Page 47 of Break My Heart

So. Are we thriving or spiraling? I need input.

Me:

Define spiraling.

The text bubbles appear almost immediately.

Aio:

If you type “It’s complicated,” I’m flying to Vegas just to judge you in person.

I huff out a quiet breath.

Me:

It’s not that straightforward. That’s for sure.

There’s a pause between her texts. Then she replies,

Aio:

Okay. So, this isn’t about the work.

I hesitate, because aside from my girls, Aio is the one who truly knows me. She knows exactly how I compartmentalize my emotions. How I lock away pain. That I separate professional from personal.

Me:

Not just work.

Three dots blip repeatedly before I get a new text.

Aio:

Tell me. Not the project. Leo.

My thumb stills over the screen because all I’ve thought about all night long is him. Now, I don’t know what to think.

Me:

He’s…trying.

It feels insufficient the second I send it, but it’s also the truth.

Aio:

Do you believe that matters?

I exhale slowly, my gaze drifting back to the ceiling. Does it? It should. But I’m still wary. I type that into our text before adding why I’m hesitant.

Me:

He hurt me.

There’s no delay this time.

Aio:

Yes, he did.