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That's it! I was never talking to him again, that fucking asshole.
I stumbled down his front stairs. Failing to put my boots on, the concrete cold and uncomfortable under my sock-less feet.
The rain and my tears were blurring my vision and obscuring my glasses. I heard Chris call out, his voice distant through the sound of rain on the pavement.
I tumbled to the ground. My knees made first contact, followed by my hands and then my left shoulder.
"Fuck!" I yelled, rolling onto my back.
The rain sliced at my face, cold against my puffy eyes and snotty nose.
A sob escaped my mouth, the pain in my shoulder overtaking the pain in my chest.
I rolled over onto my side, bringing my knees up to my chest, not caring how the ground scraped me. I buried my head into my knees and sobbed, the rain now falling against the side of my face.
Suddenly it stopped. I felt something warm draped across me. The smell let me know it was Chris. I inhaled, my stomach fluttering.
He bent down and scooped me into his arms before swiftly standing, letting out a breath as he did. I was too tired to fight, so I simply cried into his shoulder and lay there.
I only stopped crying when he lowered me to his bed, soaked clothes and all. He said nothing.
Simply knelt beside the bed and looked at me, a sadness in his eyes.
In response, I closed mine. Fuck him, why's he sad? I went to turn onto my side, but an ache shot through my shoulder.
Letting out a hiss, I lay on my back suddenly noticing how wet and cold I was.
Promptly, I began removing my clothes.
Chris cleared his throat.
Oh yeah, him again.
"Do you have a t-shirt?" I pressed through chattering teeth.
I clumsily attempted to pull off my jeans with one hand, they aptly got caught on my leg and I let out a cry in frustration.
Chris reached over and pulled on the wet fabric, his warm hand brushing against my thigh, I flinched in response.
"I got it," I snapped, pushing his hand away.
He didn't protest, just turned to get a T-shirt from his wardrobe. Promptly I pulled the trousers off, alongside the rest of my clothes, being kind to my shoulder as I went. I scrambled under his duvet, throwing everything but my underwear on the floor.
My bra was somehow a little damp, but fuck was I being naked around him. Even if it was under a top.
Chris returned with a large t-shirt in his hand, I pulled it on under the covers and sat up. Uncomfortably pulling at my damp bra which was very annoyingly leaving an outline against the grey shirt.
"Just take it off," he exclaimed rolling his eyes.
"Wouldn't you love that?" I snapped, looking away.
"Lily fucking hell, grow up please I get it, you're mad but don't be childish," he humphed.
"Fuck. You. And fuck. Off." I seethed, turning to look at him.
Chris looked like he was about to say something, or rather yell it. But he swallowed it, his blue eyes gazing at me. Before turning around and storming out of the room, slamming the door.
He was right. I was being childish, but he had hurt me first, my face pulling into a frown. Tears burned in my eyes and a quiet sob escaped my lips as I sank into the covers, pushing my face into his pillow.
Doing my best to smother my cries.
I cried myself to sleep, exhausted by everything.
I awoke to the sun hitting me in the face. I blinked against the light and groaned. My throat hurt, and my body ached. Where the fuck was I?
Oh shit, yeah.
I rubbed the sleep out of my eyes and sat up, putting on my glasses. Chris must've slept in the living room.
Checking my phone, I groaned, seeing twenty missed calls from my mum and a thousand missed calls and texts from my new housemate.
I messaged everyone back, letting them know I wasn't dead or anything. Putting my phone down, I realised how dehydrated I was.
It took everything in me to get out of bed, but I stumbled to Chris' en-suite.
Desperately I drank out of the tap and honestly felt like I had been revived from the dead.
I began brushing my teeth and washing my face. Luckily I hadn't moved all my stuff out yet.
My heart twinged.
As I walked down the hall to the kitchen, I could hear him softly humming to a song playing off his phone. I turned the corner to find him in a pair of boxers and an apron. No t-shirt. Chris' back muscles flexed and tensed as worked his way around the stove, each movement causing his tattoo to shift with him. I bit my lip as I watched him cook, the scene sending a soft hum between my legs.
"Fuck!" He jumped, suddenly turning and realising my presence.
