Page 2 of Broken Heart

Dear Skye,

I had intended to do this tonight over dinner, but I’ve changed my mind for your sake. I know you don’t like unpredictability or social situations that can turn awkward, so I figured this would be better.

I need to end things between us. It’s no longer working out for me, because I’ve fallen for someone else.

It’s Maria.

We’ve been seeing one another for three months now, and I’m desperately in love with her. She’s exciting and fun. She likes to go out and have a good time. She looks after me in ways you’ve been unwilling or unable to.

And so, I need to end things with you to explore this with her. I can’t continue to string you along or have nights I spend with you when I’d rather be with her.

She deserves to have my full focus, and I want to give that to her.

You’ll be better off this way, anyway. At least you’ll be able to find someone who feels for you what I feel for her.

Although we don’t expect it to happen overnight, Maria and I both hope you’ll be able to find a way to move past this eventually, so we can all be friends again. She’s devastated over what this might do to your friendship. I’ve been trying to reassure her about the kind of woman you are. I know that even if you can’t forgive me for this, you’ll eventually find a way to forgive her. She’s been in your life for so long; she’s all you have. And if you feel you can handle it, I’d still like to be here for you as a friend.

To save you the hassle or awkwardness of needing to come here to pick up your things, I’m boxing them up and sending them to your place. If you decide you want to stop by to grab them, just give me a call.

Wishing you all the best.

-Simon

I felt numb.

Sick.

Horrified.

I was completely blindsided by Simon’s email, by this awful news. He’d sent me an email to break up with me and claimed he was doing it for my sake.

He was nothing but a coward.

A coward, a liar, and a cheat.

My best friend.

My boyfriend had cheated on me with my best friend. The same best friend who’d seen me nearly every day for the last three months while it was going on and hadn’t once had the courage or decency to tell me the truth.

I wasn’t a woman who made rash decisions. I typically took my time to think about things, about how I’d react or respond in certain situations.

That was unnecessary in this instance.

Because I was done.

Done with him. Done with her. Done with it all.

I’d live my days doing what I had to do to survive and keep myself happy. It would suck to not have anyone to confide in or spend any of my days with, but at least it was safe. At least I couldn’t have my heart broken.

1

SKYE

FIVE MONTHS LATER

I was tired.

I’d never felt exhaustion like this in my life.