Superposition

Chapter XI

Marie

Hugo and I have officially been broken up for just over a month now - and the heaviness in my chest is still as prevalent as ever. Lewis told me that time heals, but how much? How much time has to pass for this ache to disappear? What if it never does?

The rain beats down on me as I walk through the village, on my way back to school. Lately, I've spent as little time on school grounds as I possibly can - anything to avoid Hugo. So, pretty much everyday after lesson, I've been going shopping for stuff I don't really like or need. Some days, I won't even shop, I'll just people watch in the cafe. It's become one of my favourite past times - trying to figure out stranger's stories. It amazes me that every one I see has their own life, their own problems, thoughts, feelings. They may even be going through a breakup like me, but I'll never know.

The rain doesn't seem to be stopping, so I slip into the cafe to dry off. The lighting is ambient and warm and the atmosphere cosy. Exhausted, I slump down into a chair adjacent to the window and watch passersby.

'Marie?' A familiar voice says from behind me. I turn around and see Elizabeth standing there, smiling at me. She looks perfect and I hate it. Somehow, in the pouring rain, her hair is one hundred percent dry and her makeup is flawless. She looks like my best friend. But she's not anymore, through no fault of my own.

I look up at her blankly, confused as to why she's even talking to me.

'I just wanted to thank you,' She says hesitantly.

'Thank me?' I splutter, taken aback.

'I wanted to thank you for removing yourself from Hugo's life, because he never would've done it himself,' She tells me.

I stare at her, puzzled, 'I don't quite follow.'

'Hugo finally committed himself to me, once he realised you were never coming back.'

Committed himself to me. Is she saying what I think she's saying?

'And you're thanking me? Why?' I ask, trying to sound as unbothered as possible.

'Because now I'm in a relationship with the love of my life, aren't you glad?' She beams, sitting down on the chair across from me.

'You're unbelievable,' I scoff.

'I just wanted to let you know before anyone else did, I'm not the enemy here, Marie,' She says patronisingly.

'You fucked your best friend's boyfriend and are now in a relationship with said boyfriend. In what world does that make you the good guy?' I can feel rage building up inside me. How can she sit here and act like she hasn't done anything wrong? Like I'm the one being unreasonable?

'I can see you're not over it, and that's okay. These things take time. I understand.'

I look at her stupid, happy face blankly. I debate pinching myself to check that I'm not dreaming. This is so nonsensical it can't be real. Why would she do this? Why would she pick a boy over her best friend of nearly five years? It makes me wonder if I ever knew her at all. If we were just friends out of convenience, because we go to the same school. Am I going crazy or is she totally and utterly in the wrong here?

That was my boyfriend. Yes, he had a wandering eye occasionally. But that doesn't give her the right to take advantage of that. He was my boyfriend who I love. And she was my best friend. Now they're together? The thing that hurts the most about all of this: neither of them ever said sorry. They offered excuses and begged me to forgive them, tried to tell me it was a mistake but never uttered the word sorry. How can I forgive them if I never got an apology?