3vryD4y

The Gap

In the space between love and loss, there lies a gap—a place where hope lingers and heartbreak festers, where dreams collide with harsh reality. Aris finds herself caught in this chasm, torn between the life she imagined and the one unraveling before her eyes.

As she navigates the weight of shattered trust and the whispers of self-doubt, Aris begins to question everything: her choices, her worth, and the love she thought would last forever.

The Gap is a raw and haunting exploration of love's fragility and the courage it takes to rediscover yourself when the pieces no longer fit.

Will Aris find her way out of the void, or will the gap consume her?

The Gap

"Aris—" I growled, ready to tear her world apart.

She spun around, and my heart stopped.

"What the fuck, man?" the woman snapped, jerking out of my grip. "Get your hands off me!"

I blinked, my vision blurring. My mouth opened, but no words came.

"Sorry… I thought…" My voice trailed off, and I stumbled back, the weight of my mistake crashing down.

My pulse pounded in my ears. Why the fuck am I even here?

I stood there, frozen, as the woman shoved past me, muttering curses under her breath. The crowd around me blurred, the music pounding in my skull like a fucking war drum.

My hand fell limp at my side, and for the first time in weeks, the anger drained out of me, leaving something worse in its place.

The tap on my shoulder was so soft it almost went unnoticed.

I turned to see Jen, her face lit up with mischief and just a hint of concern.

"Aris, weirdo alert," she said, her voice a perfect mix of exasperation and amusement.

"Yeah," she said, jerking her thumb behind her. "Some guy's calling your name, thinking I'm you."

"Yah," she said, dragging the word out as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. "No idea what his deal is, but let's take that as our cue to leave."

Before I could process her words, Nate popped up between us like an overexcited child. "Ice cream?" he asked, his eyes wide and hopeful.

Jen rolled her eyes, but there was a fondness there. "You just had a drink."

"And now I want ice cream. That's balance."

I couldn't help but laugh. "Nate, your stomach must be a black hole."

"Or," he said, grinning, "it's a finely tuned machine built for maximum joy. Come on, Aris, you love ice cream."

Jen raised an eyebrow at me. "You're really gonna let this grown man-child talk you into dessert?"

I shrugged, already slipping my jacket on. "He's got a point. Ice cream is joy."

Jen sighed, but a small smile tugged at her lips. "Fine. But I'm getting two scoops."

"Make it three," Nate said, already leading the way.

As we walked out, I cast a quick glance over my shoulder. Whoever Jen had been talking about didn't matter. Not tonight.

Tonight was about laughter, ridiculous friends, and maybe a little too much ice cream.

Belonging and Breaking