Poison

My phone buzzed inside my pocket, I knew it was Ivy, she had been texting me during the whole day and I had ignored her, focusing on my work. A longer buzz this time, she was calling. I picked up. 

-Ivy, I'm working. 

-I miss you, Flora.- she said with her purring voice. 

Part of me wanted to tell her to fuck off, that I had had enough. But she disarmed me. I would spend the hours or days without seeing her in an endless cycle of misery and realization. And I always concluded that, even if I loved her, her love was killing me. Yet, as soon as I saw her or heard her voice I'd forget about it. But it couldn't continue. I was barely eating, barely sleeping, and more paranoid than usual. People around me complained about my irritability. 

-Ivy.-I interrupted her.-We need to talk. 

-We do?- she mocked me, I knew. 

-Yes. We do. Pick me up after work. 

I sighed and returned to whatever it was I was doing. I couldn't remember, however. That was the effect Ivy had on me. I managed to finish my day as best as I could and waited for her outside the building, chain-smoking cigarettes. She was late, as usual, and greeted me with her lazy smile, not even apologizing. 

-Let's walk.-I said, knowing I was the one who had to be in control. 

We walked around the streets of the City down to the Thames. As we crossed the river I stopped walking and faced her. 

-Ivy. You're killing me, your love is killing me. This needs to stop. I love you more than anything, but this can't be anymore. It hurts to let you go, but it's better than hurting every single day. 

She shrugged her shoulders and said:

-Well, if that's what you want,... 

Then she kissed me, leaving a bittersweet aftertaste in my mouth. After that she climbed on the bridge railings and jumped into the water. She never surfaced. I called for help, but no one had seen her jump. The videotapes show me talking to myself. Everyone says that I have imagined her, but I haven't. She's real, and she'll come for me.