“What does it look like?” he murmurs. “I’m hugging you. Why aren’t you hugging me back?”
“Because we never hug. And it feels weird being in your manly arms.”
“Mila says my arms are snuggle-worthy.”
“I’m not your girlfriend, and I can practically feel the bulge in your pants trying to make out with my groin.”
“Shh... just embrace it, Kaden,” he whispers in my ear, mockingly.
The heat of his breath on my skin is enough for me to recoil and push him off. “You’re fucked up, you know that.”
He lets out a booming laugh and shrugs. “I’ll turn you into a big, cuddler one day. Just you wait and see.”
“Not a fucking chance. Now, thanks for the help, mate, but it’s time for you to grab your shit and piss off before I kick your sleazy, prickly old arse out the door.”
“Such a fucking charmer, you are,” he says sarcastically as he picks his tool box up from the floor. “If you need any help with the rest of the furniture, just give me a call. Happy to lend a hand.”
“I appreciate the offer, but I think I can take it from here.”
He gives me a two-finger salute, and we walk over to the front door, making sure to grab his six-pack from the fridge first. We do our usual brotherly man-shake thingy and organise a time to meet at the gym tomorrow night before he finally leaves and I close the door behind him.
The moment I turn around and soak in my new apartment, a sudden rush of emotions floods me all at once—joy, relief, nervousness, excitement, pride, and something I thought I was never going to feel again. A small flicker of hope.
Even if this place feels a little lonelier with no one else around, I know I’ll be okay.Today was another small victory, another small step forward. And I’ll be damned if I start looking back now.
It’s Saturday night, and I’m sitting up in bed with my laptop, browsing through a selection of quality Australian timber for the furniture I plan to build.I’ve already exceeded my budget of five grand, and at this rate, I’m starting to think I might have to sell my Mercedes just to cover the expenses.
I’ve chosen to go with the solid Tasmanian oak for the coffee and dining tables, and Victorian ash timber for the TV unit and shelves due to their strength, durability and modern appearance. I’m even planning to build a desk for the second room, which I’ve decided will become my home office. I haven’t settled on the designs or decided on a particular style just yet, but I’ve gathered enough ideas from online to help me get started.
Seconds after completing the checkout, the familiar ding of an incoming email breaks the quiet, signalling that my invoice has been received.But as my cursor hovers to open it, a different message catches my eye: an email from Lucia,sent exactly a week after I moved out from her place, five months ago. I never replied, and she never reached out again.
Yet it wasn’t long after receiving that message that I truly began to spiral.
I don’t know what compels me to open it again, but in the next moment, I’m clicking on her email, and my screen instantly lights up with her message.
From: [email protected]
Date: 25 February, 2024 at 5:48 pm.
Subject: Are you happy now?
Kaden,
I’m sorry this is a bit long, and I know you’ll probably either ignore it or read it without caring enough to respond. But regardless of what you choose to do, I didn’t want to leave without first letting you know what’s been happening since the day you walked out on us.
I took your advice and called Adrian. As I expected, he denied everything, and refused to acknowledge that Arianna is his. He rejected the idea of a DNA test and, in the end, shunned me, and called me a ‘classless whore’ and ‘homewrecker’ before hanging up and blocking me.
I found out a few weeks later from a colleague that he had suddenly resigned from the school and moved to an undisclosed location with his family. I didn’t care enough to try and find him or contact him again. In all honesty, I never felt anything deep enough for me to want to chase him—not in the same way I felt about you. And I did care about you, Kaden. I still do, even knowing that the whole time, you were in love with someone else. I don’t think I’ll ever stop caring about you.
I’m now left to raise Ari on my own. My family refuses to help once they discovered Ari’s father was a married man. I can’t afford to stay in Sydney, not while raising a child alone. So now, I have no choice but to leave. And I’m thinking maybe, to a smaller town.
I’m not reaching out to you to ask for sympathy, or even support. I know you don’t owe me anything. But I thought you’d be happy to know that I’ve officially hit rock bottom. I don’t know what I’m going to do from here onwards. This will probably be the last you hear from me. But if you ever find it in your heart to forgive me one day, or if you ever just want to know how Ari is doing, I’ll be here. Whenever youwant to talk.
I wish you well Kaden, and I’m truly sorry. For everything.
Yours truly,
