Twisted Vows, Hidden Desire

Ethan sat at the edge of his bed, his elbows on his knees, his hands clasped together. His phone lay face-up beside him, the glow from the screen casting a faint light on his face. His eyes stayed fixed on it, as if willing it to ring on its own. But it didn't.

The dinner at Amelia's house had gone as planned. Their parents were ecstatic, and the wedding preparations were already being discussed as if the date had been set. Everyone had believed their act.

Everyone except him.

His heart felt heavy, like a stone lodged in his chest. The one person he couldn't fool was himself. He took a deep breath, reached for his phone, and scrolled down his contact list until he found her name. Claire.

His thumb hovered over the call button for a moment. What if she doesn't answer? he thought. But he pressed it anyway, bringing the phone to his ear.

It rang once. Twice. On the third ring, she picked up.

"Hello?" Claire's voice was soft but not as warm as it used to be.

"Claire… it's me," Ethan said, his voice low, cautious.

"I know," she replied, her tone distant.

Silence. Heavy, uncomfortable silence. Ethan leaned forward, rubbing the back of his neck. "I just got back from dinner at Amelia's house," he started, his voice laced with hesitation. "It was… a family dinner. Both of our parents were there."

"I figured," Claire said flatly.

Her words stung more than he expected. She didn't ask for details, didn't show an ounce of curiosity.

"I wanted to tell you everything," he continued, feeling the need to explain even if she didn't ask. "Our parents pushed us into this. It's not what I want, Claire. You know that, right?"

"Do I?" she shot back, her tone sharper now. Her voice grew colder with every word. "Because from where I'm standing, it looks like you're doing exactly what they want."

"That's not fair," Ethan said, his voice strained. "You know I didn't have a choice."

"Didn't you?" she asked, letting out a bitter laugh. "Ethan, everyone has a choice. Don't blame them for what you agreed to."

Her words cut deep, but he couldn't deny they were true. He had agreed, even if it was under pressure.

"Claire, please," he said, his voice softer now. "I'm just trying to find a way through this. I thought we could figure it out together."

"Figure it out?" Claire scoffed. "Figure what out, Ethan? You've already decided. You're getting married." Her voice wavered slightly, but she quickly steadied herself. "You made your choice. So, I'm making mine."

He sat up straighter, his heart beginning to race. "Claire, don't do this. We can still—"

"No, Ethan," she interrupted, her voice hard and final. "I'm done waiting for you to put me first. I've done it for too long." She let out a shaky breath, her voice quieter now but still firm. "You want to marry Amelia? Fine. Do it. But I'm done being the girl you call at night just to feel better about yourself."

"That's not what this is," he said quickly, standing up and pacing the room. "Claire, I love you. I've always loved you."

"Then you should have fought for me," she replied, her voice cracking, the pain finally seeping through. "But you didn't, Ethan. You didn't fight."

Her words echoed in his mind, filling every corner of his thoughts.

"Congratulations," she added bitterly. "On your future marriage."

His chest tightened as if something inside him had just shattered. "Claire, wait—"

Click.

The line went dead.

He pulled the phone away from his ear, staring at the screen as if it might suddenly reconnect. It didn't. Claire was gone.

His breath grew shallow as he stood there, staring at the phone in his hand. His fingers curled into a fist, gripping the phone so tightly his knuckles turned white. He shut his eyes, his jaw clenching as he struggled to push down the ache rising in his chest.

She's done with me.

Slowly, he sat back on the edge of the bed, his head in his hands. Her words replayed in his mind on a loop. "You should have fought for me."

He leaned back, his eyes fixed on the ceiling.