The awkward silence that followed Olivia's departure lingers in the air like an uncomfortable cloud. Eli's face is unreadable, his eyes distant, staring at nothing in particular. I wish I could read his mind right now, but I don't think even he knows what he's thinking.
"Eli, are you—?" I begin, but I can't finish the sentence. I don't know if I even want to hear the answer.
He exhales sharply, rubbing the back of his neck. "I don't know what to say, Avery."
Well, that's just perfect. Another round of I don't know what I want—my favorite.
"I'm not asking for a speech," I mutter, staring at the floor. "I'm just asking if you're going to let her walk all over this, or if you're going to do something about it."
I feel a little bad as soon as the words leave my mouth, but there's no turning back now.
Eli finally looks at me. I catch a flicker of frustration in his gaze. "You don't get it, do you?" he says quietly, shaking his head. "Olivia and I have history. We were supposed to be together. This isn't something I just get to undo."
"And yet, here we are," I snap back. "With me standing in the middle of a mess I didn't ask for. Do you even care how this looks to me?"
He looks taken aback. "Avery, I—"
"No, Eli. You don't get it," I say, crossing my arms. "This wasn't supposed to be a 'thing.' This was supposed to be a fake thing. But now it's all real, and I can't just ignore that."
I take a deep breath, forcing myself to calm down. "I didn't sign up to be the second option. I'm not someone's backup plan."
Eli's face tightens, and there's a moment where I think he's going to argue. But then he doesn't. Instead, he just sits there, looking at me like I've just dropped the bombshell he's been avoiding.
"I'm sorry," he says softly. "I didn't mean for this to get so complicated."
I nod, but I don't know if I believe him. The whole situation is a mess. One minute, we're pretending to be in love, and the next, I'm standing here questioning my own sanity.
"You know," I begin, my voice quieter now, "maybe we just call it quits. Just… end the whole fake relationship."
I can feel my heart pounding in my chest, but I force myself to stay calm. This is what I should do. It's the smart thing to do. Walk away before this thing sucks me in any deeper.
But Eli doesn't say anything. He just stares at me.
I wait for him to argue. For him to tell me I'm wrong. To do something to make me believe this is still worth it.
Instead, his eyes soften. "You know I'm not trying to hurt you, right?" His voice is quieter, sincere.
I look away, biting my lip. "I don't know what to think anymore."
There's a long silence between us, filled with all the things we haven't said. The weight of the unspoken words hangs between us like a barrier we can't break.
I walk out of the room without another word.
---
Later that afternoon, I find myself standing outside a coffee shop, staring at the menu like it's the most complicated thing I've ever seen. My brain is a mess, filled with images of Eli and Olivia and the weird tension between us.
I needed space. Space to think. But now I'm not sure where to go from here.
"Avery?"
I freeze. The voice cuts through the fog of my thoughts, and I turn around.
Of course. It's her.
Olivia stands there, with that all-too-perfect smile plastered across her face. She's wearing the kind of outfit that says "I'm rich, I'm successful, and I get everything I want"—and right now, that includes whatever the hell she thinks she's going to get from me.
"Hey," she says, her voice sweet, but laced with something sharp. "I just wanted to make sure you're okay after this morning."
I stare at her, not sure if I should laugh, cry, or just walk away. "Really? You care?"
Her smile doesn't falter. "Of course, I do. I'm just… concerned about you."
I raise an eyebrow. "Concerned? For what? My sanity? Because you've already made that completely clear."
Olivia looks like she's trying to hold back a laugh. "You're funny. You really think this is some kind of game?"
"I don't know, Olivia," I say, my voice dripping with sarcasm. "Maybe you think it's a game, but the rest of us aren't playing anymore."
She tilts her head. "I just think it's cute how you're trying to fit into Eli's life."
I take a step closer, feeling a surge of something I can't quite name. "I don't need to 'fit in' anywhere. I just want to know if he's going to choose me, or you. So I can move on with my life."
Olivia's smile tightens just a little. "Eli's not someone you can just pick."
"Yeah, well, I think I'm starting to get that." I take a deep breath, stepping back. "You can go now, Olivia. I'm done."
For a second, she looks like she's about to say something else, but then she turns and walks away.
Just like that. No dramatic speech. No last-minute plea. She just goes.
And I'm left standing there, more confused than ever.
---
Cliffhanger? You bet.
Because next chapter, I'm finally making a decision.
I don't know what it'll be, but I'm done waiting around for someone else to decide for me.
It's time to take control.