It wasn't until a few weeks ago, you two started facing problems. Time became an absent thing for you as cleaning up after the art students began to become more challenging as they did bigger projects. The mess became bigger and the time you spent cleaning it up grew. Instead of getting home at a reasonable time of eight, you were now getting home around ten and that wasn't even the worst part.
Before you were struggling, you and Lauren would always meet for dinner at the table where your meals were big, but not nearly as big as the smiles on your faces. You'd talk about how you'd both open up an arts studio in the future where she would teach music and you would teach art, but you both knew that wasn't really possible. You'd clean up the table in content silence and then go to bed wrapped up in each other's warmth as if you would never get the opportunity again.
Lately, things took a turn. You'd get home late, with your plate filled with cold food and on the opposite side of the table was Lauren's empty plate. Instead of having her lovely accompany next to you, all you heard was the sound of the shower upstairs. You'd clean the plates off in looming silence and then enter the bedroom to see her back turned towards the door. Quietly, you'd change your clothes and then slide into bed behind her, kiss her shoulder and whisper a quiet I love you for only you to hear because she was fast asleep. And that was just how things became.
Sometimes you would get home early and things would be how they used to be because you both seemed to just pull to each other no matter how exhausted you each became. The only difference is now, your smiles don't quite reach your eyes and your laughs don't sound as bubbly. The silences aren't content, but rather you both fear them because you're afraid you both are holding back something to say. The food on your plate is not only smaller, but leftovers from previous nights that have lost their taste and now resemble cardboard. And when you both fall into bed, you both pull towards each other immediately and hold on so tight, as if the other would slip away if you didn't.
One thing that hasn't changed is every morning before you leave for work, you kiss her, say I love you and then add a see you soon because saying goodbye sounds like saying goodbye forever and you both know that will never be the case. And things didn't change this morning. You went through your routine and left to work at the market, but nothing could have every prepared you for what would happen when you arrived.
"Are you serious," you ask calmly, your boss standing, with his arms crossed in front of his chest, in front of you. His height catches you by a few inches, but that does little do deter you from the actual fact that he could crush you in his grasp.
"I'm sorry Y/N," he says softly, his brooding blue eyes piercing into yours like daggers. The only emotion you can find behind them is pity and sorrow, two things you can't stand. "We just can't afford to have anymore than three people behind the counter."
"B-but I can do anything else. I can clean tables or-or unload the truck for you. P-Please sir," you practically beg. "Please don't do this to me. I-I won't make it."
His face softens for a split second, but you know that it isn't for a good reason, but rather, he is pitying you as if he isn't the cause for all of this. And your point is proven when he opens his mouth to say, "You know I would, but I just can't afford to have anyone else working for me and I know you don't want to do it for free. I wouldn't ask you to do that."
You sigh, holding back the tears that are threatening to fall to down your face, "Okay. Okay I get it, but could you... could you please not tell anyone you fired me. I-I just don't want people to know right now. They already know I'm in a tough financial spot and this would make everything worse."
she thinks you cheat
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