Melanie

As we drive, Daniel's slurred voice breaks the silence. "Where are we going?" he asks, confusion evident in his tone.

"I'm taking you home, Daniel," I reply, my voice steady despite the chaos swirling around us.

"So, I finally get to see your new place?" Daniel's words are hopeful, but I shake my head in response.

"Nope," I say firmly. "I'm taking you to your apartment."

Daniel begins to protest, his words slurred and whining. "But I don't want to go there," he complains. "I want to go to your new apartment."

"We can't go there," I tell him, my tone firm but gentle.

Daniel's whining persists as he asks, "Why not? Is Marcus there?"

"No, Marcus isn't there. It's just Evie," I reply, trying to keep my tone steady.

"Evie?" Daniel's voice is confused.

"Yeah, Evie and I decided to have a sleepover," I explain, my eyes fixed on the road ahead.

Daniel's response is incomprehensible whining, and I continue driving, my hands gripping tightly to the steering wheel.

Suddenly, I feel Daniel's hand on my thigh, and I startle, my heart racing. "Daniel, please," I say firmly, removing his hand from my thigh. "Keep your hands to yourself."

"Why, Melanie? Why don't you want me anymore?" Daniel's voice is petulant and desperate.

"Daniel, you're drunk," I state the obvious, my voice tinged with frustration.

"I'm drunk because I love you," Daniel slurs, his words heavy with emotion.

I shake my head, feeling a mix of sympathy and exasperation. "Don't put this on me, Daniel," I urge him, my patience wearing thin.

"But it is on you," Daniel insists, his voice cracking with emotion. "I drink because I can't handle our breakup."

I glance at Daniel, his eyes welling up with tears, and my heart clenches with a pang of guilt.

"We'll be at your place soon, Daniel, just be a little patient," I reassure him, my voice gentle but firm.

"Will you sleep with me?" Daniel's voice is hopeful, but I shake my head in response.

"No, I won't," I reply quietly.

"Why not?" Daniel's tone is pleading.

"I can't do this kind of things anymore, Daniel," I tell him, my voice tinged with sadness. "I'm not your girlfriend."

"But you could be," Daniel insists, desperation evident in his voice.

I sigh, the weight of his words heavy on my shoulders. Without answering, I focus on the road ahead, determined to get him home safely.

After what feels like an eternity, we finally arrive outside Daniel's apartment.

I step out of the car, the cool night air washing over me as I make my way around to the passenger side to help Daniel. He's leaning heavily on me, his movements sluggish and uncoordinated. With a gentle hand, I guide him out of the car, his weight pressing against me.

"Thanks, Mel," Daniel mumbles, his words slurred and barely coherent. Closing the passenger door behind us, I steady Daniel and lead him towards the entrance.

Daniel mumbles something unintelligible as we walk, his words lost in the haze of alcohol clouding his mind. I don't bother trying to decipher his words; instead, I focus on getting him home safely.

We finally reach his apartment door, and I turn to Daniel. "Do you have your keys?" I ask, hoping he hasn't lost them in his drunken stupor.

Daniel grins, his gaze unfocused. "They're in my front pocket," he says, winking at me suggestively.

I roll my eyes, feeling a mixture of frustration and impatience. Quickly retrieving the keys, I unlock the front door and guide Daniel inside.

Helping him navigate through the dimly lit apartment, I lead him towards his bedroom. He stumbles occasionally, his movements unsteady and erratic.

Finally reaching his bed, I help him lie down, but before I can move away, Daniel pulls me on top of him, his grip surprisingly strong despite his intoxicated state.

"Hey, what are you doing?" I protest, trying to wriggle out of his grasp.

"Please stay with me, Mel," Daniel pleads, his voice tinged with desperation.

I try to get up, but his grip tightens, holding me in place. "Daniel, let me go," I say firmly, my heart pounding in my chest.

"Why don't you want to stay?" Daniel's voice cracks with emotion, tears welling up in his eyes.

"I can't stay here, Daniel," I tell him, my voice strained with emotion. "I have to go back home. Evie is there, I can't leave her alone."

