Charlotte's Tantrum

I held out my hand like a shield, staving off Dylan’s advance. “Don’t come any closer,” I warned, my voice steady despite the tremors I felt inside.

“You did what you thought was best, and that’s okay. It’s really okay,” I said, my words laced with a bitter finality. “You can go back to bed with your woman.” I forced the words out, each one a stone in my throat, and turned to leave, my posture rigid to hide the quaking of my heart.

But Dylan wasn’t ready to let the moment end. He reached out, his hand closing around my arm with a gentle yet insistent pull. “Charlotte, listen to me, it’s not what you think. It was just... it was just a one-night thing. I didn’t want to bother you, and then... then it happened with Allison,” he tried to explain, his voice desperation and pleading.

The absurdity of his words struck me, and I turned back to face him, incredulity painting my faces. “Wow, can you even hear yourself?” I spat back, my tone scathing. “Do you actually expect me to accept that e