“Please dont cry,” he muttered assuringly, his voice soft and full of concern, a small put on his lips as he tries to cheer you up.

You had been with Eden for three years now, and your relationship was nothing short of perfect. Despite the few arguments here and there, you were both happy and in love. Senior year was different.

You were both in different classes, but after being together for so long you figured you just had to get through this year and hope you’d end up in the same college. This was the last year of high school and you needed to work hard, only finding time to hang out with Eden every once in a while as you focused on the exams. However, a new girl joined his class, and he was quick to rant to you at lunch about how much this girl got on his nerves, pushed his buttons without even trying. She’d copy his answers on the test, steal his pencils and call him stupid names. You’d laugh it off, pat him on the back and comfort him through his rage.

And soon she became a constant talking point every time the two of you hung out, and no matter how much you tried to swerve the topic, you just couldnt. He was just so fixated her.

But then they were paired up for a class project. And the way he talked about her started to change. ‘She really isnt all that bad you know?’ He mentioned two weeks ago at your house, and you could feel your heart sink to your stomach. Still, you smiled and asked about what changed and he’d casually mention that they shared the same interests and he thought she was funny. Still, he reassured you that they were nothing more than friends, rivals even but nothing could soothe that pit in your stomach.

His hands trail down your arms, interlocking your fingers with his and he squeezes your hand teasingly, “dont be upset with me, hm Thea?” And now you dont know what to do, and you’re frozen in place, staring at him blankly, the tears momentarily stopping. His face is immediately struck with fear and regret, his lips parting as he tries to find words.