The silence was lingering for too long. It seemed to stretch for miles and obscured any opportunity to find an ounce of hope. Besides, Rosie understood that peace was an impossible feat for them to achieve, because for them to have burned so bright meant that nothing but ash could remain. Hope was found in glowing embers that they might fan into life. There was no use in growing a flame that would only live to be extinguished once more. There could be no hope.
But, that didn't stop the crushing wave of disappointment from settling over her chest. It was terrible of her to want Ezra to have some sort of claim over her still, to be secretly delighted that he cared enough still to note who her dance partners were. She left, she ignored every avenue to reconciliation. He had every right to move on and be fine that she was too.
(Rosie wasn't sure if she could ever move on. She could pretend, she could dance and talk and act like everything was fine. But Ezra's betrayal ran as deep as her love for him once had and had cracked her very foundation. Rosie didn't think she could ever heal away that pain.)
"We're only colleagues. He's my boss, really." Rosie quietly admitted, staring down at the glass in her hands. She knew she had to force the next bit out, because fair was fair and if he didn't care anymore than neither should she. However, try as she might, Rosie couldn't bring herself to give him that same permission. Perhaps in time she would learn to live with the sight of him happy elsewhere. That day wasn't today.
"I - " don't want to dance with anyone else. Rosie bit back the lump in her throat at that. No hopes, no embers or flames. Ash, that was how they had to remain. She had to say something else now, something to cover over the fact that she was obviously struggling. But all that came to mind was I miss you. And so, rather than finish the thought, Rosie remained silent once more.
But, that didn't stop the crushing wave of disappointment from settling over her chest. It was terrible of her to want Ezra to have some sort of claim over her still, to be secretly delighted that he cared enough still to note who her dance partners were. She left, she ignored every avenue to reconciliation. He had every right to move on and be fine that she was too.
(Rosie wasn't sure if she could ever move on. She could pretend, she could dance and talk and act like everything was fine. But Ezra's betrayal ran as deep as her love for him once had and had cracked her very foundation. Rosie didn't think she could ever heal away that pain.)
"We're only colleagues. He's my boss, really." Rosie quietly admitted, staring down at the glass in her hands. She knew she had to force the next bit out, because fair was fair and if he didn't care anymore than neither should she. However, try as she might, Rosie couldn't bring herself to give him that same permission. Perhaps in time she would learn to live with the sight of him happy elsewhere. That day wasn't today.
"I - " don't want to dance with anyone else. Rosie bit back the lump in her throat at that. No hopes, no embers or flames. Ash, that was how they had to remain. She had to say something else now, something to cover over the fact that she was obviously struggling. But all that came to mind was I miss you. And so, rather than finish the thought, Rosie remained silent once more.
![[Image: o7xGVB5.png]](https://i.imgur.com/o7xGVB5.png)