My phone rang, disrupting the relaxed atmosphere among my two friends and me as we shared a coffee.
I eyed my phone warily before picking it up.
"Don't tell me it's her again," Heidi's disapproving tone didn't escape me, and I felt both her and Marima staring at me intensely. "I knew it. After how long of absence this time? 3 months?"
I rolled my eyes as I opened the message, confirming it was indeed from her. At least it's just a month of absence, not three.
"How can you tell? It might be my new suitor," I lied, hoping they'd buy it this time.
"You can't lie to us, Charlotte," Marima countered playfully yet sternly. "We both know you're not entertaining anyone except that woman." Marima spat out the word 'woman' with evident disgust, and I couldn't blame her.
I avoided meeting their gaze as I stared at the single message on my phone.
"And the way your eyes light up even without you smiling, it's obvious," Heidi added. "Please, don't answer that text, Charlotte."
My fingers hovered over the screen, torn between replying and heeding my friends' advice.
"Don't even think about it, Char. You promised us you wouldn't engage with her anymore. Just... give yourself some respect," Marima pleaded, her expression filled with concern.
I dropped my phone on the table, sighing heavily.
"I won't reply," I said with resignation.
---
I drove through the city streets in silence, my mind focused on one goal: to get home as quickly as possible. Ignoring the bustling surroundings, I parked in my apartment's lot and hurriedly climbed the stairs when the elevator seemed too slow to arrive.
Fumbling with my keys at the door, frustration mounted as I struggled to find the right one. After three failed attempts, the lock finally turned, and I rushed inside. My phone nearly slipped from my purse as I retrieved it, narrowly catching it before it hit the ground.
In the living room, I sank into the soft cushions, my fingers trembling slightly as I hastily opened my messaging app. There, I found the previous message I had left on read, feeling conflicted.
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
As I hesitated over whether to reply, the voices of Marima and Heidi echoed in my mind, urging me to respect myself. After a silent battle, I set my phone down with a frustrated sigh, my hands instinctively finding my face in a mix of emotions.
Lying there on the couch, my mind churned in turmoil. "You can't keep doing this, Charlotte," I scolded myself internally. "It's been nearly a year. Haven't you learned your lesson?"
Suddenly, my phone rang, its loud sound breaking through the apartment's silence. Startled, I sat up and glanced at the caller ID-it was her.
