Scarlett lay in bed, staring at the ceiling as Calix slept beside her. She couldn't shake off the feeling of unease that had been growing inside her for weeks.
It wasn't just the fact that Calix didn't want a relationship with her. It was the fact that she couldn't seem to open up to him, no matter how hard she tried.
She thought back to her previous relationship with Bastian. He had been charming and charismatic, but also controlling and manipulative. He had made her feel like she was walking on eggshells, never knowing when he would blow up at her.
And now, with Calix, she felt like she was reliving the same pattern. Calix was charming and charismatic, but also distant and unemotional. He didn't want to get too close to her, didn't want to open up to her.
Scarlett felt a pang of sadness. Why couldn't she seem to attract someone who truly cared about her?
As she lay there, lost in thought, Calix stirred beside her. "Hey, what's wrong?" he asked, his voice sleepy.
Scarlett hesitated, unsure of how to answer. "Nothing," she said finally. "Just couldn't sleep."
Calix nodded, pulling her into his arms. "Try to relax," he said. "I'm here."
Scarlett felt a pang of gratitude towards him. He might not want a relationship with her, but at least he was willing to offer her physical comfort.
As she drifted off to sleep, Scarlett couldn't shake off the feeling that she was settling for something less than she deserved.
The next day, Scarlett and Calix met up for lunch. Scarlett was quiet, lost in thought, and Calix noticed.
"Hey, what's wrong?" he asked, his eyes narrowing with concern.
Scarlett hesitated, unsure of how to answer. "Just stuff," she said finally.
Calix raised an eyebrow. "Stuff?" he repeated.
Scarlett nodded, feeling a little defensive. "Yeah. Just stuff."
Calix sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Scarlett, come on. You can tell me what's wrong."
Scarlett felt a pang of frustration. Why did Calix care all of a sudden? He had made it clear that he didn't want a relationship with her.
"I don't want to talk about it," she said finally, standing up.
Calix stood up too, his eyes locked on hers. "Scarlett, wait," he said.
But Scarlett was already walking away, feeling a little angry and a lot hurt.
As she walked, Scarlett couldn't shake off the feeling that she was making a mistake. She was letting her trust issues get the better of her, and it was affecting her relationship with Calix.
But what could she do? She couldn't just magic away her trust issues, no matter how hard she tried.
As she walked, Scarlett felt a pang of sadness. She was stuck in this cycle of mistrust and hurt, and she didn't know how to escape.
The next day, Calix showed up at Scarlett's doorstep, looking determined.
"Hey," he said, his eyes locked on hers. "We need to talk."
Scarlett felt a pang of wariness, but she stepped aside to let him in.
As they sat down in the living room, Calix turned to her and said, "I know something's wrong, Scarlett. And I want to know what it is."
Scarlett felt a pang of surprise. Calix had never shown this much interest in her feelings before.
"I don't know," she said finally, feeling a little defensive. "Just stuff."
Calix sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Scarlett, come on. You can trust me."
Scarlett felt a pang of laughter. Trust him? After what he had done to her?
"I don't know if I can," she said finally, feeling a little vulnerable.
Calix's eyes locked on hers, and for a moment, Scarlett felt like he could see right through her.
"Why not?" he asked, his voice soft.
Scarlett took a deep breath, feeling a little scared. "Because of Bastian," she said finally.
Calix's eyes narrowed. "What did he do to you?" he asked, his voice hard.
Scarlett felt a pang of fear, but she pushed it aside. She needed to tell Calix the truth.
"He was controlling and manipulative," she said finally. "He made me feel like I was walking on eggshells, never knowing when he would blow up at me."
Calix's eyes flashed with anger, and for a moment, Scarlett felt like he was going to hurt someone.
"I'm sorry," he said finally, his voice soft. "I had no idea."
Scarlett felt a pang of gratitude towards him. At least he cared enough to listen.
As they sat there in silence, Scarlett felt a weight lift off her shoulders. She had finally shared her secret with someone, and it felt liberating.
Calix reached out and took her hand, his eyes locked on hers. "I'm sorry," he said again. "I had no idea."
Scarlett smiled weakly. "It's not your fault," she said. "I just... I don't know how to trust people anymore."
Calix nodded, his expression understanding. "I get it," he said. "But I want you to know that I'm here for you, Scarlett. I'm not going anywhere."
Scarlett felt a pang of hope. Maybe, just maybe, Calix was different from Bastian. Maybe he could be trusted.
As they sat there in silence, Scarlett felt a sense of peace wash over her. She had finally shared her secret, and it felt like a weight had been lifted off her shoulders.
But as the days turned into weeks, Scarlett began to realize that her trust issues weren't going away anytime soon. She still found it hard to open up to Calix, still found it hard to trust him completely.
And Calix, sensing her unease, began to pull away. He stopped calling her as much, stopped showing up at her doorstep unannounced.
Scarlett felt a pang of sadness. She had thought that sharing her secret with Calix would bring them closer together, but instead, it seemed to be driving them apart.
As the distance between them grew, Scarlett couldn't help but wonder if she would ever be able to trust Calix completely. Or if her trust issues would always be a barrier between them.
One night, as they lay in bed together, Calix turned to her and said, "Scarlett, I feel like we're drifting apart."
Scarlett nodded, feeling a pang of sadness. "I know," she said. "I'm sorry."
Calix sighed, running a hand through his hair. "I don't know what to do," he said. "I feel like I'm losing you."
Scarlett felt a pang of guilt. She knew she had been pulling away from Calix, knew she had been letting her trust issues get the better of her.
"Calix, I'm sorry," she said again, feeling a little desperate. "I don't know what's wrong with me. I just... I don't know how to trust people anymore."
Calix looked at her, his eyes filled with understanding. "Scarlett, I'm not going anywhere," he said. "I'm here for you, no matter what."
Scarlett felt a pang of hope. Maybe, just maybe, Calix was the one person who could help her overcome her trust issues. Maybe he was the one person who could help her learn to love again.
As they hugged each other tightly, Scarlett felt a sense of peace wash over her. She knew she still had a long way to go, knew she still had to work on her trust issues. But with Calix by her side, she felt like she could finally start to heal.