Love And Deception (Payback)

In a dimly lit movie room filled with the smell of old popcorn and the distant hum of projectors, a man clad in black sits alone. His dark clothes seem to blend into the shadows around him, like he's part of the darkness.

It's hard to see him clearly, just a faint outline against the flickering movie screen. The room feels heavy, matching the sadness on his face. His eyes show no emotion as he stares into the cinema's darkness, expressing a deep sadness that words can't capture.

As the movie scenes play, he stays in his own world of solitude and reflection. The soft light reveals the tired lines on his face, telling a silent story of someone looking for a break from the harshness of life. In this dark space, he quietly watches both the drama on screen and the quiet struggles within himself.

Ryan was not always the man who consistently wore a frown on his face. He used to be a sight for sore eyes, wearing the brightest smile, even though his life was far from perfect. However, everything changed after one careless night, but it all really started with a breakup.

*********

"You're back? Welcome home" Ryan greeted Clara as she entered the house. He glanced at his old wall clock, noting that his girlfriend had returned earlier than usual.

"Babe?" He called out when he noticed the frown on Clara's face. "Are you okay? Did something happen at campus?"

"What's that?" Clara asked, pointing at the envelope Ryan was holding, ignoring his questions.

"Oh," Ryan exclaimed with a burst of excitement. "Take a guess," he teased, but Clara rolled her eyes at him.

"You can see I'm not in a good mood, Ryan," she replied with a deeper frown. "So, spill."

"How about you find out for yourself?" He handed her the envelope, and she snatched it from his hand, quickly scanning its contents.

"What's this?" Clara inquired as her eyes darted across the paper.

"That's my job offer letter!" Ryan announced with infectious excitement. "I just landed a position at Acetone Tech!"

Clara couldn't hold back a scoff, her gaze fixed on Ryan with disbelief. "You..." She paused, stifling further words with an exasperated sigh, her frown deepening as she clenched the paper in her hand.

"What's wrong, Babe?" Ryan inquired, genuinely perplexed by his girlfriend's lack of enthusiasm.

"You didn't secure a job with Acetone Tech!" Clara erupted in frustration, her voice filled with disappointment. "You got hired as a driver for their family."

Ryan attempted to soothe her with a gentle tone. "But it's still a great opportunity, Clara. I'll be working regular hours, wearing a suit, meeting rich people, and the pay is really good."

Clara's frustration intensified as she retorted, "Are you even listening to yourself? This salary is less than what the Acetone's dog food costs!"

"Clara," Ryan called softly, struggling to comprehend why she wasn't pleased with his new job. "This is the best paying job I've ever had."

"That's precisely the issue," Clara exclaimed in a loud voice. "You're barely making ends meet! You're poor. How much longer am I supposed to endure this? We've been together for nearly four years. How long do I have to suffer with you?"

Ryan attempted to reason with her, saying, "I know it's been challenging, Babe, but..."

"Don't call me that!" Clara shouted, her frustration reaching its peak. "Just look at you. You're content being employed as a driver in someone else's home? Your employer is a man like you, you know?"

Ryan was wounded by her harsh words. They cut deep, and he struggled to grasp why she was acting this way. He hoped that her anger was just a result of a bad day at school.

"Did you have a rough day?" Ryan asked with genuine concern in his voice. "Did something happen at school?"

"I've had a terrible dating experience with you, Ryan," Clara bitterly retorted. She met his pained expression, but her frustration wasn't spent. "People talk every day. They say I deserve better. They say I deserve to be taken care of. They say I deserve to be with a man who doesn't live in such a shabby apartment."

Ryan fell into a momentary silence, absorbing her words. Clara had uttered many things to him over the years, but this felt like she was finally releasing all her pent-up emotions, and it cut deep.

"Clara, I..."

"I can't do this anymore," she interrupted him, determination in her voice. "I'm done, Ryan."

"Are you breaking up with me?" Ryan's voice quivered, the thought of a breakup seeming unreal. After all they'd been through, he never expected she'd just leave, especially when things were finally looking up.

"But this job would get us out of this apartment" He tried to reason with her. "I'll save up to get us a more decent place."

"I'm nearly graduating from college with a law degree, Ryan," Clara reminded him with a sniff. "I'm a promising young woman of twenty-four, and I do not want to be tied down."

"What about our dreams, Clara?" Ryan's voice barely rose above a whisper. "What about all the plans we made together?"

"You'll have to dream with someone else, Ryan," Clara declared. "Because I'm done."

She brushed past him, gathering a few of her belongings while grumbling about the lack of possessions worth packing in her closet. "All my clothes are so outdated!" She said in a loud voice.

Ryan stood there in disbelief. He was in denial as he couldn't imagine life without his girlfriend. Clara had threatened to break up many times before, but she had never followed through. Why now?

As Clara continued to vent her frustration about dating a financially struggling man, Ryan's thoughts turned to all the times he had worked hard to pay her tuition over the years. He remembered the countless occasions he had borrowed money just to make her happy.

"Yeah, you can bring the car," Clara said and Ryan turned to see her talking to someone on the phone. She appeared ready to leave, but as soon as the call ended, he made one more plea.

"Please, Clara, let's talk about this."

"My ride's here, so excuse me," she said, walking past him towards the door.

Ryan stopped his pleas when he saw an SUV parked outside. He watched Clara get into the backseat without a backward glance, and just like that, the car swerved around a corner, disappearing from sight.