Fixing You

46. Mad at You

Carter glanced at the door and sighed again when Mia walked in. "Mia, I can't--"

"You should, Carter. I don't want to worry about other things when I'm at work. Tell me, what happened? Why are you being mean to me?"

"I'm not being mean to you. I said, I am not in the right mind to talk to you right now. I don't want to fight and make things worse."

"And you think not talking it out is the best way to make it less bad?" Mia scoffed. "What happened? Did something happen? You were fine last night."

"Nothing," Carter frowned. "I told you, it's nothing."

"You can't just change overnight for no reason. There must be something wrong that I did, for you to be this mad."

Carter gaped at her, then he adverted his gaze. He pursed his lips and then shook his head, "Last night. You said you wanted to break up with me."

Mia felt her heart sink, then she shook her head, "It was just an intrusive thought. I thought you're asleep?"

"Is it really just an intrusive thought, or did you, at some point, considered leaving me?" Carter stared into her eyes and saw the slight change in them. It was almost as if Mia confirmed his suspicion.

"Carter, it was not what I meant."

"I gave up everything to be with you, Mia. If I had known you planned to avoid me, I wouldn't even thought about moving here." Carter paused to shake his head in disbelief, "You keep making your own plans and I don't see myself in it. I thought I was, at least until last night."

Mia stared at him as she was rendered speechless by how fragile the trust he had on her. "I don't have any plans to begin with, Carter. I told you, I just wanted to be with my brother for a while. I never even thought about avoiding you."

"Okay, but think about this," Carter stepped closer and lowered his voice, "Where do you see yourself in five years? Am I in the picture?"

Mia swallowed. It would be nice to have him around. It would be nice to settle down and start a family. It would be nice to be a part of his family. Of course he's always in the picture.

"I don't want you to answer me right now," Carter told her, "Maybe tomorrow. Maybe in five years. Or maybe when you realize you don't want me anymore."

"Carter--" they were interrupted by a customer as the wind chimes clinked and an older woman walked in.

"Go to work, Mia. I'll see you at home," Carter told her.

"Don't you think it's unfair for me to be treated like this? I told you it was just an intrusive thought I had because I am in constant fear that you might leave me after you're done with me."

Carter scoffed, "Unfair? I did my best for you, Mia, but maybe my best wasn't good enough for you. If I was not planning to stay, do you think I would be here right now? Does that sounds fair, for me?"

"As ridiculous as it sounds, Carter Wilde, I was just scared of losing you--"

"When you're scared of losing someone, you ask them to stay, not the other way around," Carter told her. "If I leave you right now, I don't think you would go after me."

Mia frowned, "For the record, I never asked you to come here. You willingly came to move in with me."

He scoffed, "Yes, because that's what I am: a fucking desperado."

Mia's breath hitched, then she nodded, "You're right, let's talk when we get home. You're making me question my worth and I don't appreciate that."