My best friend fell in love with my boyfriend. I guess I noticed her attraction to him. Her flirtatious attitude, her obsession. But more importantly, is how I should have noticed him, falling for her. Their subconscious flirting slapped me in the face: 'wake up from this daydream.'


Later-when I confronted him-he apologized, unable to lie to me. His apology was sincere, his pain shown brightly through his eyes. It hurt him, to hurt me, and that is why I loved him. So I told him to ask her out, and my heart broke.


He looked at me shocked. I told him that despite what ever the hell he was feeling, I still loved him. I loved him and her, and I wanted them both to be happy. And I knew they would only be happy together. I loved him so much, I let him go, and let the tears trickle down my pink swollen cheeks, as his back receded down the math hallway, and my heart broke for love.


The next day, I put on so much makeup, I was wearing a mask. A mask, I felt, I would not take off for a while.


My best friend was ecstatic, though she could not look me in the eyes, her emotions bubbling out of her. I raised her eyes to mine, and hugged her. Pained, she stared at me. I told her not to worry, and plastered a smile, over my throbbing heart.

Now,

When he calls me, I smile.

When we go shopping, I laugh.

When we all hang out together, I play.

But when asked if I still love him, I take out the heart shaped pendant he first gave me, lay it lovingly on the knotted stump, and sobbed silently, to myself.