Story Time!

In the Morning (Part 2)

"Shit," you mutter as you roll over and nearly topple off the bed again.

I instinctively reach out and tug you closer to me. "Good morning, silly."

You blink drowsily at me. "What—"

I watch emotions flicker across your face. "Do you remember?"

You wince. "Yeah. I was a mess."

I roll away from you to be on the opposite side of the bed. "Are you sober enough for me to ask you something?"

You rub your eyes and sit up. "Yeah. Ask me."

"Do you regret anything you said to me while you were drunk?"

You fiddle with your hands, thinking. "I'm a little embarrassed but I don't regret it. Everything I said was true."

I sit up and turn to face away from you. "But you still don't want me."

The bed shifts as if you reached out to me but I don't feel you touch me. "I-I'm sorry I still can't tell you exactly what I want. I like you. I'm attracted to you, but I—"

I get up from the bed and start grabbing my stuff. "It's fine."

You hurriedly stand up as well. "It's not. I'm. . . sorry for making you wait."

"You can't rush your feelings," I reply.

You reach out to me again, but I jerk away, knowing that if I felt your touch I would fall apart.

"Will you be okay by yourself now?" I ask. "This is hard on me when you know how I feel about you and yet you don't—"

My voice breaks and I take a deep breath. "You don't really want me and then we act like. . ."

Your eyes start to fill with tears. "I'll be fine. Thank you for taking care of me last night. I wish there was more I could say to you. I know I'm hurting you. . ."

"Just text me later then," I say, and head out your door.

I sit in my car for a few minutes, feeling my heart start to break.

I rub my tears away.

I'm okay, I think.

A night with you is worth all the pain I feel now.

And maybe one day, you will figure out what you want.

Maybe it's me.

Maybe it's not.

But I'll be okay.

I have to.

I start my car and drive away.