Shayla find out Zeshary is talking with Amber

 

Shayla scrolled through her phone, a knot tightening in her stomach with each passing meme. She was supposed to be relaxing, enjoying her Friday night, but an unsettling feeling had been gnawing at her all day. It started with a vague sense of distance from Zeshary, her boyfriend. He’d been unusually quiet, more focused on his phone than on their conversation during dinner. 

Then came the accidental glimpse. While they were at the grocery store, Zeshary’s phone had lit up with a notification. Shayla hadn't meant to, but she’d caught the name: Amber.

Amber.

Just the name felt like a jagged shard of glass in her throat. Amber was Zeshary's ex. Their breakup had been messy, filled with drama Shayla had only heard snippets of from Zeshary. He'd always downplayed it, saying she was clingy and possessive, that he was so much happier now that he was with Shayla.

But now? 

Driven by a nervous energy she couldn't ignore, Shayla had subtly tracked Zeshary's online activity. His recent story views on Instagram? Amber's name was always at the top. And then, using a burner account she'd created months ago for a now-forgotten reason, she’d checked Zeshary's activity on a gaming forum they both frequented. He’d been online, and so had Amber. He never usually played games online on Friday nights anymore Finally, fueled by anxiety and a growing sense of betrayal, she decided on a course of action. She couldn’t keep agonizing in silence.

When Zeshary finally emerged from the bathroom, Shayla was sitting on the edge of the bed, her face set. He looked up, his brow furrowing slightly. "Everything okay, babe? You look…intense."

"We need to talk, Zeshary," Shayla said, her voice tight.

He sighed, already looking guilty. "About what?"

Shayla took a deep breath. "About Amber."

Zeshary’s face paled. He ran a hand through his hair. "Amber? What about her?" He tried for a casual tone, but Shayla wasn't buying it.

"Don't play dumb, Zeshary. I know you've been talking to her."

He hesitated, then his shoulders slumped in defeat. "Okay, fine. We've talked a little. But it's nothing, Shayla, I swear. Just catching up."

"Catching up?" Shayla scoffed. "Why? What's there to catch up on?"

"She... she reached out. Her grandmother passed away, and she was just…sad."

Shayla felt a surge of anger. "And you felt the need to comfort your ex-girlfriend, the one you told me was clingy and possessive, instead of, I don't know, spending time with your actual girlfriend?"

Zeshary stepped closer, reaching for her hand. "Shayla, please. It was just being a decent human being. I couldn't just ignore her when she was hurting 

"But you could ignore the way it makes me feel? Don't you understand that this is a huge breach of trust? You know how insecure I am, how much I hate her and you went and did this anyway?"

"I didn't think it would bother you so much!" he protested, his voice rising. "It's not like anything is happening. I love you, Shayla. I wouldn't jeopardize that."

Shayla pulled her hand away. "That's easy to say. But how am I supposed to believe you? You lied to me, Zeshary. You hid this from me. What else are you hiding?"

The silence stretched between them, thick and heavy. Shayla watched Zeshary, searching his eyes for the truth. She wanted to believe him, desperately. But the seed of doubt had been planted, and she didn't know if she could ever fully trust him again.

"I don't know," Shayla said, her voice barely a whisper. "I just... I don't know what to think anymore."

She stood up, the knot in her stomach tightening even further. "I need some space," she said, heading towards the door. "I need to figure out if I can even get past this."

Zeshary reached for her, his face etched with worry. "Shayla, please don't go. Let's talk this through. I can explain everything."

But Shayla shook her head, tears welling in her eyes. "I can't, not right now. I need to think."

She walked out the door, leaving Zeshary standing alone in the room, the weight of his choices pressing down on him. The comfort he'd offered Amber had come at a price, and Shayla wasn't sure if their relationship could afford to pay it. The night that was supposed to be a relaxing escape had turned into a painful reckoning, leaving them both to face the uncertain future.