Between Love and the Abyss

2

Mia felt a shiver run down her spine when Jordan sat down next to her on the couch, still silent. The lively voices of Paulin and Darell echoed in the living room, punctuated by Eloise’s bursts of laughter. Yet, everything around her seemed blurry, as if time had stopped, focused on the intensity of the moment she shared with Jordan.

She glanced at him out of the corner of her eye. He seemed so calm, so self-assured. Nothing in his demeanor betrayed the inner turmoil she felt within herself. It was unsettling. Jordan represented everything she had been trying to avoid lately—someone serious, someone who could become an emotional distraction in her already complicated life. And yet, his confidence and kindness drew Mia to him in an inexplicable way. It didn’t feel like just physical attraction, but rather a deep curiosity for this man who seemed to understand her without her having to speak.

'If you ever need to talk, I’m here, you know,' he said in a calm voice, gently breaking the silence that weighed on her.

Mia turned her head toward him, surprised by this unexpected offer. Since when had anyone, especially a man, simply offered to be there for her without expecting anything in return? She opened her mouth to respond, but no words came out. What could she say? She still carried the weight of the wounds inflicted by Arthur, a relationship that had left her unable to confide or believe in the sincerity of others. Even though Jordan seemed different, she hesitated to venture into a new dynamic she didn’t understand.

Jordan didn’t push her. He just gave her a reassuring smile before joining the others in the kitchen. Mia remained alone for a few moments, observing the scene with a mix of despair and timid hope. For the first time in a long while, she found herself considering a possibility. Maybe there was a way out of the abyss that Arthur had plunged her into.

But before she could reflect any further, her phone buzzed again on the coffee table. This time, she knew she couldn’t ignore it. With trembling hands, she picked it up and opened the message. Of course, it was Arthur.

'I’m sorry about yesterday. I promise this time it’s different. Let me explain, I miss you…'

The same empty words he always used to make her doubt her decisions, to bend her will one more time. Mia felt a surge of anger rise within her, an emotion she had been repressing for far too long. How many more times would she fall into this trap?

At that moment, Eloise returned with a tray of snacks, giving Mia a questioning look as she stared at her phone. She didn’t need to ask what was happening. She knew. 'Him again, huh?' she said softly.

Mia sighed and tossed her phone onto the couch, unable to bear the pressure of Arthur’s words any longer.

'Yeah... he wants to talk again, says things will change, but I know it’s not true,' she replied wearily.

Eloise sat down beside her, her eyes filled with compassion but also that firmness she had always used to push Mia to face the truth.

'You know what I think, Mia. But this decision is yours. You have to decide what you really want, not what he wants you to believe.'

Mia nodded, silent. She knew she had to make a decision, and soon. But there was still that small voice inside her that hoped, naively, that Arthur could change. The power he held over her wasn’t easy to break.

Jordan returned to the living room, a beer in hand. He glanced briefly at her, as if sensing the storm brewing within her, but said nothing. He always respected that distance, allowing her to breathe without invading her space, without imposing anything on her.

'We’re going to play cards, want to join us?' he asked lightly, an encouraging smile on his lips.

Mia hesitated. She needed an escape, something to distract her from the eternal cycle of suffering that Arthur represented. Maybe a moment of relaxation with them would do her some good.

'Why not,' she finally replied, offering a small smile in return.

The rest of the evening passed in a convivial atmosphere. Jordan remained attentive, always careful not to rush her, but close enough to offer a reassuring presence. Between shared laughter with Eloise and the guys, Mia found herself feeling a slight weight lift from her shoulders. It was like a breath of air in the suffocating oppression she constantly felt with Arthur.

But deep down, she knew the real challenge awaited her—the next message, the next call from Arthur. That moment when she would have to decide to let him go for good.

The next morning, Mia woke with a start, her phone buzzing furiously on the nightstand. Arthur again. She ignored it and pushed the covers aside, her mind still foggy from the restless night she had just endured. Memories of the previous evening came back in waves: the night with Jordan, Eloise, Paulin, and Darell, that weightlessness she had felt despite Arthur’s ghosts still looming over her.

Mia dragged herself to the kitchen, each step heavy, as if she were dragging the invisible chains of a relationship she could no longer bear. Yet, she still didn’t feel strong enough to break them. That morning, Eloise’s voice echoed in her mind again. 'The decision is yours, Mia.' A choice that no one else could make for her.

She opened the fridge, grabbed a bottle of water, and took a sip, her gaze vacant. Suddenly, a notification caught her attention. This time, it wasn’t a message from Arthur. It was from Jordan.

'Hey Mia, hope you’re doing well. Got any plans for today? I’d like to see you.'

A wave of warmth washed over her body at the sight of those simple words. There was no pressure in his message, no expectations. Just an offer, an opportunity to breathe a little more, away from the chaos that her life with Arthur had become. She hesitated, her fingers trembling slightly over the keyboard.

She finally replied: 'I’m free this afternoon. Where do you want to meet?'

Jordan didn’t take long to respond: 'Meet me at the café by the park. We can hang out there. 3 p.m., sound good?'

***

At 3 p.m., the sun bathed the park in a soft, golden light. Mia walked slowly toward the café where Jordan was already waiting, seated at an outdoor table. She had taken care to wear a light dress, her natural hair flowing freely around her face. An odd mix of nervousness and anticipation filled her.

Jordan stood up as soon as he saw her, offering that comforting smile that seemed to erase, for a moment, the turmoil in her life. He was sitting there, at ease, so detached from the emotional chaos that plagued Mia. How did he manage to stay so unruffled? That calm, that control—it was almost unsettling.

'I’m glad you came,' he said, pulling out a chair for her. 'I thought it might do you good to take a step back.'

Mia nodded, unsure of what to say. She sat down, looking around at the peaceful bustle of the park. It felt strange to be there, in this moment of calm, talking to Jordan while her mind was still haunted by Arthur’s unread messages.

'You seem elsewhere,' Jordan remarked, his eyes studying her features.

Mia sighed, unable to lie. It was always Arthur, like an omnipresent shadow, a weight she couldn’t let go of.

'It’s... complicated,' she began, hesitant to reveal the depth of her turmoil. 'Arthur tried to contact me again. I... I don’t know what to think anymore. Part of me wants to end it all, but another...'

Jordan listened attentively, his eyes softening with understanding. He took a sip of his coffee before responding: 'I’m not going to tell you what to do, Mia. That kind of decision, no one can make for you. But I know that staying attached to someone who hurts you will eventually destroy you. No matter how much you love them, you can’t heal someone who doesn’t want to change.'

His words resonated deeply within her, echoing what Eloise had been telling her all along. But coming from Jordan, it felt different, something more serene, less demanding. Mia wondered for a moment if, in another context, she could have considered something with him. A calmer, simpler life. But it was still too early to think about that. She had to free herself from Arthur first.