Was It Ever Really Real?

The ringing of the phone drove her crazy, still screaming with anguish she hurled it across the room. She cried until there were no tears, screamed until her voice gave out. Even after that, she didn't feel better.

How could he do that to her?

So casually cruel? With no explanation.

Sitting there until long after the sun had set with continuous tears running down her face, she struggled to understand. But at the same time, she understood. She understood he had found someone better. Someone prettier, someone not as consumed by her work. Someone perfect like the runway models he made no secret of drooling at.

Was this to be her life? Bouncing from one bad relationship to another. Giving countless jerks her heart on a silver platter for them to toy with before crushing to bits.

Nothing had ever been real she realized with a sniffle, finally rising from the floor. Stepping over the overturned storage bin past her work to the mirror that hung above her dresser. Flipping the lamp on she was greeted by her reflection framed by splintering wood painted a fading red.

What's wrong with me? She questioned analyzing every bit of her reflection, from the way her messy hair fell into her green eyes to the way her eyes still shone with unshed tears.

The nerve he'd had.

Making her slam her door so hard the apartment maintenance man had to come fix it when it wouldn't shut right the next morning.

So stupid!

She walked from the dresser to her bed, fumbling for the nightstand drawer and the burner cell tucked within.

It took only one ring:

"Hey, Mom can I come stay for a while?"

"Of course, Avalon"

…...

A day later she was back to sobbing like a child while Carmen rubbed circles into her back.

"He-he w-w-was s-s-s-such a-a j-j-je-jerk"

"One day," Carmen quietly responded, "You'll laugh about this"

"N-N-No I-I-I w-w-w-won't"

"Trust me, you will"

"I don't believe it," Melissa cried.

"I know, but that's okay"

"Nothing will ever be okay, I give up"

"You don't give up on anything, Avalon, you never have you're stubborn to a fault"

"Am not"

"Thank you for so eloquently proving my point," Carmen laughed.

"This is no time to laugh. Mom"

"You're right," the master thief agreed, "Now is time for you to get ready"

"Why?"

"We're going out"

"But, I don't wanna"

"I have front row tickets for Wicked"

"I'm going"

…...

Distractions worked for a little while but soon enough she was back to wanting to cry. Watching the waves crash against the shore, pulling in and out with a steady rhythm. It hadn't been real had it? None of it had been real? The jerk had been in it for the long game, Melissa had so many past scars, so many walls that it was important to break them down first.

I'm so stupid

Could you actually die from a broken heart? Melissa didn't know nor did she care because at that moment it felt like it. Where was the path to healing? The day where she would laugh? It seemed so far away. So very far away.

She had to press on.

She had to take that first step to get better.

Right now however she would die of a broken heart.