I still love you

When Steven got home, he headed into his room and fell asleep in his bed. Steven did not wake up until the clock struck eight noon. He half-opens his eyelids, and the light in his room irritates his eyes, so he squeezes them closed.

It took one minute for Steven's eyes to adjust to the brightness of the bulbs. Afterward, he slowly opened them, gazed around his room, and heartily smiled. With excitement, Steven reached out for his phone on the nightstand to check on Julie. He grabbed his device and rested his head against his pillow.

His finger slid on his phone, and his smile faded away. Chloe's message was still revealing on his phone screen. "How was your day after we went our separate ways today?" The text said, and Steven seeing it again left him with an unsteady feeling like the first time he read it.

Steven allowed the phone to slip from his grip and drop on the blanket as he got out of bed. With an unsettled mind, he walked toward the mini refrigerator in his room, grabbed a box of milk, and some stuff to make a sandwich for himself. Steven dumped the things on his table and took a seat.

He starts by putting the turkey into one piece of whole-grain bread and adds a slice of tomato, some lettuce, mustard, and another bread slice at the top. After Steven got done preparing his meal, he left the table and went into his bathroom. He stood before the sink, gazing at his reflection as he washed the crumbs off his hands.

Afterward, Steven did not mind freeing his body from all the clothes he had on. Unfastening his tie and unbuttoning his shirt, Steven begins to get rid of his clothes one at a time until he is left wearing only a black boxer. He felt comfortable as he gazed at his shirtless six-pack abs body reflection in the mirror before walking out.

The cold air from the air conditioning graces his body as he takes his milk and food off the table and gets back in bed. With an empty plate sitting on the bedding and a sandwich in his hand, Steven took a sip from the milk carton. Some milk dribbles down his lips, leaving a white stain on his mouth. Steven rolls his tongue around his lips and licks the liquid off.

He got done with his meal and cleaned up. With a satisfied stomach and a well-disposed twilight, Steven decided that it was time to cut ties with Chloe for good. He picked up his phone, took a deep breath, and dialed her up.

Chloe had spent her entire day in her room without going outdoors. She was afraid of what her father would do if he saw her and how her mother would gaze at her with disappointment in her eye. Her room felt like a cage the whole time, and she was famishing from hunger.

"Gurgle!" "Groan!" "Growl!" "Rumble" Her stomach sounded with various noises to inform her that she needs to eat. Chloe squeezes her stomach tightly and curls herself. "I know you want food, but you've got to hang in till tomorrow." She mumbles to her tummy. But her abdomen did not get the message, it kept rumbling, and the feeling made her miserable. Chloe pulled the quilt over her head. Her whole body was under the blanket when her phone began to buzz.

She answered the call and felt a warm liquid rolling down her chin when she heard Steven's voice.

"Hey, Chloe." He greeted her, but she did not answer.

The line was silent for about three minutes. Chloe felt like a lump was in her throat. She chokes back her tears. But it became a burdensome task for her to maintain.

Steven pulls the phone away from his ears and stares at the screen. He saw the call was still going through, but Chloe was not speaking. Steven felt troubled in his heart about her behavior. He knew she was a fluent woman and staying silent was not her habit until she was seriously hurt.

"Talk to me, Chloe. You are alarming me with your quietness." Steven replied, hoping that his words will help her speak freely with him.

At that moment, his words awakened her emotions, making her lose her restraint and burst into tears. Chloe's drops flowed continuously down her face and dripped from her chin. She tried to speak, but she gagged on her saliva while sniffing her nose. Chloe knew she was sobbing intensely, yet she could not seem to stop once she started.

"Take a deep breath, Chloe. Come on! I know you can do it. Focus on breathing slowly and calming yourself down. Just exhale and inhale, then relax." Steven replied, hearing her sobbing this much made him tense. Steven got up from his bed and paced back and forward. Chloe's behavior was stressing and bothering him.

It took Steven ten minutes to calm Chloe and get her under control. Although her voice was shaky and a little unclear, he could tell that she felt a bit better now.

"Do you want to tell me what upsets you?" Steven asked as he massaged his neck because of the tension he was undergoing in his shoulder.

"Not really!" Chloe pitifully mumbles. She did not want to annoy Steven about her home quandaries. After all the years they were in a relationship, he never adequately knew her family, and she did not desire him to know them.

"Okay, then. I won't force you to tell me. However, promise me that you will stop beating yourself up for things that are not your fault." Steven advised her.

Chloe weakly smiles. She was glad that he felt concerned about her, but she could sense that it was not the same as when they were together. However, she was not about to call it quits yet without fighting for his love.

"I promise," Chloe replied.

"Goodbye," Steven responded.

Chloe pauses for a while before reacting, "Goodnight, Steven. I still love you."

"Me too," Steven said.