35- The next day

The next day, Cris woke up in his apartment with a feeling of emptiness. Sunlight filtered through the curtains, illuminating the room he shared with Samantha. However, as he reached out his hand, he noticed the absence of his partner. Samantha had once again escaped from the reality they shared.

Tiredness was reflected in Cris's eyes as he sat on the edge of the bed. The routine was becoming exhausting, and the emotional distance between him and Samantha seemed to grow every day. He didn't know if she had woken up in another house, submerged in the night without giving him any explanations.

— How long can we continue like this? — Cris asked himself silently, feeling the need to break the monotony that was taking over their relationship.

He got up with determination, determined to face reality, even if it meant unraveling the threads of their life together. As he walked through the apartment, Samantha's absence echoed in every corner, and frustration took over his being.

— What's the point of sharing a space if we're so far away? — Cris questioned himself,

feeling the heaviness of uncertainty.

The idea of breaking Samantha's heart, although difficult, was beginning to sound like a

liberation. The tiredness of dealing with monotony and the lack of emotional connection

led him to consider more radical options.

He felt the need to confront her, to make it clear that something had to change. He

picked up his phone and dialed Samantha's number, waiting for a response that was not long in coming.

— Where are you, Samantha? We need to talk. — Cris said firmly, without hiding his

frustration.

Samantha, on the other end of the line, answered indifferently, as if the distance

did not affect her.

— I'm busy, Cris. We'll talk later. — Samantha commented, without giving details about

her whereabouts.

Samantha's refusal lit a spark of rebellion in Cris. He felt trapped in

a relationship that was falling apart, and the need to take drastic measures became

more and more evident.

— We can't go on like this, Samantha. We need to solve this, now. — Cris stated,

determined to put an end to the uncertainty that surrounded them.

— Cris, don't bother now, better go to work, if I remember correctly you're late. —

Samantha said as she hung up the phone on the other end.

The sound of the cut-off ringtone resonated in Cris's ear, leaving him with a

feeling of rage and frustration. Samantha had hung up the phone on him, and that action

seemed to encapsulate the growing emotional gap between them.

— Damn! — Cris exclaimed quietly as he gripped the phone tightly in his hand. The determination that had driven him to seek answers was now mixed with anger at Samantha’s indifference.

With a firm step and a heart full of conflicting emotions, Cris walked through the streets of the city. Each step resonated with the determination to break free from the monotony that had invaded their relationship. As he reflected on the situation, memories of Samantha’s past actions crowded his mind.

He recalled the surprise birthday he had prepared for Samantha, hoping to bring joy to her life. However, Samantha’s reaction had been distant, as if the surprise had had no impact whatsoever. Frustration grew as he remembered how his efforts to emotionally connect with her seemed to fall on deaf ears.

— How is it possible that every attempt to get closer to me is received with indifference? — Cris wondered, feeling the weight of the disconnection that had settled in their relationship.

His memory also took him to the times he had suggested going out together, only to be

faced with evasiveness and disinterest. The outings that used to be special moments had

become a monotonous routine, where connection and complicity seemed to

fade away.

— He couldn't even remember when the last time we had sex was. How did we get to

this point? — Cris questioned himself, facing the harsh reality of a relationship that was

falling apart.

Anger mixed with sadness as Cris mentally reviewed the moments when he

had felt ignored and belittled. The spark that once ignited their relationship

seemed to be extinguished, leaving him in a state of discouragement that he could not ignore.

As he walked through the streets, Cris made a commitment to himself not to let himself be carried away by blind rage, but to use it as fuel to face the truth and make decisions that would restore his inner peace. The determination to break free from the toxic relationship grew stronger with each step, and Cris knew he would face the consequences bravely. The city, a silent witness to his internal conflict, unfolded before him. Cris, immersed in his thoughts, was heading towards a crucial encounter.

The reality he had avoided for far too long. Confrontation with Samantha would be painful, but Cris longed for clarity, even if it meant breaking the ties that bound them together for good. Cris walked through the city streets, deep in thought and accompanied by the melancholy of Lord Huron's "The Night We Met" playing in his headphones. The song acted as a musical reminder of the moments shared with Samantha, mixing the sweetness of memories with the bitterness of reality. "I had all and then most of you, some and now none of you..." The evocative melody took Cris through the ups and downs of their relationship. Each chord resonated with the raw emotions he had experienced, from the initial euphoria to the present day marked by disillusionment. As he walked, he couldn't help but feel a little hypocritical. The reality of his relationship with Samantha was far from ideal, and yet his heart was touched as he recalled happier times. The contradiction of missing what once was, but is no longer, tormented him. "I don't know what I'm supposed to do haunted by the ghost of you..."

The lyrics of the song resonated with Cris's internal struggle. He felt haunted by the ghost of what used to be, while simultaneously yearning to break free from that spectral presence so he could move forward. With each step, images of moments shared with Samantha were projected into his mind. Laughter, deep conversations, and affectionate gestures emerged like specters of the past, while the current reality grew darker. "I had all and then most of you, some and now none of you..."

The repetition of the song encapsulated the repeating patterns in their relationship. Cris wondered if it was worth holding on to the fragments of what once was, or if it was time to let go and seek a new beginning. The contradiction between what he longed for and what he lived tormented him. As the melody faded, Cris found himself at a crossroads, weighing the decisions he needed to make to regain his own peace and authenticity. Cris arrived at his workplace, unplugging his headphones. The music, though emotional, had only intensified the emotional storm inside him. The workday presented itself as an opportunity to reflect and make important decisions that could alter the course of his life. Cris meets Alessandro Alessandro noticed the somber expression on Cris’s face as they headed to work. The work environment offered a palette of distractions, but Alessandro, being a good friend and colleague, decided to address Cris's obvious concern.

"Did you watch the game last night?" Alessandro asked in an attempt to start a casual conversation.

Cris, however, was so immersed in his thoughts that he barely processed the question.

Alessandro, noticing his friend's distraction, decided to delve a little deeper.

"Are you okay, Cris? You've been pretty quiet since this morning. Is something bothering you?" Alessandro asked with genuine interest.

(Cris sighs before answering)

"No, I didn't watch the game. And yes, something is bothering me," Cris confessed, letting out a sigh full of frustration.

Alessandro, feeling that he had touched on a delicate subject, decided to take the conversation to a more private and confidential terrain. The two headed to the cafeteria at work, a quiet place where they could talk without interruption. The aroma of freshly brewed coffee hung in the air as Alessandro and Cris sat in a more secluded corner. Alessandro, concerned about his friend, set out to dig deeper. “Cris, my friend, I know something is bothering you. If you need to talk, I’m here to listen,” Alessandro offered empathetically. Cris appreciated his friend’s willingness and decided to open up. The conversation flowed, and Cris’s words revealed the tensions and dilemmas that plagued his relationship with Samantha. Alessandro listened attentively, nodding occasionally to show his understanding. “Alessandro, things with Samantha aren’t going well. I can’t keep ignoring reality.” We are distant, and I don't know when was the last time we really connected.