One Shots

Broken Crystal

     She lived in a world where everyone carried their heart in a pouch on their hip. These crystal hearts could show how much someone had been through; should they be shown. Many simply hide away their hearts, too afraid of having them shattered.

But she was different.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

     Elaina smiled to herself as she walked back home that day, her mind filled of the joyous news that day had brought. Her boyfriend, Jacob, had texted her earlier saying he wanted to get together sometime this weekend, possibly call if a meet up wasn't readily available.

     So, she was on cloud 9. That evening she floated along a cloud of bliss, unable to get angry at the many things around her that would normally piss her off, such as people or her shabby run-down apartment.

     The rest of her evening was filled with joyous times alone in her apartment, playing Minecraft and then settling down to watch a movie with her cat, Sir Rufflepuss the 3rd. She went to bed soon after.

     BEEP BEEP BEEP

     The loud blaring of Elaina's alarm woke the young women, and she eagerly bounced out of bed, beaming. Today was her day off, and she planned on making the most of it by planning the perfect date for her and Jacob.

     Humming Sad Song by We The Kings, she started to get ready for the day with a smile. After showering and breakfast, she checked her phone for any new messages.

     One new message from Jacob pulsed gently on the screen, and her lips parted in a grin so big it nearly covered her whole face. It was probably just his good morning text, but she loved those all the same.

     She clicked the pulsing notification, and instantly her smile fell. 

Jacob: I'm sorry but, it's not gonna work out well, you have to deal with college and work and I have to deal with police academy moving and night shift. It's just too much stressful things at once to add a LDR into the mix.

Elaina: Where's this coming from, Jacob?

Jacob: It's just stressful, and people kinda dont help at all with it, I still want to talk and be your friend and here for you but, it's too stressful as it is.

Elaina: Heh. You sound just like my ex, you know that? He broke up with me the same way.. Am I just that hard to handle?

Jacob: No.

Elaina: Then why does this seem to be the only way guys can handle me? As a friend...

Jacob: If it wasnt ldr It would be different but, *sigh* people make it harder.

Elaina: It's because of her, isn't it? Your ex broke you far beyond what even I could fix.

Jacob: ...

Elaina: Just... Forget about it. Forget about me, it would be better if we'd never met.

Jacob: Don't say that.

Elaina: Fine. Then if you have to remember me, remember me before this whole mess. Before I stupidly asked you out, thinking it would end in anything more than heartbreak again.

Jacob: Elaina, wait-

Elaina: Goodbye Jacob... 

   Elaina dropped her phone onto the couch, and sank beside it. She felt numb; how could this have happened to her? She had thought she'd finally found the right guy, only to discover he was just like all the others.

     Her pouch pulsed gently, once. As if reminding her she still had a heart. She gently pulled it out of the gold specked black pouch, and cradled it gently in her hands.

     The once vibrant purple heart was now a sickly lilac, a clear and defined scar down the center. That was from her last love. The heart was still, room temperature instead of burning hot. She supposed that was the shock. It would shatter soon, she was sure of that.

     Elaina remained motionless for hours, staring blankly down at the heart.

     Then, it let loose a small cracking sound, and crumbled into pieces. Tears began to flow from Elaina's eyes, thick and fast as she felt the heartbreak.

     "Why... Why did he leave me?" she cried, clutching the shattered heart pieces close to her. "I'll never be loved... I'm too much to handle... " Her boiling hot tears splashed onto the shattered crystal, and began to slowly freeze as the heart's temperature plummeted.

     She kept crying, muttering to herself that she wasn't worth ever loving, until suddenly, she stopped. It was as if her emotions had suddenly shut off. Glancing down at the heart, Elaina saw it was covered in a thick later of ice.

     "Ice...?" She was confused for a moment before a wave of apathy crashed down on her as the last of her emotions faded. "Ice... The perfect solution."

     She wouldn't have her heart broken anymore if it was frozen solid. No one could hurt her ever again if she just let this happen.

     With a small sigh, releasing the last bit of emotions, she replaced the heart in her pouch.

  Nothing and no one would ever hurt her again.