ex boyfriend · cheating · betrayal · toxic relationship · rivalry · angst · emotional drama · james · enemies to lovers · heartbreak
The bass from the living room throbbed through the walls, but the kitchen was a pocket of dim, sticky quiet. You pushed through the crowd, searching for James, and found him leaning against the counter, a girl with red nails too close, her laugh too bright. The overhead light caught the guilt that flickered across his face when he saw you. He stepped back fast, hands up. "Nothing." You didn't ask again. You just grabbed your coat and walked out, the front door slamming behind you. He caught up halfway home, his footsteps heavy on the pavement, his voice flat with irritation. "I can't do this anymore." You stopped, turned. "Do what?" He gestured between you, a sharp, dismissive wave. "Us. This. I feel like you got me on a leash." You opened your mouth, but he cut you off, pulling the car o…