The motel room grows darker as the hours stretch on, the weight of my exhaustion pressing down like a suffocating blanket.Sleep was supposed to help, supposed to numb the ache in my chest, but instead, I woke up feeling heavier.
I sit up, the blanket pooling around my waist, and glance at my phone on the nightstand.It’s still in airplane mode, the message from that anonymous number still sitting there like a landmine I don’t have the strength to dismantle.
I grab it anyway, my fingers hovering over the screen.There’s no point in watching the video again, no point in torturing myself further.But instead of anger, instead of sadness, there’s a creeping sense of something else—a tiny voice in the back of my head whispering: Something doesn’t add up.
I watch it one last time, this time more critically.My heart races as I focus on every detail, and that’s when I see it.Fox’s haircut.His clothes.The date in the corner of the screen—it’s all wrong.
The Fox in this video isn’t the Fox I’ve spent the past few months with.
I sit back against the headboard, the realization hitting me like a slow, dawning light.Could it have been…Lexi?Did she send this to sabotage us?
A wave of anger rises in me, sharper this time, and it’s not directed at Fox.It’s directed at her.
I can’t stay in this room for another second.My skin feels tight, my chest suffocated, and I need air.I need space.
I grab my things, stuffing them into my bag without much thought.There’s only one place I want to be right now—a place where the world feels still and where I’ve always been able to think.
The lake is quiet when I get there, the water reflecting the soft hues of the early morning sky.I sit down at the edge, pulling my knees to my chest, and stare out at the rippling surface.
This is where Fox and I first came together, where I began to believe in something real, something bigger than the chaos we started from.The memories flood back unbidden, and I hate how much I still want him here beside me.
The ache in my chest is quieter now, dulled by the calming rhythm of the water.I don’t know what I’ll say to him if he comes.I don’t even know if he will come.
But I texted him anyway:
I’m at the cabin.Come over.
I stare at the text I sent Fox for what feels like the millionth time, sighing deeply.Over an hour has passed, and there’s still no response.My phone sits beside me on the jetty as I gaze at the tranquil lake.This place always brought me peace.It was one of the few places I felt completely at ease, especially when Fox and I would come here together.
The stillness of the water reflects my jumbled thoughts.I stand, undress, and dive in.The icy chill shocks my system, making goosebumps rise on my skin.The lake is freezing, thanks to last night’s rain, but it’s oddly comforting.I let the water engulf me, hoping it will wash away the pain, if only temporarily.
I can’t stop replaying the events of the last 24 hours.My parents’ rejection—it stings in ways I can’t even put into words.The moment they told me to leave, it was like the floor dropped out from under me.And that video… that damn video of Fox kissing Lexi played on repeat in my head, each viewing cutting deeper than the last.
For hours, I convinced myself it was real, that Fox had betrayed me, that he’d chosen her over me.I felt pathetic—how could I ever compare to her?She’s everything I’m not, and in my lowest moments, I believed that would always matter to Fox.
But this morning, something clicked.Watching the video again, I noticed the difference.Fox’s hair was freshly cut in the footage, but he hadn’t touched it in weeks—he always complained about being too busy to bother.That’s when it hit me: the video wasn’t recent.Lexi had manipulated me, weaponizing my insecurities against me.
I feel foolish now, knowing I let her win, but the damage was already done.I left, shutting out everyone who tried to reach me.It’s what I’ve always done when I felt hurt or betrayed.But I couldn’t stay away forever.
I pull myself out of the water and dry off, settling back on the shore.The serenity of the lake is short-lived as I hear the sound of an approaching car.I glance back to see Fox’s unmistakable figure stepping out, scanning the area until his eyes find mine.
He strides over, his gaze filled with a mixture of relief and urgency.I look away, hugging my knees to my chest.The closer he gets, the harder my heart pounds.When he sits beside me, the warmth of his presence makes my breath catch.
“Water,” I mutter absently, “calm, beautiful, and yet deadly.”
I turn to meet his eyes, those familiar blue orbs searching mine.For a moment, I feel everything I’ve been trying to suppress—love, anger, confusion.How could Lexi stoop so low?How could she hate me enough to try to destroy the one thing that brought me joy?
“I’m sorry,” Fox says softly, breaking the silence.
I don’t reply, letting his words hang between us.
“I… I didn’t cheat on you.I would never do that.”His voice trembles, and for the first time, I see just how much this has affected him.
“I know,” I admit, my voice barely above a whisper.His head snaps toward me, surprise evident in his expression.
“You… you know?”
I nod slowly, finally turning to face him.“At first, I didn’t.I was angry, hurt.I thought you chose her over me.I thought about all the ways I could never compete with someone like Lexi.And then… this morning, I noticed it—your haircut.You haven’t had one in weeks.And the time stamp too.That’s when I realized the video wasn’t recent.I overreacted, and I’m sorry for shutting you out.”
