Shattered Reflections

Chapter 19

March 9, 2024

8 March came and went, a day spent peacefully with her family. Fae enjoyed the break, feeling a brief respite from the turmoil of her emotions regarding Kai. But the following day, a storm was brewing.

That evening, Fae felt an unsettling knot in her stomach. Something was off. As she aimlessly scrolled through Instagram, she noticed that Kai had started following Nelly. Panic surged through her. Nelly, the girl who had recently broken up with her boyfriend, was now on Kai's radar.

Fae immediately texted Maddy, who was friends with Nelly. "Hey, do you know why Kai is following Nelly on Instagram?"

Maddy replied quickly. "I have no idea, Fae. I'll ask around."

Fifteen minutes later, Fae's phone rang. It was a call from Maddy, Nelly, and Nils. Fae hesitated for a moment, a sense of dread washing over her, before answering.

"Hey, what's up?" she greeted, trying to keep her voice steady.

Nelly's voice was the first she heard, trembling with regret. "Fae, I'm so sorry. Kai's been texting me... saying things. Dirty things. He's been flirting with me and saying awful stuff about you."

Fae's heart sank. "What are you talking about?" she whispered, not wanting to believe it.

"I'm really sorry, Fae. Here, I'll send you the screenshots," Nelly said.

Fae's phone buzzed as the screenshots came through. With shaking hands, she opened them. The words stared back at her, each one a dagger to her heart.

"Nelly. You're so much better than Fae.""I can't stop thinking about you.""Fae's so clingy, it's exhausting."

Fae's breath caught in her throat. Her vision blurred with tears as she read the messages again and again, each line cutting deeper. She felt like the ground had been pulled out from under her, leaving her in a free fall of pain and disbelief.

"No... this can't be real," Fae choked out, her voice breaking.

"It's real, Fae. I'm so sorry," Nelly said softly.

Fae's sobs came in waves, uncontrollable and heart-wrenching. The betrayal hit her like a physical blow, making her chest ache and her stomach churn. She dropped her phone, clutching her chest as if trying to hold herself together.

Maddy's voice came through the phone, filled with concern. "Fae, are you okay? Talk to us."

Fae couldn't respond. The pain was too overwhelming. It was as if every happy moment she had shared with Kai was now tainted, a lie. She had given him her heart, and he had shattered it without a second thought.

On the call with the girls, before she told them how she still loved him, Fae felt a storm of emotions she couldn't quite handle. Her voice wavered as she tried to keep herself composed, but the pain was too overwhelming. She had always been honest with her feelings, and this moment was no different, even if it hurt to admit.

"Nelly, I don't know what to say," Fae began, her voice cracking. "I still love him, you know? No matter what, I always will. No matter how much he hurts me."

The line was silent for a moment, the gravity of her words sinking in. Nelly, Maddy, and Nils listened, feeling her heartbreak through the phone.

Nelly spoke up, her voice soft and regretful. "Fae, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean for any of this to happen. I never wanted to hurt you."

Maddy chimed in, her tone filled with concern. "Fae, you deserve better than this. You deserve someone who treats you with the love and respect you give."

Nils added, trying to comfort her, "It's okay to feel hurt. It's okay to still love him. But you need to take care of yourself too."

Fae wiped her tears, nodding even though they couldn't see her. "I know. I just... I thought we had something real. I thought he felt the same way."

"We're here for you, Fae," Nils reassured her. "Whatever you need, we'll support you."

The love she had for Kai was still there, which was the worst part because she was scared, she wasn't scared of Kai, she was scared of the fact that no matter what he does she will always run back to him, forgive him, and worst of all still love him. She didn't know how to reconcile the two, how to move forward when her heart felt like it was in pieces.

Fae stayed on call with Maddy who was there to console her. The call ended, and Fae lay on her bed, sobbing into her pillow. Her body shook with the force of her cries, her heart feeling like it was being squeezed in a vice. The betrayal, the hurt, the humiliation—it was too much to bear.

Hours passed, but the pain didn't lessen. Every time she closed her eyes, she saw the messages, heard his words, and felt the betrayal anew. It was a night that would forever be etched into her memory, marking the beginning of two months of heartbreak and turmoil.

That night, as the clock ticked past 2 AM, Fae lay in bed, the remnants of her tears still staining her cheeks. She had barely slept, her mind too chaotic to find any peace. The events of the day replayed in her head, each painful memory a fresh wound.

Suddenly, her phone buzzed. A message from Kai. Her heart pounded as she opened it, dreading what she might read.

"Fae, I heard you've been spreading rumors about us being together. Is that true? Please don't do that. Please."

Fae's fingers trembled as she typed back, "I didn't spread any rumors, Kai. I don't know what you're talking about."

The response came almost immediately. "Nelly told me you said we were in a talking stage. I got mad, thinking you were spreading lies."

Fae's frustration and hurt bubbled to the surface. "I didn't say anything like that, Kai. She must have misunderstood or lied."

After a pause, Kai responded, "I'm sorry, Fae. Nelly was messing with me, and I messed up. I've been drunk for the past two days, and I blew up at you for no reason."

Fae stared at the screen, her emotions a whirlwind of anger, sadness, and betrayal. She typed back, "I get that you were drunk, but it still hurts, Kai. You believed her over me."

Kai replied, "I know. I'm really sorry. I didn't mean to hurt you."

Fae's response was brief and dry, "Okay."
She put her phone down, staring at the ceiling, feeling a mix of relief and pain. Kai's apology did 

little to soothe the hurt she felt. His actions had left a scar, one that wouldn't heal easily. 

Fae lay in bed, staring at the ceiling, her mind racing. She couldn't believe it. Had all of this meant nothing? Her thoughts swirled in a chaotic storm, each one more painful than the last. The trust she had placed in Kai now felt like a fragile, broken thing.

Every moment they had shared, every message, every smile, every touch – was it all a lie? Fae's heart ached, the pain radiating through her chest like a physical wound. She had believed in their connection, had cherished it, and now it felt like it was crumbling before her eyes.