David
Em is right,although I can't help but wish I had what she has. Whatever money is leftover after I pay rent goes to cigarettes, alcohol, and pills. I might be able to have these nice things if I didn’t have bad habits. If only.
I stand up and walk out of her room without a sound. Em is facing away from me, watching TV. I sneak up behind her and wrap my arms around her. I nuzzle my face into her hair. She leans back and meets my gaze with her large green eyes. I kiss her forehead softly.
“I'm sorry, love. I didn't mean any of that stuff I said in there.” I motion towards her room. “You and your mother are my family, and I appreciate everything you guys did and still do for me. I just work a shitty factory job, and I wouldn’t have any of these things without you. This apartment may be a bit run down, but it’s ours, and that makes it perfect.”
I look down and Em is crying. Her cheeks flush and she breaks down.
* * *
Emily
David will never understandwhat he means to me. My frustration spills over as my eyes well up and tears paint my cheeks. He tries to pull at my chin to get me to look at him, but I push his hand away.
“Just don’t!”
I stand up to leave, but he steps over the side of the couch and blocks my path, aggravating me further. I can't look him in the eyes. I can't let him see that he is the reason written within these tears.
He embraces me in an unwavering grasp as I struggle against him.
“Fucking let me go, David! Seriously. I'm not playing around!”
I fight against his hug until I'm breathless. I sob into his chest. This ritual repeats itself as it has so many times before. It’s followed by ugly, snotty sobs into his shirt.
“Em, shhh... calm down,” he whispers into my ear.
The sound of his voice makes my knees weak. I love him so much, but he doesn’t feel the same way. It leaves a hole in my heart similar to the empty feeling of grief. A wound that nothing but his reciprocated love can mend. We have all the makings for a healthy, full, and well-fed fire, but David has never considered lighting the match.
I don’t have the energy to fight him anymore tonight. I allow him to drag me to my room. I crawl into bed beside him and turn away. He drapes his arm over my waist, pulling me into him. My body aligns with his. He blows some of my hair out of his way and nuzzles his face into my neck before dozing off. His even breaths send chills down my spine. I feel him harden against my ass, and I gently grind my hips into his. Soft moans escape his softer lips and race along my skin.