| Isabella |

I expected Nathan to come back eventually, or at least call me, but the rest of the day went by and I got nothing but radio silence. I knew he would need his space, we'd just had our first serious fight and I didn't expect him to get over it quickly. So I waited all day Sunday too, and again, nothing. I called him Monday morning, and afternoon and evening, but he never picked up the phone. Soon each day morphed together until finally it had been an entire week with no word from him- no attempt to communicate and try to figure this out.

I was disappointed. I wanted him to call me and get over whatever he was trying to work out but I also knew that was selfish of me. Since I'd been the one to keep this secret from him, it made sense that I would be the one to make everything better. But I couldn't get myself to do it.

I went to work just fine all week, but as soon as I got home I'd find myself glued to the couch, either curled up in a blanket moping or watching TV. The colder weather didn't help me either, as the chill from winter began to pop up, I found myself less and less motivated to leave my sad spot on the couch. I didn't cry as much.

The first day after he walked our I broke down immediately. Sobbing to Rachael about how I'd screwed everything up and that now my relationship with Nathan was never going to be the same. She was able to calm me down enough to pull myself together but that didn't stop me from spending the rest of the week in a state of emotional turmoil unlike any I'd ever experienced in my life. It was paralyzing . . . so much so that I was still on the couch, even a week after it had happened, waiting desperately for a call I knew would never come.

"He's overreacting." says Rachael and I nod. We were currently in the apartment, she had decided to join me in moping around, taking a day off from her busy wedding schedule, to sit with me while I ate ice cream and binge watched TV.

"I know I should have told him but I didn't expect him to be this mad." I sigh.

"I understand why he's mad . . . but I think he could at least have the decency to call you back." she says. "If he's this quick to give up . . . after one bad fight . . ."

I sigh again, feeling so forlorn and hopeless that I can barely stand it. "This is all my fault." I say, feeling tears burning in my eyes for the millionth time.

"Maybe he's waiting for you to actually go over to his apartment." she says thoughtfully. "And make some kind-of grand gesture."

"I've apologized a million times- in all my messages I left and in all the texts I sent." I say and she shakes her head, eating another spoonful of cookie dough ice cream.

"But that's all so much better in person you know?" she says and I nod, I knew she was right. I knew I should go over but I can't seem to find the motivation to get off the couch. I'd been motivated enough to go to work and hope every single day he'd show up during my lunch break again but he never did. I wondered why I'd hurt him so much. I knew I should have told him right away, but I didn't think it was that big of a deal. To him it was about trust- that much I'd figured out, but it was killing me not hearing him explain it to me.

I was emotionally drained and tired- very tired. It was my own fault for getting us in this mess, and now it was up to me to fix it.

"Should I go over now?" I ask, clicking the home button on my phone to check the time and also see if maybe, against all odds, he'd texted me. But a measly 7:32 blinked back at me and nothing else- no messages or missed calls.

"I mean, I don't think that's the worst idea you've ever had." she says and I laugh lightly, rolling my eyes.

"I get it Rachael, I screwed up." I say and she smiles at me.

"Yeah, you did. But it's not too late to fix. You told me he's falling in love with you and your falling in love with him. If that's true, then you have no reason to believe that he isn't sitting at home right now, wishing you'd come fight for him." she says and I nod. "These things have a way of working themselves out in the end."

"Okay." I sigh, getting up off the couch and for the fist time in a week having some hope that this wasn't over yet.

I showered and got dressed in real clothes, rather than the sweat pants and t-shirt option I'd been going for lately. I applied a little makeup, making myself presentable and then showed Rachael the final look. She was still sitting on the couch, eating ice cream, when I returned.

"What do you think?" I ask, doing a little twirl and she grins. She gives me a thumbs up.

"Very good." she says. "You don't look like a zombie anymore."

I sigh, rolling my eyes. "I never looked like a zombie." She gives me a look, raising an eyebrow. I laugh. "Fine, I guess I might have looked a little zombie-like, but now I'm looking and feeling a lot better."

"Good, then go apologize your ass off and fix this whole thing." she says.

With that, I was out the door and hailing a taxi to take me over to his apartment. Rolling up to the building I felt nervous but Rachael's little pep talk had given me courage. I knew Nathan, I knew he was waiting for me to come to him and suddenly all the worrying and stressing I'd done this past week felt pointless.

