Allison
As I walked into the room, I noticed my roommate Nina sitting by the door with a smile on her face as she texted someone.
“Who are you talking to?” I asked, smiling, curiosity getting the better of me. “One of your boyfriends, right?”
Nina looked up, a hint of annoyance in her eyes. “Mind your business.”
“I didn’t mean it like that,” I said, holding my hands in my defense.
She repeated, “Mind your business.”
I felt a pang of guilt, wondering if Nina was still upset about the previous night’s events at the club. I looked at her with concern etched on the features on my face. “Are you still mad at me?”
She frowned, her expression softening. “No, I’m not. I told you before, it’s fine.”
But I wasn’t convinced. “You are mad at me, obviously. I mean, look at you. Nina, I’m sorry for what I did. I’m really sorry, really.”
But instead, she was quiet, and I could feel guilt eating up my darn conscience. Was she going to remain this way, mad at me forever? I know that it was my fault, but still, I deserve a chance.
“How can I make it up to you?” I sighed loudly, my hand raking through my long, silk hair. “I told you I’m sorry.”
Feeling the pang of guilt and regret heat up, my eyes began welling up with tears.
“I thought we were friends, Nina!” I cried out. “So stop ignoring me already.”
“I really thought we were friends too, Allison,” she said, my voice cracking as she turned to face me. “But ever since I found out that you’re not wearing the necklace I gave you anymore, I thought maybe everything between us was all a sham. It was all fake.”
The weight of the truth threatened to suffocate me. How could I confess to Nina that the necklace she gave me was broken? That it was Jayden’s jealousy that destroyed it? Telling her the truth would mean revealing my complicated history with Jayden, and I couldn’t bring myself to do that. Not when Nina had been so kind to me lately, and I was starting to develop feelings for her. I felt trapped, desperate to find a way to appease her without revealing the painful truth.
Nina’s eyes narrowed at me, continuing her words, her expression a mix of hurt and anger. “You lost it, didn’t you?” she accused, her voice rising. “You never wanted me to be your friend because you didn’t like me. I guess I was stupid for trying.”
I felt a surge of desperation, my hands shaking as I reached out to Nina. “Stop it, Nina! Please, just listen to me. I promise you, it was never supposed to be this way. I’m really sorry for everything.”
At that moment, tears streamed down my face, my heart heavy with sorrow and regret. I had never meant to hurt Nina, and I couldn’t bear the thought of losing our friendship.
Nina’s words cut deep, her voice cold and unforgiving. “Your little tears won’t make me rethink that you’re a good friend,” she spat, before turning on her heel and leaving the room. The door slammed shut behind her, leaving me feeling shattered and alone.
Tears streamed down my face as I sobbed uncontrollably, my heart heavy with sorrow and regret. I felt like I’d lost my best friend, and the pain was almost too much to bear.
I stumbled over to my dresser, opening the drawer to reveal the broken necklace staring back at me. The memories of that fateful night came flooding back – Jayden’s careless actions, the necklace shattered beyond repair. And now, to make matters worse, Nina thought I’d intentionally thrown away her gift.
I was beginning to hate Jayden again!
Just as I was lost in thought, a knock at the door broke the silence. I knew it couldn’t be Nina – she wouldn’t knock on her own door. I quickly wiped away my tears and stood up, smoothing out my clothes before opening the door to reveal my sister Sally standing in the hallway, a look of concern etched on her face.
Sally’s unexpected visit caught me off guard. “What are you doing here, Sally?” I asked, trying to compose myself.
She replied, signing, “I told you before, I wanted to talk to you. I didn’t want to hide.” She knocked gently on the doorframe before entering.
As she approached, I couldn’t help but feel a bit self-conscious about my tear-stained face. Sally’s eyes narrowed, concern etched on her features. “Why are your eyes red? Were you crying?”
I quickly denied it, trying to brush off the evidence. “No, I wasn’t.” Then, I turned the tables on her. “By the way, why did you knock? You’re my sister; you should have just come in.”
Sally’s expression turned cautious. “I just wanted to be polite, I guess. You never know… what if you were with Jayden?” Her hand gestures trailed off, hinting at unspoken suspicions.
“Sally!” I groaned, feeling a surge of frustration. “I told you before, Jayden and I weren’t doing anything!”
But Sally’s skeptical gaze made me wonder if she believed me at all. The atmosphere in the room grew tense. She sighed, her shoulders sagging.
“By the way, why are you here?” I asked, my voice flat.
Sally raised an eyebrow and gave a sign in a fluid motion. “I wanted to talk to you about something,” she signed.
I sighed deeply and nodded my head. “Yeah… I know. What’s that, Sally?”
She frowned at me. “Why do you sound so flat and serious? Look at your face – you look like someone who doesn’t even want to hear me out.”
But I’d lost my appetite for conversation. “Never mind, Sally. You don’t seem like you’re in the mood to talk anyway.”
Sally’s expression darkened, her eyes flashing with anger. She stood up abruptly. “Don’t bother, then. We’ll talk later.”
I nodded, feeling a mix of relief and guilt. “Later, then.”
She turned to leave, her hands barely signing. “Yes, later.”
Then, I went to lay down on the bed and I couldn’t shake off the frustration and confusion of the day. I roughed my hair, feeling exasperated. “What’s wrong with everybody, anyway?” I muttered to myself.
Just as I closed my eyes, a sweet dream enveloped me. In the dream, Jayden and I were in the kitchen, and I was against the counter while he was in front of me, with our eyes locked in a loving gaze. We shared a deep, passionate kiss as pancakes heated on the stovetop.
“I love you so much,” he whispered against my ear, his voice like butter and honey. “I never want to leave you.”
I felt my heart soar, my soul entwined with his. The dream was so vivid, so real, that I wished it wouldn’t end. But, as with all dreams, I woke up to reality.
Disappointment washed over me as I realized it was just a dream. I wished everything was real the love, the passion, the happiness. I checked my phone, only to remember that I had deactivated my Instagram account in a fit of anger.
I sighed deeply, regretting my impulsive decision. “Oh my goodness, why did I do that?” I thought to myself.
Another knock at the door broke the silence, and I groaned inwardly, wondering who it could be this time. I reluctantly got up and opened the door, surprised to find Jayden standing there. The darkness outside told me that night had fallen, and I hadn’t even noticed.
“What are you doing here?” I asked, trying to hide my annoyance.
But instead of answering, Jayden took deep, ragged breaths, his words slurring together. I repeated my question, alarm creeping into my voice. “What are you doing here? I thought we… Wait, are you drunk?”
The heavy scent of alcohol hit me like a punch, and I took a step back as Jayden stumbled closer. He wrapped his arms around me, pulling me into a tight embrace.
“Let go of me!” I demanded, trying to push him away.
But he held firm, his breath hot against my ear. “I love you, I love you so much,” he whispered.
I struggled to free myself, confusion and fear swirling inside me. “What are you talking about?”
“I love you so much… Bunny?” he said, slurring.
“Bunny?” I asked, my voice shaking.
And then it hit me – who was Bunny? Certainly not me.