estella thought she had the perfect life, the perfect friends and the perfect boyfriend that was from a fairy tale movie who she thought she would married and live happily ever after. unfortunately on prom night her fantasies was crushed by a sudd...
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estella sat on the worn, plush carpet of madi's room, a half-empty glass of water clutched in her hand. the remnants of the party — spilled drinks, scattered snacks, and the echo of laughter — felt like a physical weight on her chest.
the music, once a vibrant backdrop to the evening, now seemed to mock her with its carefree, upbeat melody. across from her, madi and alahna sat huddled, their concerned eyes following estella's every movement.
the air hung heavy with unspoken words, the elephant in the room occupying the space between them: matt. estella's ex-boyfriend, matt, had been the reason for the party, the reason she had braced herself for a night of forced smiles and awkward encounters.
but nothing could have prepared her for the image that had seared itself into her memory: matt, deeply entangled in a kiss with another girl, his laughter echoing in the dimly lit room.
'i..i don't understand,' she finally whispered, her voice choked with emotion. 'he...he looked so happy.'
madi's hand squeezed estella's, her empathy radiating warmth. 'he's probably just trying to move on,' she said, her voice soft. 'doesn't mean it hurts any less.'
alahna nodded, her gaze meeting estella's. 'it's okay to be hurt, estella. you deserve to feel all the emotions.'
estella, however, felt nothing but a dull ache in her chest, a feeling of betrayal that she couldn't articulate. matt had promised her forever. matt had made her believe that they were something special.
and now, here she was, witnessing him throw that promise to the wind with a simple, stolen kiss. 'i don't get it,' she repeated, her voice cracking. 'how can he just...move on like that?'
'he's not moving on,' alahna countered gently. 'he's just trying to distract himself. that's what we all do when we're hurting.'
the thought resonated with estella. perhaps matt wasn't as happy as he appeared. perhaps he was just as torn and lost as she was. but the thought only served to fuel the fire of her anger, the betrayal stinging deeper than ever.
'it's just so unfair,' she mumbled, burying her face in her hands.
madi pulled her into a hug, her warmth radiating through estella's body. 'it is,' she agreed. 'but you know what? you are strong. you are worthy of love. and you will move on, too. you will find someone who truly deserves you.'
estella slowly pulled away from the hug, a glimmer of hope flickering in her eyes. the sting of the stolen kiss still lingered, but so did the comfort of her friends.
the ache in her chest didn't disappear, but it was now accompanied by a quiet determination to heal, to grow, and to find her own happiness. the long, arduous journey towards healing had just begun, but with her friends by her side, estella knew that she wasn't alone.
