surprisingly early!"

And that was when Sammy had arrived.

Now, currently, Mira was talking to his girlfriend.

"Hi, I'm Mira. It's nice to meet you."

Ellie flashed her pearly whites at her, extending her hand and shaking it.

"It's nice to meet you, too. Sammy talks a lot about you both."

A dark pink blush appeared on Sammy's cheeks as he rubbed the back of his neck. Colton raised his eyebrows.

"He does? All good things I hope."

She waved a hand in dismissal, giving Sammy a sly side-glance. "Oh, you don't have to worry. Trust me, they're all good things."