Mason didn't go to work today.

He was in the room and has been on a phone call for . . . actually I didn't know how long it was. The tv was on and they were doing reruns of Love Island. I didn't know what exactly was happening on screen either.

It's a thing that has begun to happen to me. Spacing out.

I looked away from the television, to the clock hanging above it. Mason had hung it there when he said he wanted to redecorate the house. That was earlier today, at eight in the morning but that, like many other things, didn't last long.

It was almost twelve and I was wondering if Aizen was going to come over and knock as usual.  After our argument yesterday, I haven't heard from him. I didn't even have his number so I couldn't text. I already think too much and overcomplicate things with Mason but this friendship with Aizen is new and I didn't want to think too much about it.

When the clock struck twelve, I held my breath and waited.

One minute past twelve and there was no knock.

Fifteen minutes past twelve and there was no knock.

I looked away from the tv to the door, teeth digging into my bottom lip, air going out my nose. I could go? I could just make up an excuse and go out, quickly make my way up the stairs and check if Aizen was there.

The door to the room was pushed open, letting out the usual squeak.  I could hear Mason's footsteps and turned around to look at him, my lips pulled into a smile.

"Hey, honey."

"Deri, I have a lunch meeting with an executive director and I might be home late. Do you want me to leave some money for takeout?" Mason asked. Meeting? I thought today was his day off. I thought he was going to stay home and play some games on his Xbox or something.

"No, it's alright. There's still some leftover chicken in the fridge, I'll heat it up." I said and he nodded. He rushed back to the room and came out five minutes later fully dressed. White shirt tucked into black pants and black shoes, a slim tie around his neck. He had parted his hair to the side, and I could smell the fancy cologne he uses for very important outings. This must be serious then.

I got off the couch and made my way to him. He looked good.

Better than I had ever seen him look in a while.

"You look great." I tell him, running my hands down his arms, looking up at him.

"Thank you." he said. He ducked down and pressed a kiss to my cheek, taking a step back afterwards. "If I'm not back by seven, don't wait up and lock the door."

"Okay." I said. "I hope the meeting goes well." I said and he didn't reply. He just rushed out the door and I walked towards it, turning the key and locked it. I looked around the open room and sighed.

Alone.

Alone at last.

What does it say about our relationship if I preferred being at home alone than spending time with Mason?

I shook my head. I didn't have to think about that now. I made my way towards the room, picking around at the empty wrappers of kit kats that Mason had tossed to the ground, there were even two on the bed. I put them in the trash and walked back to pull away the duvet.

There was a loud thud sound and my heart jumped to my throat. I immediately bent down, looking for what had made that sound. I almost passed out from freight when I saw what it was. Mason's phone was lying face down on the ground and that thud didn't sound good. If I had broken the screen, I would be beaten so badly. Like the time one of the plates had slipped from my hand.

Oh fuck.

I've made another mistake.

I held my breath as I reached for the phone, taking a second before turning it over. I let out a loud breath and sank to the floor when I saw the screen wasn't broken. I pressed the power button and my heart sank.

There was a reminder taking up the entire screen and all it said was three months anniversary.

Wh-

What?

My hands shook and I... I couldn't believe what I was seeing. I was probably thinking about this all wrong. It might be an anniversary for something else and not what I was thinking. What was I even thinking?

Mason wasn't cheating on me.

He wouldn't.

Yeah, like I also thought no one, not even Mason would ever hit me.

I dropped the phone onto the pooled duvet and covered my face with my hands. I was probably overthinking this. This wasn't... true.

Was it?

I let out a loud yelp when there was a loud knock on the door. I could hear Mason yelling my name. He probably came back for the phone. I didn't have time to think, I didn't have proof... yet and if he sees me even close to the phone, my head would be bashed in. I pushed the phone up the bed and close to the pillows before making my way over to the door. I pulled it open and Mason rushed in, and without even saying a word to me, he rushed to the room and rushed back out of the apartment.

Cheating.

It would explain a lot to be honest.

The always on the phone thing. Texts, quiet, hushed calls or calls he had to take outside. The many many overnight meetings.

How could I have been so stupid?

How could I have been so dumb?

"Why are you standing there, staring into empty space?"

The familiar voice snapped me out of my thoughts. There he was. Aizen. He had on a pinstripe suit with matching pants, white shirt with a couple buttons undone and a gold silk scarf tucked into the collar of the shirt, his dark hair was styled back and he looked good.

"Huh?"

"Why are you just standing there?" 

"Do you have vodka at your place? I need to drink."

"Is your boyfriend coming back tonight?"

"He's not." I said. I took the key off the back of the door, walked out and locked it. Aizen walked quietly behind me. We walked up the stairs and he opened the door to his apartment for me, pushing it so I could walk in.

Aizen went over to the kitchen while I sat on the couch, sinking into it. My back pressed against the seat, my head resting against the side while I looked up at the ceiling. It hurt. To  be honest, it hurt like a bitch.

It felt like someone had poured a fuck ton of salt on my injury.

Even after everything, after two years of being together, after all the beatings, after cutting me off from all my friends, after making me feel like shit for so long. He was actually having an affair. Story of my life.

I didn't even know I had started laughing until I could actually hear  it. It was loud and lifeless. Aizen walked over to me holding a glass canister of whiskey and two cups. The thing looked expensive and it probably would be stronger too.

Mason wasn't going to come home today if I was right. It was his anniversary after all.

"You're laughing like a maniac. It's scary."

I sat up and grabbed the whiskey from him, popping off the top and swallowing it down. I winced at the burn in my throat but I didn't stop. Aizen had to actually drag the bottle away from me.

"What's wrong?" he asked, sitting on the centre table so he could look right at me. He had taken off the jacket and silk scarf.

"He's cheating on me." I said and Aizen's eyes widened a bit. Yeah, even he was surprised. I reach for the bottle again and he pulls it away. He grabbed a cup and poured some into it before handing it to me.

"What do you want to do?"

"You're not going to ask how I know? You're not going to give me options this time?" I asked before tossing back the drink. It burned. Ugh.

"You always have options. I only wanted you to know and understand that." Aizen said, looking away from me for a second.

"I don't know what to do."

"I could beat him up for you." Aizen offered. He took the second cup and poured himself a drink, reaching out to refill my empty cup.

"No. No." I said. I threw back the whiskey and looked down at the tiny glass cup in my hand. It was starting to taste sweet now. What was that saying again? Alcohol tastes sweet when your life is bitter.

Yeah. My life was a fucking lemon.

I felt the familiar sting behind my eyes and stared at the cup as my tears hit it. That was it. One tear and I broke down. Fuck Mason. I deserved better than this. I didn't need this. I didn't need him. I didn't want to feel this pain or sadness anymore. I never asked for this.

I thought I was going to live my life, I thought I was going to live a good life with a man who loved me and I was so so wrong. All I got handed to me was shit, literal poop, in a bag. No one deserved this.

I cried so hard my eyes were starting to hurt, I cried so hard I couldn't see the cup properly. It was blurry. I cried so hard for the strength that had been beaten out of me, I cried so hard for the life I had lost, for the time I had lost. I cried so hard because of my broken heart.

I felt the couch dip beside me and all of a sudden, he was there. Aizen was there. I felt his arms around me, pulling me closer until I was clutching his shirt, my body shaking as I cried and cried.

It hurt.

It hurt so much.

I truly didn't deserve this.

—

I...

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