Unfaithful
Song: Rihanna “Unfaithful”


Story of my life, searching for the right
But it keeps avoiding me.
Sorrow in my soul, 'cause it seems that wrong
Really loves my company.

She woke up in Michael’s arms, somehow they always found their way around her in the middle of the night. She smiled at memories of happier times and quietly slipped out of the bed and walked into the bathroom.

She washed her face and brushed her teeth, then brushed out her hair. It fell to her elbows and had a golden chestnut color. She didn’t have time to go out and get it cut, but told herself that she didn’t mind the length. She took one last look at herself in the mirror and walked back out into the bedroom. Entering it, she saw Michael stirring awake.

“I’ll go make some breakfast.” She said and left him in the bedroom, heading into the kitchen. She opened the fridge and scanned its contents, settling for some scrambled eggs. Then she took a pan out of the cupboard and turned on the stove. Distantly she heard Michael come in and sit at the counter, but didn’t acknowledge his presence.

“I made scrambled eggs. If that’s alright?” She asked as she scrapped the contents of the pan into two bowls, sliding one across the counter to him.

“That’s fine.” Michael answered, grabbing two spoons from a drawer and putting one in each bowl. “These look good.” He complemented, immediately getting some on his spoon.

He's more than a man, and this is more than love,
The reason that the sky is blue
The clouds are rollin' in, because I'm gone again,
And to him I just can't be true

“Thanks.” She muttered quietly, picking up her bowl and eating on the couch. Sydney flipped on the TV and watched a random news station. Sometime later Michael joined her and wrapped an arm around her shoulders but she didn’t lean into his embrace like she used to. She continued watching the news like nothing had changed. Michael left his arm over her shoulders, leaning back on the sofa.

“Can we watch something other than the news?” He asked. “It’s so depressing.”

“Sure.” She handed him the remote and sat with him, watching a hockey game. She didn’t complain that she didn’t like hockey, and she didn’t say anything about Michael’s arm.

“So… What are we doing today?” Michael asked as he turned off the game and looked over at Sydney.

And I know that he knows I'm unfaithful,
And it kills him inside
To know that I am happy with some other guy.
I can see him dying

“I don’t know.” She looked back at him, but never into his eyes. She wouldn’t dare look into them, he knew her too well. She had almost forgotten what they looked like. All she remembered was that they were the most amazing green eyes she had ever seen. She missed looking into the eyes that used to dazzle her so much. If only things were like they used to be. “I have this thing later…” She vaguely commented.

“Oh... Ok.” Michael’s tone confirmed that he knew what she would be doing. They sat in silence for a minute before Michael got off the couch and returned to the bedroom to get dressed for the day. “I have some work to do anyway.”

She followed him into the bedroom, grabbing some clothes from her dresser and changing in the bathroom. She never used to be shy around him. To her regret, she couldn’t remember the last time they had been together, even though she wanted to so badly.

“Ok. So I guess I’ll see you later than?” She said when she reemerged from the bathroom.

“Yeah. Bye.” He muttered, she walked over to him and gently gave him a kiss on the cheek, daring herself to look into his eyes, just once. She shut her eyes tightly as a single tear fell down her cheek.

A kiss upon my cheek as he reluctantly,
As if I'm gonna be out late
I say "I won't be long. Just hangin' with the girls."
A lie I didn't have to tell
Because we both know where I'm about to go
And we know it very well

“Bye.” She whispered and turned to leave the room. When she had made it halfway across the room, she turned back to look at him and caught him watching her walk away. Their eyes connected and she saw all the pain he hid from her, just lurking behind the bright emerald. She swallowed the lump in her throat and pushed his love from her mind.

I don't want to do this anymore
I don't want to be the reason why
Every time I walk out the door
I see him die a little more inside.

Sydney arrived home a little after dinnertime and found Michael on the couch again, watching a hockey game.

“I saved you some dinner. It’s in the fridge.” He called. She walked into the kitchen and heated up the food he made for her. She had always loved his cooking, but recently it didn’t taste as good as it used to. She secretly longed to spend an evening with him, a romantic candlelit dinner, like they used to.

“Thanks.” Sydney mumbled as she came back into the living room and sat on the couch with him. She purposefully sat closer than she had before, wanting to be near him again like she used to.

“The Kings are up by two.” He commented, wrapping an arm around her shoulders. This time she leaned over and placed her head on his shoulder. To say he was surprised would be an understatement. He looked down at her and smiled. A real smile.

“I don’t know how to play.” She admitted, eating her food quietly. “Teach me?”

I don't want to hurt him anymore
I don't want to take away his life
I don't want to be a murderer.

The game ended and Sydney still didn’t get up. Instead, she snuggled closer to Michael, basking in the closeness of their bodies. He was confused as to her sudden change, but decided to think about it another day and enjoy the few moments he had the old her back.

“Syd… What’s up with you today?” He asked because he couldn’t ignore the nagging voice in his mind that was wondering what was going on, anymore.

“Nothing.” She looked up into his eyes, digging through them to find out his inner most thoughts. Sydney could tell he was confused, but at the same time happy. She wanted to make him happy again, like she used to be able to do. Smiling at him, he smiled apprehensively back. “Kiss me.” She demanded quietly.

“What?” He asked, stunned.

“I said kiss me.” She demanded more forcefully. He obliged and kissed her gently, their kiss confirming his undying love for her. Michael yearned for more, but was unsure of how she would feel. She felt the electric she had felt all that time ago and intensified the kiss. At first he hesitated, but then kissed her back, letting out his need for her. She still loved him the way she always had. That love never went away.

Slowly she stood up and pulled him with her, never breaking the kiss. Then they slowly made their way back into the bedroom.

I don't want to do this anymore
I don't want to be the reason why
Every time I walk out the door
I see him die a little more inside.

They lied awake that night, snuggled close under the sheets. Michael’s mind was swimming with doubts about what they had just done. Was it just a trick? Did she mean it? What would happen now?

Sydney couldn’t have been happier. She felt the joy she hadn’t felt in so long from being with him. She wished things could change between them but she understood how hard it must have been for him to not have her in his life, never really there. It would be a long way for them to back to where they were. But nevertheless, it was possible.

“Syd?” He asked quietly. “What are we gonna do tomorrow?” He asked, and she detected a tone of sadness in his voice. It hurt her that she had hurt him so much for so long.

“I’m all yours.”

I don't want to hurt him anymore
I don't want to take away his life
I don't want to be a murderer.



Sequel: Back To You