"You ran with him this morning, you work with him all day, and then he calls you at the start of your lunch break to check in? Isn't being with you 24/7 enough for him, or does he need to text you when you're not together too?"
I sigh, annoyed. "He just wanted to tell me about a new park to run at tomorrow."
Ted isn't having it. "Was he at your campout?"
His question hits me like a sucker punch. I stay silent.
"Andrew."
I roll my eyes. "He has a girlfriend, Ted. Will you relax?"
Ted laughs bitterly, throwing his hands in the air. "That's a yes if I've ever heard one. I knew it. I knew he'd be there. I still can't believe you went, but now at least I know why you were so eager."
"What the hell are you talking about? I went to spend time with Gary and make friends. I didn’t even know Vince was going to be there."
Ted stares at me like he doesn't believe a word I'm saying.
I exhale sharply, frustration mounting. "I'm so tired of arguing with you, Ted. Can we just eat and enjoy our lunch?"
Ted's voice drops, deadly serious. "Are you fucking him behind my back?"
My fork clatters onto my plate, the noise much louder than I expect. I glance around, praying no one has overheard. "What?" I hiss.
"You heard me."
"Is that seriously something you think I'd do? What's wrong with you?"
His accusatory tone ignites a surge of anger in me. But beneath it, guilt festers. The truth is, if Vince wants me, I know I'd give in without hesitation. That shame, the fact that I know Ted isn't entirely wrong to suspect me, makes me even angrier.That’s why I need to do what I’m about to do.
I lean back in my chair, stabbing at my food with my fork.
"Ted, I'm done."
The words hang in the air between us, sharp and final, cutting through the restaurant's ambient chatter.
"What does that even mean?" His voice is low, dangerous, his eyes narrowing as he leans across the table.
"I'm done," I repeat, forcing the words past the lump in my throat. "I don't think we should see each other anymore."
But Ted isn't letting it go, his gaze drilling into me like he's trying to read the truth written on my soul. "You have feelings for him, don't you?"
Heat floods my cheeks, a telltale flush I can't control, betraying me before I can stop it.
"I'm confused," I admit quietly, the admission tasting like defeat on my tongue. "I think that's why this isn't going to work. That and about two dozen other reasons."
Ted's nostrils flare, the muscles in his jaw working as he fights for control. I can see the effort it takes, the way his knuckles turn white where he grips the edge of the table. The restaurant's ambient chatter fades into background noise as all my attention focuses on the storm brewing across from me.
"Don't do this, Andrew," he says, his voice barely above a whisper but laced with steel.
His eyes well up with tears, and I immediately feel a pang of guilt. I didn't want to hurt him, especially not like this, in the middle of a crowded restaurant during lunch rush. He wipes his cheek roughly with the back of his hand, crossing his arms in a defensive posture that makes him look younger than his twenty-two years.
"You're being so mean to me right now," he says, his voice cracking on the last word. "After everything, you're just... ending it? Just like that?"
I swallow, the lump in my throat making it difficult to speak. "Ted, I'm sorry. I never wanted to hurt you."
"Then don't," he pleads, leaning forward. His voice drops to an urgent whisper. "Just... give me another chance. Please? I know I can be a lot sometimes, but I'll work on it. I'll change."
I shake my head slowly, my resolve weakening under his desperate gaze. "Ted, it's not just about you changing.Or Vince.It's... it's complicated."
