Short Stories

Heartbreak

Her eyes stung as she slowly opened them and stared up into the dim yellow light hanging from the ceiling. The skin of her cheeks was getting colder by the second from the lingering wetness. Her hand raised and rubbed harshly against her chest, leaving a bright pink mark. With each breath she took, the wire tightly wrapped around her heart grew more taunt, threatening to split the organ in half at any moment. She wished it would already.

She finally forced herself up into a sitting position and looked around the room, now bare. Everything that could have reminded the girl of her was hidden from plain sight lest another crying session began. The sweatshirt she had borrowed their first date, the little bear she always slept with while she was here, the little book she had filled out for their first anniversary, even the hair ties the girl had left began. All shoved under the bed or into the closet where she couldn't see them.

Plucking her phone from the bedside table, the weight on her chest grew heavier at the blank screen. No messages. No calls. Not even one social media. Without a second thought, she logged into Instagram and scoured the screen for the familiar face. She clicked onto their story, freezing when that much too well-known smile came into view. Tears once again sprang to her eyes as she stared at the photo. She changed her hair. It looks nice, the girl thought to herself as the photo shifted into a black and white art piece. More artwork, that's great for her. The phone dropped from her hand and onto the mattress as the story ended and the girl fell back onto her pillows.

I need to stop thinking about her so much but, how can I? She was the one, I'm sure of it. A soft sigh slipped past her lips as she lay in bed, reminiscing of when they had been happy. When the first started to message each other, their first-time meeting in person, their first date and kiss, the first time they had made love and how nervous she was.

But with each memory, they all lead back to one specific moment. When she had given her the ring. Her grandmother's ring that she barely let out of her sight since the day her grandma passed. She remembered the whole week prior to that moment holding the ring in her palm and looking down at the gold band with green emeralds, wondering if her lover would even like such a thing. Could she even part with her most prized possession? The answer was and always will be yes, of course, she trusted that woman with her life. She needed to prove that she was serious about this girl.

That weekend, they took a day trip to the lake and found a small private little spot for just the two of them. Even now, her cheeks are still a little sore from all the smiling she did that day. Spending that time away from their worries and everyday lives just to make a few small memories is worth all the pain. They had settled down on a blanket, huddling together for the warmth against the cold winds. Her hand had been shaking as she found the ring in her bag, trying not to be too suspicious.

She cleared her throat before saying, "Babe, you know how I keep telling you my Pinterest has been giving me signs? Well I was wondering if you even wanted a promise ring?"

"I would love one, but you don't have to get one for me. You already know I'm yours," the girl had answered with a wide smile, making her heart skip a beat for a moment.

She took the girls hand slowly slip the ring onto her ring finger, her lips pulling up into a small smile. "I kind of got you one anyways. I hope you like it."

The girl shot up and looked down at her hand, her brown eyes widening. "Babe! You didn't... but you did." Before she could answer, a pair of arms tightly wrapped around her abdomen. "I love you."

"I love you too babe. Forever and always." She returned the hug, savoring every moment.

Her arm lifted and wiped away the fallen tears, swallowing the knot in her throat. Her other hand was wrapped around that very same ring, now back on its gold necklace. A shuddered breath escaped her as she tossed over to her side and fought to think or something- anything- else then the past. A lovely girlfriend, but every face she thought of shifted its way back to her. Maybe a few kids, a Vanessa. No, Vanessa is only with her. Maybe Xan. No... Still makes me think of her. She tossed to her other side and fixed her stare onto the whiteboard on her closet door. At least I have a busy week to keep my mind busy. Her gaze shifted down for just a brief moment, but just long enough to see those two heart wrenching messages. The first was in pink with only a brief 'I love you" and a heart while the second was a little longer in purple writing 'you're the best babe ever' also following with a heart.

Even after deleting pictures and hiding objects, those were the only things she could not bare to destroy. Once she wiped that handwriting away, it was gone forever. No matter what she told herself, she was not ready to leave the woman she loved. Even when all her cries to get back together fell on deaf ears. Maybe one day she will be able to wipe the marker off without a second thought, or she could where that sweatshirt once again, or her dreams will not be taken over by the beautiful blonde with a breathtaking smile and gorgeous brown eyes, but that day was not going to be anytime soon.