The air was heavy with tension as Fallon and Matt sat on the worn-out couch in their shared living room. The flickering candlelight created dancing shadows on the walls, underscoring the gravity of the conversation that hung between them. Matt's brow was furrowed, his expression a mix of surprise and concern, while Fallon's gaze was fixed on her fidgeting hands, the weight of her confession still settling in her chest. 

It had been two weeks since Fallon's conversation with Harper. Once she left, she started trying to figure out what life would look like after this moment. Every piece of the day, her decision plagued her thoughts. She tried to figure out how to get the words out, how to configure that syntax of each sentence so that it would say exactly what she wanted. All that time practicing it over and over in her head, had led to this. 

Finally, Matt broke the silence, his voice laced with uncertainty. "So, you have feelings for Trent now? After all these years of claiming that I was overreacting and overthinking your friendship with him. Now you have feelings?"

Fallon took a deep breath, her eyes lifting to meet Matt's gaze. "Yes, Matt. It's something I've been grappling with for a while now. I didn't intend for it to happen, but I can't ignore how I feel."

Matt ran a hand through his hair, his features a blend of disbelief and hurt. "We're engaged, Fallon. We've been planning our future together. We get married in a few months!"

Fallon nodded, her heart heavy with guilt. "I know, and that's why I'm being honest with you now. I don't want to go into a marriage with these feelings unresolved. I owe it to both of us to figure things out."

Matt's gaze softened, a mixture of emotions flickering in his eyes. "What are you asking for, Fallon?"

Tears welled up in Fallon's eyes as she spoke, her voice shaking with a mixture of anxiety and hope. "I'm asking for three weeks, Matt. Just three weeks to step back, reflect, and truly understand my feelings. I want to give us both time to think about what we really want – whether it's moving forward together or realizing that it's best for us to part ways."

Matt let out a heavy sigh, his shoulders slumping as he leaned back against the couch. "Three weeks seems like nothing compared to the six years we've had together." He was growing more frustrated with her ask.

Fallon's heart ached at the resignation in his voice. She reached out to place a trembling hand on his, her eyes filled with sincerity. "Matt, I love you, I wouldn't be doing this if I didn't believe that we both deserve a chance at happiness. It's just that right now, I'm so confused about what that means for us."

Matt stood up and rubbed his face with his hands. "I just can't believe we're having this conversation. All because of a weekend? 48 hours overruled all our years?"

"It's not about overruling it Matt, it's just about making sure when we get married, it's done with a clear head and certainty."

"Well my head is pretty clear and certain, I thought yours was too." 

"I thought mine was too..."

He paced in small strides, back and forth in the living room, "I need you to be honest with me, Fallon."

She nodded, "okay."

He stared at her hard, locking his eyes on hers, "did you sleep with him?"

Her eyes never wandering from his, Fallon confidently answered him, "I did. And it was one of the biggest mistakes I've ever made. But it caused a snowball of emotions that I need to work through before I jump into marrying you." Matt took a deep breath, nodded, and continued pacing the living room again. He eventually stopped in front of the couch where Fallon was sitting. She stood up to meet him closer to eye level. "I didn't-" She was cut off when she felt his hand around her left arm, squeezing it too tightly. "Matt, you're hurting me." She struggled against his hand, trying to free herself. 

He aggressively pulled her arm towards him and worked the ring off of her finger. Once he had successfully removed it, she once again pulled her arm away from him, this time, him allowing her to break free. "I'll be here tomorrow to move what's mine out of here. Take your three fucking weeks and see if you can sort your shit out. When you're done, you let me know if you realize how big of a mistake you made and that you want to get married. If you decide that he's the better one for you, don't fucking call me cause I don't want to hear it." 

He started towards the bedroom, the sound of drawers opening and closing and the slam of the closet door made it clear that he was packing things. Fallon stood near the counter, nervously biting at the skin on her thumb. When he reentered the kitchen with a small duffel bag draped over his shoulder, she wasn't sure why her instant reaction wasn't to beg him to stay. He side stepped around her when suddenly she felt her hand shoot out and grab the strap of the duffle. It felt like she was no longer in control of her body. 

"Matt, wait..." 

He violently shook her from her grasp, whipping his body around with the intention of getting her to let go. Instead, she found herself holding tight to it as the shock of the intensity caused her to lose her balance. She felt it happen in slow motion, the awkward twist of her footing, the world feeling like it was spinning, reaching out to catch herself, and missing. As she fell against the granite counter top, she felt the cool scrape of the the corner as it connected with her cheekbone as her hands missed the opportunity to protect her and she eventually hit the floor. Once she was down there, it felt like the world had paused around her. Matt stood looking shocked and unsure if it had been him who caused her to fall, she no longer heard any sounds from the world around her, just the wooshing of blood in her ears accompanied by the occasional heartbeat. She raised her hand to where the pain had just started to grow and winced as her hand made contact with her face. As she pulled it away she could already feel the warmth of the crimson running down her cheek.

"Fallon, I'm...I'm sorry, I didn't mean to make you fall. Are you alright?" Matt finally unfroze and the world started to play again. "Let me see," he reached for her face, gently tilting it upwards to get a better look at it. 

"I'm fine," she said, yanking her face from his hand and feeling the instant headache of too much movement too quickly. 

Matt went to the sink, doused a paper towel in warm water and brought it back to her, "here, let me..."

She took it from his hand, "you were leaving. I've got it."

"Fallon let me help you," he put the duffel bag down. 

She slowly made her way to her knees, then carefully stood up, trying to ignore the throbbing she felt under her eye. "I'm okay," she applied the paper towel to the cut, pressing down to stop the slow stream dribbling down her cheek. 

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have, I shouldn't have shaken you off like that."

"I lost my balance, that's all."

Matt looked at her with what she could only assume was the last bit of sympathy her had left, "three weeks," he picked up the bag from the floor again and headed towards the door. He paused in the threshold before walking out entirely and turned to look at her, "I loved you the best that I could, the best way I knew how. I'm sorry if that wasn't enough." 

The door closed behind him.