Kat

"I booked a flight to Paris. Coco and I are going to try and work things out. I leave tonight". I felt my stomach drop. My smile beginning to falter. I knew that when I came here that she would need to forgive me and I'd have to earn her trust back. I was okay with that. I was ready to listen to every word she had to throw my way. I expected that. But this was something else. I wasn't prepared for this. This wasn't how it played out in my mind.

"Oh", was all I could manage. I no longer feel like I'm able to meet her eyes and begin to walk out of her apartment. She grabs my arm but I shrug it off. "Kat I-", Adena says. I put my hand on the doorknob ready to twist it, but wait to hear what else she has to say never letting my eyes leave the door frame. Hoping for just a moment that she changes her mind, knowing that once she puts her mind to something, she follows through.

That's what I had always admired the most about her, how strong willed she was. Never indecisive like me. And now that trait was my own worst enemy. I made the decision too late and was paying for it.

"I wish things ended up differently", I feel the tears brimming at my eyelids as her words slam into my chest. I leave without another word. Once outside it feels like a weight is being pressed against my lungs and I gasp a ragged breath, tears falling freely from my eyes. "Fuck!", I cry out. Not caring that people are now looking at me as they walk by. I take out my phone, loading up Coco's instagram as I begin to walk to the subway home. I stuff my phone into my back pocket, nervous as to what I might find. I would look later, I tell myself.

I wipe my eyes as I descend the stairs down to the subway station. I feel my body go through the motions. Swiping my card, waiting for the train, standing and holding the rail as my body sways from the motion of the train. It isn't until I get back to my apartment that the tears come again.

I slide down onto the floor in my living room, taking my phone out of my pocket. Wiping my eyes once more to see Coco's page. The broken heart she had posted was now gone. She hadn't replaced it, or added a new picture. It was just gone. It made all of this all too real. They really were working through their issues together. Adena was really leaving to Paris. I shut my phone screen off and threw it behind me on the couch. Getting up, I head to the kitchen and rummage through the fridge looking for the wine I had been saving for a rainy day.

"Looks like it's going to be me and you tonight", I say popping open the cork, grabbing a glass. I pour myself a generous glass. I head to my room grabbing my laptop. "Pizza and wine to drown my sorrows", I browse for the latest deals until I hear my phone ringing. I get up from the spot on my bed headed to the living room to retrieve my phone on the couch. I turn to see that Sutton is calling me. I cancel the call, not in the mood for talking to anyone. But then she begins to call again. With a large sigh I answer.

"Well hello, and why aren't you picking up my calls?" she says snarkily. "Covering up my sadness with pizza and wine, how's your day?", I say as cheery as possible.

"Wait, back up. What's going on? What's wrong?", I hear the worry in her voice. As soon as Adena's name comes out of my mouth Sutton cuts me off. "Okay well I'm coming over before you do anything stupid, and I'm bringing back up", before I can protest I hear the familiar click of the call ended.

Sutton and Jane arrive just as the pizza does. For the next hour I tell them about what happened at Adena's place and when she came to see me at work.

"I'm so sorry Kat", Jane says rubbing my back. I had managed to refrain from crying all over again, sipping on my wine. I shrug in response. "I won't get in the way of true love ya know, what's meant to be will be", I say looking down before meeting both of them with a weary smile.

"I disagree, you care about her. A lot. And you are just gonna let her go across the country for the woman she broke up with for you? Kat, you gotta fight for her.", Sutton looks me dead in the eyes and I feel her passion.

"I mean yeah.. Of course I care for her, but I'm not going to force her to be with me.", Sutton shakes her head.

"This is the first girl, hell the first person I've ever seen you torn up about and you have the nerve to be here throwing yourself a pity party with pizza and wine, this is not the Kat I know", Sutton waves her arm around the living room at the box of pizza and empty wine bottle.

I feel myself getting frustrated, smoothing back my hair I sigh. "Okay then what am I supposed to do? I've-I have work and assignments to worry about. It's not like I can just fly off to Paris and just magically run into Adena with a boombox playing some sappy love song", we all look at each other after I'm done ranting before we burst into laughter.

"You both are right, Kat you can't just give up. But Sutton she can't just abandon her work at Scarlet", Jane says furrowing her eyebrows in thought.

"Well I'm going to need a miracle right about now", I say finishing the last sip of wine in my glass and then sitting it on the coffee table. Just then, Jane shoots up off of the couch, excitement clear on her face.

"I've got the perfect solution, pack your bags Kat!", I look from Sutton back to Jane. "Uhh, this should be great", I say as I feel Jane yanking me up from my feet. "Get ready for operation get Adena back", Jane says with the most triumphant smile. Oh hell.

Two Weeks Later

Adena

My morning's have all been the same since getting here in France. I wake up first, go for a run. I grab coffee for me and Coco. We see a therapist and we either end up making love to erase our frustrations from the meeting or watching television in bed together silently. I think that things are getting better.

At least I'd like to think that they are. We aren't arguing, but we aren't communicating as much as I'd like. Anytime I try to talk about any issue, she kisses me. It isn't just a peck, it's as though she is kissing me for the first time. I end up breathless and almost forget what I was even mad about. But I woke up today, ready to not let that happen. We need to make this work, or not at all.

I walk out the door breathing in the morning air. The breeze running through my skin as I start a jog towards the park. This run feels different as I run through the things I want to tell Coco once I get back home. Of course I love her, but I need something in my life, someone who is consistent. I don't want to be tired of a relationship, I want to feel like every day is a new day of love. We use to feel like that, but then things got hard.

My train of thought is interrupted as a taxi honks at me to cross the street. I wave the driver off nonchalantly since I have the right away. The passenger window rolls down.

"Adena?", Kat's face emerges from the window.