Fuel to the Fire
Treat Me Cruel
I don't know what came over me that night, I really don't. After Val came home from her night out, everything went downhill. One minute I was drinking and laughing at George Lopez on the television, and the next, I was standing in the kitchen, beer bottle in hand and her cowering at my feet as she tried to defend that tool Ryan that she thought was actually her friend. In reality though, he just wanted to bed her and fuck up our relationship. It wasn't like we needed any help in doing that, but Val refused to listen to my warnings about him. I'd had enough of it now, though.
"Please, Matt, don't do this!" she cried, tears streaming down her beautiful face. Usually I would have been telling her to stop--I hated tears, especially when they were hers. But tonight, for some strange reason, all I wanted was to see more of them. The alcohol pulsed through my veins and made me step closer, some weird part of me speeding up as she curled more into herself.
"I told you not to hang around with Ryan anymore. He's bad news, Val, and he's only out to wreck our relationship!" My voice boomed across the kitchen, but Val sat up a little and wiped the tears from her face, her expression shifting from scared to angry.
"Oh, like you don't wreck it enough on your own?" she spat, and fury washed over me. I swung my arm up and smashed the bottle against the counter, not even wincing as some of the glass cut my arm. Val immediately covered her face, pieces of the bottle falling all around her.
"I'm not the only one in this!" I screamed, the veins in my neck straining as I felt my face turn bright red with anger. "You have to put just as much effort in as I do for us to work, Val!"
Her fist came out and smashed the cabinet she was sitting next to, her furious gaze lifting up to meet mine. "I've tried so damn hard, Matt, but you just don't notice it! I cook you dinner, I put up with your friends--"
"They're your friends too, Valary! What the fuck are you talking about?" I pounded the counter beside me in frustration, stuck between feeling angry, confused, and sad.
"But if we broke up, who would they side with, Matt? That's right--you. I'd have no one, and you know that better than anyone," she said, glowering. I narrowed my eyes.
"You'd have Michelle," I argued. But Val just threw her hands up in anger.
"She's my fucking sister, Matthew! She has to be on my side! No, I'm talking about 'our' friends. The ones that supposedly support us in everything and wouldn't take sides if there was a breakup. Well, guess what? Every single one of them knows they'd stay friends with you and not with me. Hell, even you know it! So stop trying to argue with me, Matt. I know the truth, and so do you." She cast her eyes to the wall and swallowed a sob, biting down on her knuckles so as not to let any sounds of distress out.
I sighed heavily, feeling drained and defeated. "Where does this leave us, then?"
Val swallowed again slowly and pushed herself to her feet, looking at least ten years older and incredibly tired. "I don't know, Matt, I really don't. Look, I'm just going to sleep in the guest room tonight and we can talk in the morning, okay? I just need to think things over and get some sleep." She glanced at me warily, as if I would lunge at her again. But then again, if I had any more energy to fight her, maybe I would have.
"Sure, sure," I relented, waving her off as I sank into a chair at the table. With my head in my hands, I heard her shuffle quietly out of the kitchen, the stairs creaking gently as she made her way to the second floor.
I stayed at the table all night. I know this because I fell asleep, and when I woke up, there was a note waiting for me on the fridge. The yellow paper was taped once, and it flapped gently as the fan turned continuously.
Matt, I had to leave. I don't know what we are anymore. I've gone to stay with someone for a while, and once I figure everything out once and for all, I'll let you know. -- Valary
I sank to the ground, my back against the cold fridge as I reread the short note over and over again. What had I done?
"Please, Matt, don't do this!" she cried, tears streaming down her beautiful face. Usually I would have been telling her to stop--I hated tears, especially when they were hers. But tonight, for some strange reason, all I wanted was to see more of them. The alcohol pulsed through my veins and made me step closer, some weird part of me speeding up as she curled more into herself.
"I told you not to hang around with Ryan anymore. He's bad news, Val, and he's only out to wreck our relationship!" My voice boomed across the kitchen, but Val sat up a little and wiped the tears from her face, her expression shifting from scared to angry.
"Oh, like you don't wreck it enough on your own?" she spat, and fury washed over me. I swung my arm up and smashed the bottle against the counter, not even wincing as some of the glass cut my arm. Val immediately covered her face, pieces of the bottle falling all around her.
"I'm not the only one in this!" I screamed, the veins in my neck straining as I felt my face turn bright red with anger. "You have to put just as much effort in as I do for us to work, Val!"
Her fist came out and smashed the cabinet she was sitting next to, her furious gaze lifting up to meet mine. "I've tried so damn hard, Matt, but you just don't notice it! I cook you dinner, I put up with your friends--"
"They're your friends too, Valary! What the fuck are you talking about?" I pounded the counter beside me in frustration, stuck between feeling angry, confused, and sad.
"But if we broke up, who would they side with, Matt? That's right--you. I'd have no one, and you know that better than anyone," she said, glowering. I narrowed my eyes.
"You'd have Michelle," I argued. But Val just threw her hands up in anger.
"She's my fucking sister, Matthew! She has to be on my side! No, I'm talking about 'our' friends. The ones that supposedly support us in everything and wouldn't take sides if there was a breakup. Well, guess what? Every single one of them knows they'd stay friends with you and not with me. Hell, even you know it! So stop trying to argue with me, Matt. I know the truth, and so do you." She cast her eyes to the wall and swallowed a sob, biting down on her knuckles so as not to let any sounds of distress out.
I sighed heavily, feeling drained and defeated. "Where does this leave us, then?"
Val swallowed again slowly and pushed herself to her feet, looking at least ten years older and incredibly tired. "I don't know, Matt, I really don't. Look, I'm just going to sleep in the guest room tonight and we can talk in the morning, okay? I just need to think things over and get some sleep." She glanced at me warily, as if I would lunge at her again. But then again, if I had any more energy to fight her, maybe I would have.
"Sure, sure," I relented, waving her off as I sank into a chair at the table. With my head in my hands, I heard her shuffle quietly out of the kitchen, the stairs creaking gently as she made her way to the second floor.
I stayed at the table all night. I know this because I fell asleep, and when I woke up, there was a note waiting for me on the fridge. The yellow paper was taped once, and it flapped gently as the fan turned continuously.
Matt, I had to leave. I don't know what we are anymore. I've gone to stay with someone for a while, and once I figure everything out once and for all, I'll let you know. -- Valary
I sank to the ground, my back against the cold fridge as I reread the short note over and over again. What had I done?