"Sorry my bad," I laughed, walking over to the island.
I hoisted myself up onto a chair. Doing my best to not let my bare ass touch the leather chair. I failed miserably.
He placed a plate of fresh fruit, bacon, and scrambled eggs with a toasted buttered bagel in front of me. My mouth watered as I looked down at it. This was an 'I'm sorry' breakfast if I'd ever seen one.
"Thank you," I answered softly, before picking up my cutlery.
Completely overtaken by my hunger, I attacked the plate. Chris turned to wash the dishes as I did. The pile looked like it accumulated over a few days. As I finished the second bagel slice, I noticed Chris's silence.
Not that I wanted to hear anything he had to say.
But I knew him. He was a poster child for ADHD and that man did not shut up.
"What is it Chris?" I sighed, sitting up to look at him furiously washing dishes.
Fuck, his back looked hot, the muscles under his shoulders flexing as he scrubbed. I shifted in my chair.
"What?" he feigned innocence, not even attempting to face me.
"I know you." I rolled my eyes, a pain shooting through my chest.
"I j-just...nothing," he stuttered.
"What!" Frustration filling me at this point.
He switched off the music and turned to me, washing up gloves and all. Sweaty from the steam, his brown hair sticking to his forehead. Chris stared at me so intently that I sat up a little straighter in my chair.
He had seemed so broken.
"I'm sorry. Last night, after I carried you in, I realised I never really apologised. Not truly, not in the way you deserved. So I'm sorry. I should have never hurt you like that. In one of the worst ways. I fucked up I know, that's why I ended things I couldn't look at you knowing...," He rambled, tearing up as he went.
At this point, he had removed the gloves and stood at the island. I looked away, unable to hold my gaze against his.
I opened my to speak, but he cut me off.
"I know that not an excuse and bu could never expect you to forgive me. You can't. But I want you to know that I love you and that I'm sorry."
Chris made his way round the counter. He was now beside me. So close, too close. I could feel his body heat. I struggled off the stool and took a step away, unable to look him in the eyes.
"You know what really sucked," I whispered, my voice hoarse. "Out of nowhere you dumped me. No explanation, no justification. I spent t-two days not eating, not sleeping as I racked my brain. Trying to figure out what I did wrong." I gasped, tears falling down my face. Continuing to look down.
"Three years!" I yelled. "Three fucking years and you didn't have enough respect for me, to be honest. I had to find out from someone else after you dumped me! Do you know how meaningless that made me feel?"
At this point, I wanted to get the fuck out of the apartment. Now sobbing, I turned and walked towards the door. My mission to move my stuff out was interrupted last night, but I didn't give a fuck anymore. Being in what used to be our apartment felt suffocating.
"It was at the club," Chris whispered. My head pounded in my ears. I knew it.
"She was one of the customers. I was at the bar, fucked up on shots. It was nearing the end of the night. She told me she 'had a secret' and stupidly I leaned across the bar. She leaned in and kissed me. I-I didn't resist,"
My heart was beating so hard I thought I was going to pass out. Tears still rolling down my face.
"By the time I pushed her away, I knew I had fucked up. I wanted to tell you, but I was a coward. I knew it would break us. I knew it would break you," He breathed, my back was still turned to him, but I felt him getting close.
Chris took my hand, but I pulled it away, spinning around to push him away.
"You know- "I started, choking on my tears. "If you had just told me, I would be mad, but we could've worked on it. But the fact that you didn't trust me...? Cheating is one thing, but then lying and breaking my heart without the decency of an explanation..."
"There are no words that can explain how deeply I regret it. How deeply I regret hurting you! You're right, you deserved way more the what I gave you. I should've trusted you and what we had."
What Chris and I had was mind-boggling. I had never been in a relationship where I felt so secure and loved.
Nor had I ever loved anyone so intensely. I had wanted to marry him, which was why when he broke up with me, my heart hurt so much I thought I was going to die.
The thought of anger rose through my body. I wanted to hurt him for hurting me.
"Well, you ruined it," I sneered, stepping closer to him, "There is no coming back from this,"
"You don't mean that" his eyes watered again.