"So, you'll leave me alone for Evie?" Daniel's voice is tinged with hurt and disbelief.

"Yes," I reply simply, my heart aching at the pain in his eyes.

Daniel tries to kiss me, but I turn my head away, pressing my hand over his mouth to stop him.

"Why are you doing this to me, Mel?" Daniel's voice cracks with emotion, tears welling up in his eyes.

I try to get up again, but Daniel refuses to let me go, his grip unyielding. "Daniel, please," I implore, my voice trembling with fear. "You're hurting me, and you're scaring me."

Instantly, Daniel releases his grip, his hands falling limply to his sides as he continues to sob. "I-I didn't mean to," he stammers between sobs, his voice thick with remorse.

I rise to my feet, watching as Daniel curls into a fetal position, his back turned towards me. His cries echo in the silence of the room, a heartbreaking symphony of pain.

Without a word, I move to sit beside him on the bed, gently stroking his back in a soothing gesture. I stay there until his sobs begin to subside, the tension slowly dissipating from his body.

As Daniel's cries quieten, he turns to look at me, his eyes searching mine. "Melanie?" he whispers, his voice barely audible.

"Hush now," I murmur softly, brushing a strand of hair from his forehead. "Just go to sleep."

Daniel nods, his eyes heavy with exhaustion. He turns away from me and closes his eyes, his breathing gradually evening out as sleep claims him.

I watch him for a moment longer, feeling a mix of emotions swirling within me—compassion, regret, and a profound sadness for the pain he's enduring.

With a heavy sigh, I rise from the bed, my steps quiet as I make my way towards the door. As I step outside into the cool night air, I can't shake the feeling of heaviness that weighs on my heart.

I slide into the driver's seat of my car, leaning my head back against the headrest, my chest tight with emotion. Tears prick at the corners of my eyes as I struggle to make sense of the turmoil raging within me. Why does it have to be so hard? Why does my happiness have to come at the cost of someone else's misery?

Unable to contain the flood of emotions any longer, I bury my face in my hands and let the tears fall freely. Each sob racks my body, the weight of guilt and sorrow pressing down on me like a suffocating blanket.

I don't know how long it takes for the tears to finally subside. Time seems to blur together, each moment blending into the next until I'm left feeling numb and exhausted.

Eventually, I start the car and begin the drive back home. The journey passes in a haze, the familiar route feeling distant and unfamiliar.

Before I know it, I'm parking outside my apartment, my mind still reeling from the whirlwind of emotions. With leaden steps, I drag myself out of the car and towards my apartment building.

Entering my apartment, I head straight for the bathroom, the cool water from the sink offering a brief respite from the turmoil raging within me. I splash my face, the sensation grounding me in the present moment, if only for a fleeting second.

I step out of the bathroom, feeling the weight of exhaustion settling over me like a heavy blanket. My eyes drift towards Evie, still peacefully asleep. With a heavy sigh, I crawl into bed beside her and close my eyes, hoping to find solace in sleep.

But sleep eludes me, my mind swirling with thoughts and emotions too tumultuous to ignore. I can't shake the feeling of unease that settles in the pit of my stomach, a constant reminder of the mistake I've made.

Glancing over at Evie's sleeping form, I can't help but acknowledge the truth in her words. She was right; I shouldn't have seen Daniel. Not because he's the manipulative monster she believes him to be, but because he dragged me back into the same cycle of pain and guilt.

All the progress I thought I'd made in the past couple of days feels like it's been undone in an instant. The weight of guilt and regret presses down on me, suffocating me with its intensity. I feel as though I'm right back where I started, trapped in the same vicious cycle of emotions that plagued me from the moment I met Daniel at the café.

I lay there in the darkness, wrestling with the conflicting emotions swirling within me. Deep down, I know I can't be with Daniel. Despite his desperate attempts to reel me back in, I felt nothing but pity for him when he put his hand on my thigh or when he held me close. I can't sacrifice my own happiness to appease someone else, no matter how much I care for them.

For now, though, I need to be alone.