Kissing on the beach. Rafe running his hands through your long hair, begging you to never cut it. Weekends spent tangled in the sheets with each other. Rafe looking up at you, holding a ring in his hand promising you forever. Falling asleep on his chest with his arms wrapped around you. The way his voice sounded when he called you pretty girl for the first time.

“Hello? Are you even goddamn listening?” Rafe waves his hand in front of your face, his face etched with frustration and something else. And like that, you’re snapped back into reality. You’re not on the beach, you’re not in his arms, gone are the pet names and the warmth he used to show you. The only thing that remains is the diamond ring on your finger. A ring that is now meaningless, because he broke every promise that he ever made to you. You fidget with the ring, taking a breath before looking at him with a cold glare to match the coldness emanating from him.

Rafe sighs loudly, gripping onto the kitchen table so tightly his knuckles turn white. He hates the silence. Hates that you appear completely checked out, lost in some alternate reality. He hates it more when you finally look at him, and he sees none of the warmth and love that he used to see in your eyes.

And he really hates that you look so damn sinful right now. You’re wearing more makeup than he’s used to, your long hair is sexily tousled and the tight red dress you wear is clearly new. He wonders who you bought it for, because it’s the kind of dress you wear because you want someone to notice you. The kind of dress that screams sex, and he has to push down the irrational jealousy that’s threatening to boil over. He has no right to feel jealous, not after he’d cheated on you. One night. One stupid drunken night, and he’d ruined everything like he’d always feared he would.

“Yes” you snap, finally breaking your silence. And the cold, harsh tone almost makes him miss the silence. “I heard you. You think I’m a mistake. Well, guess what asshole? I think you were a mistake too, the biggest one of my life.” The angry response spills from your lips so easily, you almost want to push it and say more. To lash out and hit him with every insult you can. After all, you knew him better than anyone, so you knew exactly what words would hit him the hardest.

He inhales sharply. He hadn’t expected you to snap back like that. For you to mirror his words and take them one step further. For a moment he’s at a loss for words. He just glares at you, his jaw clenching harder as he fights not to show the effect your words had on him. And that pause, that silence, it gives you the opportunity to hit him with your words again.

“This meaningless piece of crap belongs to you.” You tug the diamond ring off your finger, eyes blazing, chest heaving with an all consuming rage. You throw the ring in his direction. He ducks and it hits the wall behind him, falling to the floor with a clatter. “Maybe you can give it to the whore you cheated with.” You don’t recognize yourself anymore. You’ve been replaced with the anger of a woman betrayed, spewing venom.

He eyes you warily as you stand up, not sure what you’re going to do next. He knew you had a temper, but he’s never seen it unleashed like this before. You stuck over to the framed engagement portrait on the wall, you rip it from the wall and smash it on the floor with a bitter laugh. That gets his attention. He stands up, grabbing you from behind and forcing you to turn and face him.

“What the hell do you think you’re doing? You’re acting like a goddamn lunatic! I know you’re hurt, but this is fucking ridiculous.” He growls, his grip on you tightening. God, he wants to shake you right now.