"Nixon, can you leave now?" Shaelyn said, her voice tight as she fixed a stiff look on Nixon.
Shaelyn felt completely out of place, Nixon's bizarre behavior only added to her unease, and in her current fragile emotional state, she struggled to find the right words.
"Shay, I..." Nixon started, but she cut him off.
"No! Just… please," she insisted, her heart racing. "I need some space right now." The weight of everything was suddenly too much for her to bear. She could feel the tears threatening to spill over, and the last thing she wanted was for Nixon to witness that breakdown.
Nixon shifted uncomfortably, his eyes pleading as he looked at her. "Can I drink some water before leaving? I didn't sleep well last night!" His voice came out hoarse, almost cracking under the strain. He rubbed his throat absentmindedly; it felt raw and inflamed.
Shaelyn glanced at him briefly before looking away again. His red-rimmed eyes and pale complexion were hard to ignore.
It was clear he hadn't slept at all, but that didn't change anything...if anything it made it worse, that he returned to her in this state after being with Leyla all night.
Taking a deep breath to steady herself, Shaelyn replied calmly, "Please just drink some water and then go." Her tone was firm yet laced with an underlying softness that hinted at her concern for him.
Nixon's gaze bore into hers with an intensity that made her stomach twist. "I really don't want to leave like this," he murmured softly.
Rolling her eyes in frustration but unable to suppress a hint of sympathy, Shaelyn finally relented. "Fine! I'll get you the water now." She turned on her heel and walked into the kitchen, muttering under her breath about how complicated everything had become.
As she poured a glass of water, she could still feel Nixon's eyes on her back. She filled the glass to the brim and returned to him with a sigh. "Here," she said flatly as she handed it over.
Before she could retract her hand, Nixon's fingers closed around her wrist with surprising strength.
Shaelyn's heart raced at the unexpected contact, and she pulled back slightly, her eyes narrowing in suspicion. "What are you doing?!" she exclaimed, swiftly masking the anxiety that was stirred within her.
Nixon looked up at her with a lazy grin. "Drinking water!" he replied in a drawl, lifting the glass to his lips and taking a slow sip as if savoring every drop.
"Can you let go?" Shaelyn pressed, feeling the heat radiating from where he held her. She clenched her other fist tightly against her palm to keep herself grounded
Nixon's deep-set eyes turned cold as he studied her face intently. He seemed to be noting every flicker of emotion that crossed her features. "Shay," he began softly, "Leyla and I… there's nothing between us."
Shaelyn felt a pang in her chest at the mention of Leyla but quickly masked it with irritation. "You think that matters?" she shot back defensively. "You think just saying that will make everything okay?"
Nixon sighed heavily, leaning forward slightly as if trying to bridge the distance between them. "Yesterday I left in a hurry…" he started again, his voice laced with helplessness as he attempted to explain what had happened with Leyla.
"What about yesterday?" Shaelyn interrupted sharply, crossing her arms over her chest as if to shield herself from his words, and from him.
"I was confused," Nixon admitted slowly, searching for the right words. "I don't know how to handle things… when Leyla is hurt." His gaze softened momentarily before hardening again under Shaelyn's scrutinizing stare.
The attempt at an explanation sounded even worse to Shaelyn's ears.
"Confused? Is that your excuse for the past two years?!" Shaelyn challenged him fiercely,
"No! It's not an excuse!" Nixon insisted passionately. "I'm trying to tell you that I want you, only you! But things keep getting complicated."
Shaelyn shook her head vehemently; tears threatened to spill over but she fought them back fiercely. "Complicated? You don't get to throw that word around like it means something! You made your choices!"
Nixon released his grip on her wrist slowly but didn't move away entirely; instead, he leaned closer. "Shay," he said earnestly, his voice dropping lower. "I need you to believe me."
She met his gaze defiantly but couldn't ignore how close they were now, the tension between them was palpable and Shaelyn was much too aware of it than she would have liked to be.
"Believe you?" Shaelyn scoffed lightly despite herself;
"Yes," Nixon urged gently yet firmly; there was desperation in his tone that made Shaelyn's heart ache against all reason.
"Why should I?" she whispered finally, vulnerability creeping into her voice despite all efforts to remain strong.
"Because I'm here..." he replied simply yet profoundly;
To Shaelyn, it sounded like both an admission and a promise wrapped into one fragile sentence.
But Shaelyn had already learned the hard way that Nixon's words did not hold the same meaning to him that everyone else may have attached to it.
To Nixon, those words would mean 'I returned to you from Leyla, as I always have. So what concerns would you have? When I always return to you in the end.'
Shaelyn knew Nixon well enough and her heart ached only because as much as she wished to believe his words, she just knew him too well.
At this moment, Nixon's phone lit up on the table where he had left it.
Nixon's gaze moved to it and Shaelyn's gaze trailed his.
Unsurprisingly, the name shown on the screen was none other than her...'Leyla'
Nixon's gaze returned to Shaelyn, a helpless look in his eyes.
"The doctor said this is a critical period and to remain in contact, there is no one else she can call... I have to take that." Nixon explained.
"Of course... There is only you, Nixon." Shaelyn replied, smiling bitterly.
For a moment there, she had nearly wavered, but once again, reality was slapped right across her face. Harshly...
"You should go...do not keep her waiting." Shaelyn replied blankly, moving away from Nixon.