A Common Breakup | Teen Ink

A Common Breakup

September 21, 2009
By rain_e_days BRONZE, Taipei, Other
rain_e_days BRONZE, Taipei, Other
3 articles 0 photos 0 comments

“You’ve been avoiding me lately. Why?”

I didn’t turn to look at him, although I could feel his own eyes intent on my face, questioning and waiting. In the frosty night air, my sigh appeared visible as a white cloud before vanishing into the darkness. How can he not know the answer to such an obvious question? I bit the inside of my lip.

“It’s nothing. I’m just… tired. Life’s been keeping me busy. Lots of homework. Teachers. You know, school stuff.”

His voice sounded wry when he said, “So you, the brilliant academic prodigy, have been busy with schoolwork? Stop lying, Tiffany. I know it’s not homework that’s making you not talk to me.” The expression in his tone switched from dry to a softer, uncertain undertone. “Look, I’m sorry if you’re still mad about that other day… But I really think it’s better off like this. And we’re still friends, right?”

I knew how he expected me to reply. ‘Sure, of course. Best friends forever. No big deal.’ In contrast, my mind screamed otherwise. ‘No! All those times you told me you loved me. Told me I was important to you. That you’d never leave me. How could you possibly think that this is what’s better?’ My chest ached. I wanted to
shout. Punch something. Run away and only stop until I was out of reach of the past.

Slowly, I drew my knees up to my chest and wrapped my arms around them with clenched fists. I wouldn’t cry. Tears helped to ease the pain, but they also deepened the wound. So in a strangled whisper I gave the words that would make him feel better, even though each one was a sharp whiplash across my back.

“You’re right. Everything’s fine. It’d take even more than the world to stop us from being friends.” When he smiled, relieved, it was all I could do to return it with a painful grimace.

“I’m glad that’s sorted out, then. It just feels weird, not talking to you when I see you.” While I stared down at the grass poking around the sides of my shoes, he continued talking. “Really, though. It’s getting pretty annoying having everyone creating trash rumors about us.” Once more, his voice changed from sarcastic to concerned and now back again. “You should seriously start dating someone – hey, maybe Eugene! All the girls say he’s pretty hot, and that’d make people stop gossiping about you and me.”

The last bit he said kindled a fire of resentment in my mind, burning my frozen cheeks with humiliation and hurt. Right after leaving me, he was already telling me who I should go and chase? Did he really think I’d be able to let go so fast? Wordlessly, I unfolded myself and stood up. I set my face into what I hoped looked like a blank mask before thrusting my hands into my jacket pockets and setting off down the hill. As I strode off, I could hear the sounds of scrambling, then running feet follow behind. I’d made a major mistake by agreeing to come with him today. My feet worked themselves faster, until I was sprinting down the slope with my hair rushing behind me and the cold numbing every inch of exposed skin.

“Tiff! Wait, stop! I shouldn’t have said that! Please, just slow down and wait!”

Part of me fantasized that if I slackened my pace, let him catch up, he’d reach me with his arms open. He’d apologize, admit that all along it’d just been a dare from one of his pals and that he had never meant to leave.

We would be able to work it out.

The logical, reality side of my consciousness told me that the chances of such a miracle happening were one to a million.

I kept running.

To make it even more embarrassing, he was quicker than me. It was all rotten luck, that the person whom I cared the most about was the fastest runner in the school. Even before I made it to the bridge, he’d passed and turned around abruptly so that I almost collided with him. I could have bumped into his chest, but instead I dug my ankles into the ground and let myself crash down to my knees. The idea of any physical contact between us scared me now; they’d just become a part of the other collection of painful memories for me to dwell on.

All I could hear was the blood pulsing in my ears, and his slight panting through the grim night. A part of me seemed detached, when I heard myself speak dully, “I need to go now. I’ll call you… later.”

We both knew that ‘later’ would be ‘never’.


The author's comments:
This is probably how 50% of us feel after a breakup we didn't want, or didn't anticipate. Enjoy.

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This article has 12 comments.


on May. 17 2015 at 9:58 pm
monikitty12 PLATINUM, New York, New York
35 articles 0 photos 52 comments

Favorite Quote:
Don't cry because its over. Smile because it happened.

Like one of the other members had said, this one enticed me in from the first word to the last. You have talent! Keep it up! No wonder you got an editor's choice :) I can definately know what you're feeling. I've been in your shoes before

alikazamx GOLD said...
on Dec. 28 2010 at 9:35 pm
alikazamx GOLD, La Verne, California
15 articles 0 photos 8 comments

Favorite Quote:
Live. Laugh. Love.

Amazing piece. I could totally relate to this. Gorgeous piece; I loved it a lot.

Reigyn said...
on May. 29 2010 at 2:42 pm
Reigyn, Toronto, Other
0 articles 0 photos 27 comments

Favorite Quote:
&quot;Dance like no one is watching, love like you&#039;ll never be hurt,sing like no one is listening,and live like it&#039;s heaven on earth.&quot;- William Purkey<br /> As we struggle to make sense of things, life looks on in repose. ~Author Unknown

Oh my gosh! I loved it! You got me hooked from the first sentence. Absolutely wonderful!

on Oct. 2 2009 at 3:57 pm
kookyK96 BRONZE, Princeton, Illinois
4 articles 0 photos 6 comments

Favorite Quote:
&quot;You can&#039;t win a dumb off.&quot;

OMG i got the chills!!!! your sooo good

on Sep. 30 2009 at 2:19 pm
i really liked your story. it was very descrptive, and dre

on Sep. 29 2009 at 7:06 pm
i really like this story

it was really good and i saw the whole thing in my head like i was one of the people watching it when it was really happening

i like your description in this story especially when you said how you felt and how you described how he was the fastest person in your school and how you just fell to the floor... at first i thought that you were going to fall to the floor and cry but you didn't you sound like a very strong person

on Sep. 29 2009 at 5:57 pm
KiraKira PLATINUM, Cardiff By The Sea, California
35 articles 0 photos 217 comments

Favorite Quote:
Do not pity the dead, Harry. Pity the living, and above all, pity those who live without love -Albus Dumbledore

Beautiful...

on Sep. 28 2009 at 9:43 am
If the person I loved ever said something like that to me I would be so upset!! It does suck for her that he is the fastest in the school!

on Sep. 27 2009 at 10:58 pm
choirchic101 SILVER, Norwalk, California
9 articles 0 photos 196 comments

Favorite Quote:
in order for God to use all of you you have to be completely broken

it was really good. i liked the part where she wanted to shout or punch something. i pictured it in my head the whole time. it was like watching a show or something like that. you had great imagery throughout the whole thing. i really enoyed it. i would love to read some of your other work.

ps13795 SILVER said...
on Sep. 27 2009 at 7:07 am
ps13795 SILVER, Baguio, Other
9 articles 5 photos 43 comments
It's great! Keep it up! ^_^

on Sep. 26 2009 at 7:38 pm
NeverSayNever GOLD, Lumby, Other
12 articles 1 photo 34 comments
I really love this piece,

on Sep. 25 2009 at 1:40 pm
JenniferCaraOctobe, Bradenton, Florida
0 articles 0 photos 20 comments
WOA

Loved it! so awesome! ur such a good writer! i suc... and what I've submitted (not yet on the site) proves it... ur so talented, i wud totally read a book by u!