*Author note: This is a continuation of Streamer Love, so I suggest reading that first if you haven't. This is fiction, none of the events portrayed have any basis in reality.
Chapter One: Sorrow
*Emiru
As the sun gazed through the blinds, disrupting my gloomy slumber, my phone buzzed next to me. Pathetically, I jerked awake and snatched it as quickly as I could, only to see it was just a notification saying Esfand went live. I threw it aside, feeling stupid for having gotten my hopes up. Why was I still expecting her to reach out when I was the one locking myself up in my room and failing to show her how much I wanted to be with her?
Bonnie had done her part and more to try to make our fledgling relationship work. As always, the fault was my own. I was afraid to express my feelings and desires for her as much as I wanted, and in my failure to do so, I had shut her out.
Though I tried not to focus on how my past relationships had gone, and instead live in the present, my brain constantly reminded me how much it would hurt when she figured out that I was not enough for her. It would be less painful if I distanced myself before she grew tired of me.
Bonnie had found the companionship I failed to give her from Esfand. I was glad that she had, truly. They seemed happy together and I cherished seeing her so. Yet jealousy still poisoned my heart and made me suffer painful tears when I saw them together. The reasonable part of my brain told me they were just friends, but it was overshadowed by my heart telling me there was something more between them.
I had failed her not only emotionally, but sexually. She was not the first woman I had ever been with, but the one I most cared what she would think of me after. Because of this, I was afraid to show her all that I wanted to do to her. The few nights we did spend together, I settled for simpler acts of lovemaking, not daring to show the full scope of my desire for her. I think she sensed my hesitation, because she too, did not push our relations any further.
We never reached the same intense passion we experienced our first time together. Thinking back on that day made me desire her again, and fondly remember how she had tasted and felt under my touch. With all my heart I wanted to feel like I had that night, but I could not.
My lust was swiftly replaced by feelings of inadequacy and loss.
'No,' I told myself. I was done feeling sorry for myself.
I had not truly lost her. She was right next door. Perhaps it was not too late to make things right again. Perhaps if I explained how I felt, she would understand and not think I had stopped caring about her.
For a moment I contemplated if it was wise to seek her out and bare my soul to her. If I established, not only to her, but to myself, that I did care about her, the inevitable breakup would hurt even more. Ultimately, I decided it was too late to consider self-preservation. Though our time together was short I knew one thing in my heart-- I loved her.
I got out of my bed, where I had spent most of my recent days. I had canceled my streams blaming sickness and spent most of my time in a never-ending cycle of self-hatred, pain, grief, and jealousy. It was time to stop feeling sorry for myself and take charge. Even if my admitting my many flaws to her was too much honesty for such a fresh relationship, and it resulted in a break-up, it was better than living in this state of torturous unknowing.
Though I wanted to catch her before she joined Esfand on his stream, as I suspected she intended, I still took plenty of time preparing myself. She deserved to see me at my best.
I settled on a black skirt and a grey crop top she had told me she liked. My hair, I tied into pigtails more for myself than anyone else; I liked how I looked in pigtails. Finally, I carefully applied my makeup before I left to see Bonnie.
The relentless sun scorched my skin the minute I left the house. Though it was painfully hot, I stopped for a moment to soak in the sunlight I had been avoiding. I felt a smile grace my lips as I closed my eyes and let the heat sear my body. 'Today is a good day.' I convinced myself. Then I took a deep breath and continued down the path.
Esfand's house was quiet. The only sign of life I could hear or see was Bonnie's cat Nymeria meowing at me and then coming up to brush herself against my leg. I reached down to pet her, and she purred at me in response. I was glad someone was happy to see me, even if it was just a cat.
"Emi?" Bonnie asked from across the kitchen. She seemed astonished to see me out of my room. I felt a moment of guilt for that. Nymeria darted away from me as if she had been caught doing something she was not supposed to do.
"Hey Bonnie," I greeted her awkwardly. She did not come to hug me, and I did not have the courage to make it clear I longed for one.
"What are you doing here?" She inquired, her voice did not sound disappointed to see me, but nor was it pleased. It was a neutral, unfazed voice that made my heart sink upon hearing it.
"Can we talk? Please, it's important," I asked, trying to silence the doubts that were entering my mind.
"I said I would be on Esfand's stream."
Anger rose in me as she so casually dismissed me for him, but I tried to keep a friendly tone. "Please, Bonnie, just for a few minutes."
She looked at me compassionately and relented, "Of course," she said, and after sensing the private and sensitive nature of what I had to say, she added, "Let's go to my room."
I followed her up the stairs trying not to get lost in the sight of her beautiful legs and bare feet right in front of me. I was not here for that. Instead, I tried to think of how I would say what I needed to say and cursed myself for not considering it earlier.
"Sorry about the mess, I've been reorganizing," Bonnie said, as we entered her cluttery room. It made me feel better about my own tidiness. When I had not been miserably crying in bed, I had at least managed to clean my room and rearrange my Kirby pile. I told myself I did it for me, but in truth I wanted it to look nice if Bonnie ever came over.
"So..." Bonnie said as she turned around to me. Her eyes gazed at me, not with love or adoration as I hoped, but with uncertainty and a hint of awkwardness.
I did not know where to begin, my mind raced with useless thoughts and trepidations. I tried to silence them and speak from my heart. "I am sorry," I began. "I have not been there for you enough, and it's not because I didn't want to be. I just..."