It Started at a Coffee Shop

-Chapter 1-

Eddie stepped out of his bathroom, towels on his head and body, as he went to retrieve his clothes for the night. A simple pair of grey sweatpants and a white t-shirt. Gabriella was in the recording studio, though at this point, Eddie wasn't sure if he cared where she was or not.

Recently, he felt like the two of them had lost their spark. The connection between them had dimmed and left him feeling... empty. He sighed as he pulled on his shirt. He didn't believe in falling out of love with somebody. If that was the case, then you never loved them in the first place. And, he supposed, that was what he was afraid of.

Of course, he hadn't brought it up to Gabriella. He wondered if she felt the same way he had been feeling. Alone, bored even. She didn't seem to be making an effort to be closer to him, but neither had he. In fact, he couldn't remember the last time he had kissed her, unless it was for a skit with the boys.

He did use her for clickbait, he wasn't going to lie. Fans liked it when Gabriella and him did those cute little one on one skits. He did have fun playing with her, but... it wasn't like it used to be. He pressed his palms into his eyes and flopped onto his bed, trying for the third time to come to terms with the truth.

He didn't want to be with her anymore.

But he has been with her for five years. Five years! It was a major accomplishment for couples to be together for that long. Most would get married then. But not him. He hadn't even thought about a ring. Instead, he'd been thinking of how he was going to tell her that he wasn't getting enough out of the relationship. How the fireworks and the stomach knots weren't there anymore. How he needed to somehow tell her that--

"Hey babe." Gabriella interrupted Eddie's anxious thoughts as she opened their bedroom door. He jumped at her arrival and rubbed his eyes.

"Hey."

They sat in an uncomfortable silence before she made her way over to her side of the bed. Eddie turned over as she slid underneath the comforter, then the silence returned. It lasted a good five minutes until Gabby took in a breath. "Eddie?"

He contemplated pretending he was asleep. "Yeah?" He shouldn't be rude. She waited for a moment before replying.

"Why are you acting so distant?" Eddie flinched, and it wasn't at the words, it was at her tone. She didn't sound worried, or upset, or hurt. She sounded... curious, like it interested her. He cleared his dry throat.

"I don't know what you're talking about," he said,g a yawn. She waited a moment before sighing and wiggling even deeper underneath the covers.

"You know," she said, a new sound in her voice. "We haven't been very active lately."

Eddie almost asked her what she meant before he felt her hand on his thigh. His muscles tightened at the sudden aggression and wanting in Gabriella's voice. He dared not turn around. 

"It's been making me want you, babe," she said. He felt her hot breath against his ear as her hand moved up, pulling up the sides of his shirt. "I've been wanting you so bad."

He couldn't take it. He couldn't accept what he was hearing. What he was hoping, what he had been praying for, none of it was what he had thought. She still loved him. She wanted him even more.

But he couldn't force himself to sleep with her if he tried.

He jumped out of bed, causing Gabby to fall over into Eddie's spot. He slipped on some crocs and grabbed his keys, heading for the door. "Eddie?"

"Not right now, Gabriella," he said, frustration clouding his thoughts. He couldn't handle it. He needed to get out of the house. He knew a nice cafe about thirty minutes away from here that should still be open this late. He hopped into his car and started it, Gabriella was standing in the doorway, a look of confusion and pain on her face. Eddie couldn't bear looking at her. He didn't want to hurt her, she had done so much for him, but he wasn't happy in the relationship anymore.