The lines we shouldn’t cross

“Are you breaking up with me?” Natalie said it before she could stop herself. Her head was spinning and she couldn’t control herself Ethan didn’t answer right away. He stood by the door of her tiny apartment, keys in his hand, jaw tight, eyes already somewhere else. Not on her. Not on the room where they had spent two years pretending love could survive unpaid bills and broken promises. He sighed. “Natalie… don’t do this.” Her chest dropped. “So that’s a yes,” she said. Ethan ran a hand through his hair. “You’re always struggling. It’s always something. Rent. Work. Stress. I’m tired.” She laughed once but Sharp and Bitter. “You knew who I was when you met me.” “Yeah,” he snapped. “And I thought you’d grow out of it.” That one hit deep. She stepped closer. “Grow out of what? Being poor?” He didn’t answer. That was answer enough. “So what,” she said, voice shaking now, “you just wake up today and decide I’m not worth it?” “I met someone,” he said. The room went silent. Her ears rang. “You met someone,” she repeated slowly. “She’s stable,” he said quickly, like that made it better. “She’s not always drowning like you.” Something inside Natalie snapped. “Get out.” He blinked. “What?” “You heard me,” she said, pointing at the door. “Get out.” “Natalie”, he called out “Get. Out.” He hesitated, then shrugged. “Fine.” He walked out just like that. No apology. No regret. The door slammed. Natalie stood there, shaking, staring at the door like it might open again if she stared hard enough. It didn’t. Her phone rang in her hand. It was her best friend, she picked up BESTIE: Where are you? Natalie exhaled shakily and responded NATALIE: He’s gone. Ethan broke up with me BESTIE: oh my God I’m coming right away Natalie dropped to the floor before she could stop herself. Her back hit the wall. Her knees pulled to her chest. Gone. Just like that. An hour later, the knock came. Natalie opened the door and collapsed into Maya’s arms. “I hate him,” Natalie sobbed. “I know,” Maya said, holding her tight. “I always did.” They sat on the floor, their backs against the couch, eating cold noodles straight from the container. Maya talked. Natalie barely listened. “I swear,” Maya said, “one day you’ll laugh at this. You’ll be rich. Happy and He’ll be bald.” Natalie sniffed. “That’s oddly specific.” Maya grinned. “I see visions.” They both laughed Natalie smiled for the first time that day. Then Maya stood. “I have to run one errand. I’ll be back, okay?” Natalie frowned. “It’s late.” “I’ll be quick,” Maya said, grabbing her bag. “Lock the door.” Natalie nodded. Maya left. The apartment felt too quiet again. Natalie paced. Checked her phone. No messages. Ten minutes passed. Then twenty. Her phone rang. It was Unknown number. “Hello?” Natalie answered. Silence. “Hello?” A man’s voice finally came through. “Is this Natalie Moore?” “Yes.” “This is the police.” Her heart stopped. “Your friend,” the man said slowly, “Maya Collins… there’s been an accident.” “No,” Natalie whispered. “No, that’s not, she just left.” “I’m sorry,” he said. “You need to come to Cleveland Hospital.” Natalie didn’t remember getting dressed. Didn’t remember the train ride. Didn’t remember anything except the sound of her own breathing, loud and broken. At the hospital, they didn’t let her see Maya. They didn’t have to say the words. She knew. She slid down the wall when the doctor spoke. Her scream tore out of her chest, raw and ugly and loud. Two losses in one night. By morning, Natalie had nothing. No boyfriend. No best friend. No safety net. Three days later, the landlord posted the notice on her door. Seven days to pay your rent or you’re out. Seven days or she was out. Natalie took the first job interview she could find. She didn’t even read the company name properly. The building downtown was massive. Glass and steel. Cold and sharp. She stood in the lobby, hands sweating, heart pounding. This was her last shot. She got to the front desk “Name?” the receptionist asked. “Natalie Moore.” She was sent upstairs. No warmth. No smiles. Just orders. “You start today.” Relief hit her so hard she almost cried. By noon, she was running errands, grabbing Coffee, Photocopying files, Cleaning tables. By evening, her feet were on fire. “Don’t go to the executive floor,” someone warned her. “That’s off-limits.” Natalie nodded. She took the wrong turn anyway. The hallway was quiet. Thick carpet. Dark walls. She turned And slammed into a solid chest. Strong hands caught her. “Natalie?” Her heart dropped to her stomach. She looked up slowly. The face she hadn’t seen in years stared back at her. Kevin. Her stepbrother. Older, Colder, Powerful. The boy she ran from. The man she never forgot. The past she buried.