When I walked into the apartment it was silent as usual. I knew Nathan liked to keep things quiet at his place, he needed it to focus on his work. But I noticed that no maid hurried toward me to take my coat, which I found odd.

I stood in the entry way, trying to decide what to do. Did I go to his office? Or just wait here until someone announces my arrival. Usually the maid who took my coat would promptly tell him I was here, but today it was up to me. I glance at the time on my phone, with getting ready and driving over here in traffic, it was nearly 8:30 now. No way he'd be in bed yet so he must be in his office I think to myself. I glanced up the grand staircase, about to move towards his office, and that's when I saw her.

Dani.

She stood at the top of the stairs, in nothing but one of Nathan's dress shirts, with a smile on her face that made my heart drop through my stomach. Suddenly I felt like I was going to be sick.

"Hello Isabella." she says and I open my mouth to speak but no words come out. I can't believe it and I don't believe it until he's standing there too. Grey joggers slung low on his hips, shirtless and looking completely calm. I stare and none of say anything.

She walks down the stairs towards me, her gaze mocking. "You know I just love his bed." she says, walking towards the bar cart he has in his living room. "The headboard is good for so many things."

"Shut the fuck up Dani." he mutters, walking down the stairs towards me and brushing by her. I back away as he approaches, tears in my eyes before I can stop them. He stops though, a few feet in front of me and even though he's still calm, his eyes are worried.

"You said you never let any woman expect for me sleep with you in your bed." I whisper, choking back a sob.

"I'm sorry." he says and I swallow hard, anger igniting like a blazing fire inside of me.

"You're a fucking idiot." I say slowly. "I was . . . I came over here to apologize."

"Isabella . . ." he starts but I shake my head.

"No!" I shout. "I can't believe you! Really? You gave up on us that easily? For her?"

"Just, let me explain." he says and I shake my head again. His face is blurred from the big fat tears that are rolling down my cheeks. I can stop myself from breaking down in front of him but I can't stop the tears. And I don't want to. I want him to know that's he hurt me and that he still is.

"You don't get to explain." I seethe. "No, this is it. You're a pathetic, lying asshole. And we are done."

He takes a small step forward but it doesn't matter because I'm already walking back towards the elevator. I don't know how I do it, but I make it without falling apart. I turn around and watch his stunned face as I close the doors. I back up, until I'm clinging to the railing inside the elevator, holding on for dear life as I start to cry.

I don't know how that happened. I don't know how he could have done that to me. He knew my last boyfriend cheated on me . . . it was like he was trying to hit me where it hurt. And as the elevator sunk lower and lower, until I was in the lobby, I was still hoping he'd come after me. That he'd stop me half way out the door of the building and tell me he was sorry and he loved me and that he hadn't cheated on me- that it was all some sick joke.

But he didn't.

He let me walk away and maybe that was what I needed, but even in the taxi ride home I wanted him to be driving after me. It wasn't too late for my Hollywood ending. An ending that I knew deep down would never come.

I walked through the door of our apartment, tears falling relentlessly down my cheeks and the second Rachael saw me, she knew I hadn't fixed anything.

"What happened?" she asked, dashing from the couch and catching me in a hug as I nearly collapsed on the floor. I sobbed at first, unable to get any words out as everything came crashing down around me. It was like someone had their hand stuffed down my throat, trying to pull my heart and stomach out. The pain of it was new to me and I think that's why it was so bad. I told Rachael everything between sobs and instead of having her usual 'mama bear' reaction she just hugged me tighter.

"I don't know why he did it." I cry and she shushes me, squeezing me gently. "I don't know what I did wrong."

"You didn't do anything wrong Izzy." she says softly. "He's the one who messed up this time."

"I just fought so hard for our relationship and it's over before we even had a chance . . . for anything." I say, more to myself than to her. And it was true, after all the hurt he'd caused me, I still had nothing to show for it. How could I have let this happen? Maybe I should have gone over to his apartment sooner . . . maybe if I hadn't waited so long to fix our relationship then I wouldn't be sobbing over something this new mess. Because this time it was Nathan who had ruined our relationship . . . it was Nathan who had broken my heart.

Hope you all enjoyed! Tell me what you thought in the comments. (New update coming soon.)

XX,

-Keara Rose