EIGHT
Alexis stared at Mikel, with her mouth widely open.
Her heart was pounding heavily from the weight of his words as they sank into her mind.
"What… what did you mean by that?" She asked, her voice was barely above a whisper.
Mikel scoffed in annoyance, shaking his head.
"Don't act like you don't understand." He snapped at her again.
"Of course, I don't. You have never said anything like that before. How can I understand?" Alexis insisted, her eyes wide with confusion.
Mikel stared at her with a cold and distant gaze.
"Well, maybe it was time I did." He stated nonchalantly.
Alexis took a step back, stunned by the sudden shift in his demeanor. She clenched her fists as if that would stop her from snapping back at him.
"I thought… I thought we were fine." She whispered.
Mikel let out a hollow laugh.
"Fine? We have been pretending everything is fine, Alexis. But it is not." He said.
Alexis shook her head in disbelief, her hands trembling as she tried to process his words.
"Why are you saying this now? What changed?" She demanded.
Mikel's eyes went toward the door as if he were already planning his escape.
"Nothing changed. I just can't keep pretending anymore." He maintained simply, too simply.
"Pretending? Pretending about what, Mikel? We have built a life together. Doesn't that mean anything to you, anymore? What is there to pretend about?" Alexis asked, her voice breaking with emotion.
Mikel clenched his jaw, his anger and frustration threatening to explode.
"A life together? Without a child? Without a future?"
His words hit her like a physical punch to the gut.
Alexis blinked rapidly, tears welling up in her eyes.
"You never said it mattered that much to you. I didn't even know you felt this way." She said sadly.
Mikel sighed, rubbing his temples as if trying to wave off a headache.
"There is a time for everything, Alexis. And now… now is the time to face reality." He informed her.
"Reality? What reality other than being a wonderful couple that are so much in love with each other, making others feel envious?" She asked him.
"You don't get it." Mikel said, shaking his head then looked away.
Alexis took a deep breath, trying to stay calm despite the pain in her chest.
"Then help me understand. Talk to me. Don't just… don't just look away and ignore me." She requested.
However, Mikel was no longer hearing her. He had grabbed a small duffel bag from the closet and began to throw some of his belongings into it.
"What are you doing?" Alexis' heart sank as she realized what he was doing. Mikel didn't respond.
"W... Where are you going to?" She asked, her voice shaking.
"You don't want me here so I will leave." He told her without sparing her a glance.
"What? No. I didn't say that. Why would I want you to leave?" Alexis asked, looking bewildered. Then she moved closer, her hands reaching for his.
Mikel pulled his hands away.
"You don't have to say it. It is obvious. As long as you won't let me have breathing space, you are indirectly telling me to leave the house for you." He maintained sharply.
"No, it is not!" Alexis protested, desperation creeping into her voice.
"We had an argument. That is all. Don't turn this into something bigger than it is." She said pleadingly but a hint of anger and frustration was evident in her voice.
"It is bigger, Alexis. I Will have you know that this isn't just about tonight. It is about everything." Mikel said to her harshly.
Alexis felt her knees weaken, but she managed to steady herself.
"I really don't understand what you mean by every thing, but please… don't leave. It is late. Let's just talk tomorrow." She said pleadingly.
At that moment, Mikel was satisfied with what he had thrown in the bag. He zipped up the bag and slung it over his shoulder.
"I need space. You need space, so goodbye until we are both calm." He said.
Alexis swallowed hard, fighting back tears.
"Please, Mikel. Don't let us do this. I beg you..." She pleaded.
"You just got back home after two days, how could you leave again?" She added.
For a brief moment, he hesitated. He opened his mouth only to close it back without uttering a word. Then, with a cold glance, he walked toward the door.
Alexis followed him, her heart breaking with every step he took.
"It is just a misunderstanding. We can fix this." She yelled after him. But Mikel didn't stop. He opened the door and left without looking back.
Alexis stood there for a moment, staring at the door as she tried to process what had just happened.
"What did I do wrong?" She wondered aloud.
~~~~~~~~
After some minutes, Alexis found herself, walking back to the living room, lost in thoughts.
Her legs were feeling so weak that she feared they would give out.
She sank onto the sofa, her whole body trembling as she tried to make sense of everything.
"Why would Mikel say everything hasn't been fine? Has he really been pretending or he just uttered that out of anger?" She threw the question at the empty room.
At that moment, her phone buzzed on the table.
Alexis picked it up, frowning at the unknown number flashing on the screen.
"Who could be calling me by this hour?" She wondered before reluctantly accepting the call.
"Hello, may I know who the caller is?" She inquired politely.
Then a voice spoke up on the other end.
Alexis's eyes widened in shock at what the caller was saying.
"No…" Alexis whispered, her fingers going numb.
Suddenly, the phone slipped from her hand and crashed onto the floor.
Alexis' face went pale as the words rang in her mind, her lips trembling.
"No, this can't be happening." She whispered but deep down, she knew it was already happening.
And nothing would ever be the same again.