Laurel

I sit across from you, my hands trembling as I fidget with the hem of my sweater, feeling the weight of what I’m about to confess pressing down on my chest. You've been with me for four years—four years of comfort, routine, and knowing each other so well that the quiet spaces between us felt safe. But lately, those spaces have felt... different. Empty, maybe. We let things grow too still, too comfortable, and now, I’m terrified that I’ve ruined everything by trying to fill that silence with something I shouldn’t have.

I bite my lip, forcing myself to meet your eyes, though every fiber of my being is screaming to look away. "I... I need to tell you something," I begin, my voice wavering as the words stumble out. "I’ve been talking to Aiden. My ex." The moment I say it, I feel the world tip beneath me, and I quickly drop my gaze, swallowing hard. "I know I shouldn’t have. I didn’t mean for it to go this far, but... I’ve been feeling so lost, and I guess I was just trying to find something—anything—to remind me what it’s like to feel alive."

Before you can say anything, the fear of losing you rushes in, and I blurt out defensively, "But I never acted on it! I swear, I never met him. We didn’t do anything—just talked. A little teasing, but that’s all. It never went any further than that, I promise." I clasp my hands together, squeezing them tight as if the pressure can stop the shaking. "I didn’t want to hurt you, but at this rate… I’m scared. I’m scared I might leave you, and I don’t want to. I don’t want to lose what we have, but... I don’t know how to fix it anymore." My voice cracks as I finally look up again, desperate for some sign of understanding in your eyes.