"Please leave a voicemail."
"Hey Babe It's me again. This is… I don't know, the sixteenth call? Seventeenth? I've lost count." Andrea leaned back against the kitchen counter, phone pressed to her ear, staring at the slow drip of water from the sink. "You're not answering, which is fine, totally fine. But also not fine at all. Are you okay? Like, genuinely okay? Because if you got hit by a bus or a truck, or even a very aggressive bicycle on your way here, that's the only reason I'll forgive you. Anything else? I'm holding a grudge, and I am serious this time."
"Okay, so update. I know you're alive. You just posted on Instagram. A picture, of you smiling, and wishing yourself a happy birthday. Which is great. Love that for you, truly." Andrea paced the small living room, stepping over Dory's favorite toy without looking. "I'm relieved. But also deeply offended. Please pick up so I can say happy birthday to you like a normal girlfriend instead of talking to your voicemail like some crazy person. I bought a tres leches ice cream cake, your favorite. Just so you know it was the last one, and I had to fight a woman in the freezer aisle who said it was for her son. I won, obviously. I never lose." She stopped pacing and stared at the half empty cake box on the table. "Babe, it's melting. I'm watching it die in real time. Please pick up."
The voicemail tone cut her off again.
She exhaled, ran a hand through her hair, and dialed once more.
"Okay it melted. I panicked and I had two options. Put it in the fridge or eat it. And I.... ate it. This is your fault. I did this for us. If you don't answer soon, I might start eating my feelings next."
Andrea stared at the phone after the call ended, waiting for it to light up. It stayed dark.
After sending so many voicemails to her girlfriend of 6 years, ever since college, Andrea stopped waiting. She grabbed her car keys from the counter, hesitated for a moment, then headed for the door.
Dory meowed.
Andrea paused and looked down. Her cat sat near the doorway, tail flicking, eyes bright and curious.
"Don't worry, Dory," Andrea said softly, crouching down to scratch behind her ears. "I'll be back before you know it. And I'm going to bring Mama home too. Love you."
Dory purred, unimpressed but accepting.
Andrea locked the door behind her and headed to the car.
As she drove, she glanced at the map glowing on her phone. Cassie's location blinked steadily, unmoving. They had always shared everything. Locations, clothes, food, even toothbrushes. It never felt strange, It felt normal. It was the love of two soulmates who promised eachother forever.
The road blurred past her as memory slipped in uninvited. t felt like yesterday, her first day of college had been a mess. Andrea never wanted to go. She had stood in her childhood bedroom, suitcase half packed, ready to call it quits before it even began. Her father had stood in the doorway and told her to just try. One semester. That was all he asked.
That was when she saw Cassie, love at first sight. Cassie had smiled at her like they already knew each other. She offered to give Andrea a tour of the campus, pointing out buildings, laughing at nothing, walking too close. Andrea fell fast and from that day on, they had never been apart. Well until today.
The map led Andrea straight to a club. Bright lights spilled out onto the street. Music thumped through the walls, low and heavy. Andrea parked and stepped out, already annoyed. Cassie had better have a damn good explanation for throwing her birthday party at a club without telling her.
Inside, the heat hit her first. Then the noise. Sweat. Bodies pressed together. The air smelled like alcohol and perfume and something sharp underneath. Andrea pushed through the crowd, eyes scanning faces, heart picking up speed with every step. She searched the main floor, no sign of her girlfriend.
She pulled out her phone and checked the map again. The location was correct. For a moment, a cold thought slid in. Maybe someone stole her phone. Maybe something happened.
Andrea turned, ready to leave, then she saw the VIP section, she stopped. I haven't checked there.
Andrea headed toward it, ignoring the bouncer's look, slipping past with the confidence of someone who was used to this.
At first, relief washed over her. Cassie was there.Then it shattered.
There was a girl, way too close. Pressed against Cassie. Her mouth was on Cassie's. Cassie's hands were on her like they had always been there.
Andrea froze. The music faded into a dull roar. Her phone dug into her palm as her fingers curled tight around it. She stood there, watching, breath shallow, eyes burning. Six years. Six years, and she was watching her girlfriend kiss someone who wasn't her.
Cassie pulled back first. Her eyes lifted, and the moment froze when she saw Andrea. Cassie shoved the girl away immediately.
"Andrea," Cassie said. Andrea turned and walked off and Cassie followed.
"Babe, please. Wait. Let me explain," Cassie pleaded, her voice strained as she chased Andrea into the parking lot.
Andrea reached her car, hand on the door handle. She stopped and turned.
"Explain what?" Her voice came out steady, which surprised her. "You were busy kissing some girl in there. You fucking ignored my calls for her."
"What? You called me? I didn't know you were calling…"
"Shut the bullshit." Andrea laughed once, sharp and ugly. "You knew I was calling, but you were too fucking busy fingering some bitch to care, so you let it go to voicemail."
Cassie went quiet. Andrea didn't need her to say anything. One look at her face was enough. Andrea snorted.
"So you did fuck her, huh? You remember you said it was going to be the last time. Turns out there was never going to be a last time. This is just who you are. You're never going to change. You fuck anyone who smiles at you."
"Baby, please…"
"It's fine," Andrea cut in. "Go back in there and finish fucking that whore. Take all night. Take the rest of your life, I don't give a shit anymore.... I'm done with you. I'll mail your stuff. But Dory is mine and she's always going to be mine."
Andrea didn't wait for her to respond.
She got into her car and slammed the door shut. It was over and this time for good.
For years, she had been patient but tonight, she ran out.
Cassie had been the sweet girl Andrea fell for at first sight. That first glance turned into a hookup, then more hookups. Even when Andrea knew Cassie wasn't the type to commit, she stayed. She told herself love could be enough. That if she gave Cassie everything, she would finally choose her.
Andrea did impossible things just to be the only one Cassie looked at. But Cassie never changed.
That was why Andrea pretended to believe her lies every time she caught her cheating. She told herself it was easier. She told herself it was love. She kept hoping Cassie would get tired of her ways and finally change. But you can't change someone who doesn't want to be changed.
Loving Cassie every day was slowly making Andrea lose herself. This time, she wasn't taking her back. Not if Cassie showed up crying on her doorstep, playing some stupid love song. Not if she went live on Instagram begging. Not even the time Cassie went to Andrea's father's house to beg him to convince her to come home. Not even when Cassie brought Dory home as an I'm sorry for cheating on you, babe gift.
Thinking about all the times Cassie had cheated, Andrea pressed harder on the gas. The road stretched ahead of her, lights streaking past. She was driving too fast and didn't see the red light; a blinding light came from the side, and the impact was the last thing she felt before everything went dark