Her throat tightened as he spoke. She swallowed the pain, a smooth stone descending down her constricted esophagus. Her face was hot, & a warm, moist substance painted a path down her cheek. She sat still, the telephone pressed against her ear & held in place by a trembling hand. In her chest, her heart thumped. His words pulsed in her veins like poison, tediously cracking her fragile heart with every dose.

"I think we're breaking up. I'm sorry."

"I don't understand."

"Look, I still love you. I just... I don't know. I don't know what the hell I'm doing. I shouldn't be dating anybody, right now."

"I've been here for you all this time, & now you're leaving me..."

"No, it's just-- I don't mean it like that. Look, I still love you--"

"I love you, too..."

"--but she's been here longer. I'm sorry. I just can't choose between the two of you... I don't know. What should I do?"

"It's your choice, not mine."

He sighed.

"Chara told me the exact same thing..."

Silence.

"I can't do this. I'm sorry."

"Ok..."

I can take the pain if it makes you happier, she thought.


***

She found herself staring out of her bedroom window as her daydream dissolved into the sunlight that poured through the glass. Her back lay propped loosely against the wall directly beside her bed. She sat on the rumpled comforter with her arms banded about one knee, the other knee resting perpendicularly upon the bed. Luna blinked with heavy eyes & observed the tree outside her window with its young buds & blossoms & its baby leaves. Such a meek tree, yet so resilient. So submissive to the ever-changing seasons, yet steadfast in wayward weather. With winter's passing, its vitality had returned. The breath of Spring had cast out the death spell of Winter. No longer was the plant oppressed under Winter's reign.

Luna, though, could claim no such harmony within herself. Alas! Winter lingered within her soul, her spirit now a frigid breeze grazing the chamber where her heart lay guarded & frozen. It hadn't healed since the day the poison set in.

Mitchell now belonged to Chara, & Chara to him. She was his, & he was hers. They belonged to each other. He wasn't Luna's anymore. He said he didn't know what he wanted. Perhaps, he had known all along...

He seemed happy with Chara. He seemed to have forgotten everything that he & Luna had shared. He seemed okay.

Was he?

She remained still, across from the leaf-speckled beam of sunlight that danced boldly through her window, as she contemplated, yet again, the memories that coursed through her mind. An image of Mitchell's face flashed into her mind-- the charming smirk on his soft lips, the insidious expression in his chocolate brown eyes, his olive complexion & the messy black hair caressing his facial features, the glasses that settled perfectly upon his nose-- & a thought occurred to her...



If you love me, then why do you hurt me?