What Can I Say It's Complicated Novels & Stories

“No, I don’t believe him, but… I don’t know. It’s just… complicated.” I let out a sigh, rubbing my face in frustration. Complicated. That word felt like a punch to the gut. It shouldn’t be complicated. He hurt her. End of story. “It’s not complicated, Natalie. He’s trying to mess with your head. You’ve moved on from him, and now he’s trying to pull you back in. Don’t let him do that.”

"That's what everyone's saying." "That's part of it," I confirmed carefully, not sure how much I should share. "It's complicated." "Adults always say that when they don't want to explain things properly," Cassidy observed. "My grandma says 'it's complicated' whenever I ask why my mom isn't around. Which probably means my mom did something bad or didn't want me or something equally awful that she doesn't want to tell me." "Your mom isn't around?" I asked, then immediately felt bad for being nosy. "Sorry, I shouldn't have asked—"

“What the fuck are you doing in his place? Of all places to be, you had to be in his place?” I wasn't even sure where to start. How to even begin explaining anything. Of course I couldn't say I was having sex with him or all that. But I didn't want to lie either, so I went with, “It's complicated.” “What on earth is complicated? You better explain something to me because at the moment I'm not in a good mood so please, don't further irritate me.” This was actually the first time I'd see her this mad.

"It's complicated." "It always is." He went back to his inventory spreadsheet. "For what it's worth, whoever he is, he should treat you better. You deserve better than complicated." "You don't even know me." "I know you well enough. You're smart. Hard-working. You light up when you talk about books. That's the kind of person who deserves someone who makes things simple, not complicated." I didn't know what to say to that. Micaiah made everything complicated. Always had. Probably always would.

I didn’t answer because the truth was, I wasn’t even sure what the stupid thing to do was in this situation. “Everything just has to be complicated with you.” I whispered to myself, as I leaned back in the chair.

I saw a break in what she was about to say, and I took that as an opportunity to ask this question. "Zee. Would you say that you loved him?" She looked at me, peering in to my eyes as if there was nothing else that she could do. "Love is complicated, Alexis. It is not as easy and clean cut as you think or believe it is. There are many things that you have to take account of. It is not that straightforward."

“That’s… not better, you know.” I let out a dry laugh, dropping the book back onto the pile. “I’m aware.” He ran a hand through his hair, exhaling. “Then what the hell did he do?” I hesitated. The words sat heavy in my throat, refusing to come out clean. I crossed my arms, looking past him instead. “It’s complicated.” “Everything is complicated,” he shot back. “Try me anyway.” I shook my head. “It’s not something you can fix.”

I closed my eyes and tried to breathe. This was supposed to be simple. I was supposed to go to work. Teach my class. Eat my lunch. Go home. Nothing more. But now everything feels complicated. Everything feels heavy. Why did I let it get this far. This complicated. Now I don't know how to remove myself from the mess I'm in.

I finally said. “I know,” she sighed, dipping a finger into the melted vanilla. “But you’re cool. You have a mask like Miraculous Ladybug, but yours is just a little different.” she marvelled, but then, as though she had just come to a sudden realization, “What's the meaning of complicated, by the way?” she asked with a little frown on her face. I couldn't help the small smile that tugged at my lips. “Complicated means…” I paused, trying to find the right words for a two-year-old. “It means he is like a puzzle that is very hard to solve. Sometimes he says one thing, but does another.”

I arrived at the Ironblood compound and everything felt wrong and right. I couldn't tell Lyra the truth. I couldn't say that I knew he had feelings for me. I couldn't say that I had feelings for him too, and that those feelings felt like a fire I didn't start but couldn't put out. "It’s complicated," I said finally. I sounded tired. "Everything worth anything is complicated," Lyra said. She said it like it was a rule, like "don't touch a hot stove" or "the sun rises in the east."