Chapter 1: Heartbroken
I look over at the clock on my desk and notice that it’s already 5 o’clock. Wow the day has flown by! I’ve been running around on my feet for most of the day. I reach down and rub my heels, “stupid heels” I thought to myself. I’ve been working a few extra hours at the office as one of my coworkers Gwen is absent on maternity leave. I collect my things and start to walk to the elevator. I text my best friend Celene.
Me: Drinks tonight? :)
Celene: Sorry babe! I’m super packed at work and it doesn’t look like I’m going to be leaving anytime soon. Have a drink for me though! ;)
Me: I definitely will!!
I reach the busy street and flag down a cab. I ring my boyfriend Mark to see if he would like to join me for a drink. On the first ring he answers “ hey babe, how are you?”
“ I’m good baby I just finished work, I was going to go for drinks with Celene but she has to work. Are you up for a drink?”.
He pauses “ I’m sorry Rosie, I wish I could come but I think I’m coming down with the flu, I haven’t been to work today and I don’t want to push myself”.
I sigh “ Okay baby I hope you feel better soon , let me know if you need any okay?” “ I will babe, I think I just need rest, I love you!”, “I love you too”.
I feel bad that Mark is sick, I wonder if some chicken soup might help him. I ask the cab driver to take me to Chang’s kitchen, one of our favourite Chinese restaurants. With soup in hand I head over the Mark’s apartment. I think back to how we first met, the memories make me smile. Celene actually introduced us ,they went to the same college.
I still remember him asking me to dance at a charity gala, we danced all night long. The cab pulls up to Mark’s apartment complex, I quickly tidy some stray hairs that have stuck up at the top of my head.
I have light brown hair that reaches the middle of my spine and has a natural wave through it. I find by the end of day no matter how much product I put in it, it still ends up a bit fuzzy.
I walk up the 3 flights of stairs careful not to spill any of the hot soup. I lift my fist, ready to knock on Mark’s door when I hear Mark grunting and groaning. I think to myself that he must be having trouble breathing. I pull out a spare key to Mark’s apartment and I open the door.
The hot chicken soup splatters across the floor of the apartment. I feel my heartbeat in my ears and tears brim my eyes. I see Mark fucking Celene from behind on his dining room table.
“ Are you fucking serious!” I feel every fibre of my heart ripping. Mark looks in shock and starts to reach for me “ I’m so sorry Rosie, I’m sorry!” He tries to reach for me, I slap his hands away “ how could you, I thought you loved me!” I yell.
I look over at Celene and she has a smug look on her face “ how long has this been going on!” I scream, Celene answers this time “ it never stopped, we’ve been hooking up since college.” Celene chuckles lightly “ I’m surprised it took you this long to find out” I look over at Mark he has tears streaming down his face “ don’t ever try to contact me again, you can both go and fuck yourselves!”
I storm out of the apartment and slam the door on my way out. I hear Mark shout “ please don’t leave me!”. I run out onto the street and burst into tears once again. How could I have not seen this? And with my best friend! The two most important people in my life have just screwed me over. A cab pulls up and I give the driver my address.
Once inside my apartment I draw myself a warm bath and add some rose scented bath salts. I grab a bottle of wine from the kitchen, strip off and let the warm water embrace me. I keep running through my head what went wrong, how I didn’t see it.
Once my fingers were pruned I decide to hop out of the bath. I wrap myself up in a fluffy towel and head towards my bedroom. I stand in front of the mirror. Is there something wrong with me?
I have been told that I am beautiful inside and out, I don’t always think I’m that pretty. I have light hazel eyes that seem to have a mixture of every colour, my nose is small but slightly pointed, my lips are pink and pouty. I’m 5’9 with curves in the right places, well so I’ve been told. My breasts are a bit bigger than what I would like, filling a full D cup. This experience makes me doubt myself.
Trying not to think about the events that just happened I dress into my pyjamas and go to bed but sleep never comes.