Emotional Butterfly

t w e n t y s e v e n

Overcome -

I lay in bed that night, staring at the ceiling, which had apparently decided to become my personal therapist. It was like the universe was mocking me with its silent judgment. Skylar and Austin had been the highlight of my mental reruns, their laughter echoing like a broken record. I tried to focus on something else—like, I don’t know, the epic battle between me and my pillow—but nope, my brain was determined to play that same annoying track.

Seriously, why does jealousy feel like a toddler with a permanent marker? Every time I think I’ve managed to clean up the mess, it’s back with a fresh set of scribbles. I thought I was over the whole Kevin situation. But here I am, in a full-blown emotional gridlock. It’s like trying to navigate a maze in the dark, only the walls keep changing and there’s a constant soundtrack of my unresolved feelings playing in the background.

And Kevin—let’s talk about Kevin. It’s like trying to ignore the smell of cookies baking when you’re on a diet. He’s been dodging me like I’m a repellent stain, yet I’m still clinging to the crumbs of what we had. The universe has a sense of humor, I’ll give it that. And here I am, tangled up in this mess like a cat in a ball of yarn, trying to figure out if I’m supposed to be chasing Kevin’s ghost or just accept that I’m stuck in this emotional circus.

Austin’s trying to be the knight in shining armor, but instead of saving me, he’s getting tangled in my mess. I mean, who wants to be the sidekick in a drama that’s this melodramatic? I’m practically setting up a soap opera audition with every awkward moment.

So, here I am, lying in bed, starring in my own nightly rerun of “As The Drama Turns.” I’d love to get a grip on this mess, but right now, I’m just trying not to let my emotions pull me into the abyss of sleep-deprived insanity. Maybe tomorrow, I’ll have a better handle on things. Or maybe I’ll just end up binge-watching my own dramatic saga until the plot finally makes sense.

                        ✧(｡•̀ᴗ-)✧

The next morning, my thoughts felt like an uninvited guest, tagging along as I trudged to school. When I walked into Chemistry class, the sight of Austin already sitting at our usual spot was like a jolt to my system. My heart didn’t exactly skip a beat; it sort of stumbled over itself, like it was trying to play hopscotch on a tightrope. I plastered on a smile that probably looked more like a grimace and slid into the seat next to him. My smile probably looked like a grimace, but hey, at least I didn’t trip over my own emotions.

Austin’s warm smile greeted me. “Hey, Butterfly. You look like you’re carrying the weight of the world.”

I managed a strained smile in return. “Yeah, just a lot on my mind.”

His brow furrowed in that concerned way that made me want to either spill all my problems or run away screaming. “If you need to talk or hang out after school, I’m around.”

I shook my head, my voice trembling slightly despite my best efforts. “I appreciate it, Austin, but I think I need some space right now.” My attempt to sound composed probably came out as a quivering mess.

He nodded, though his disappointment was almost tangible. “Alright. Just remember, I’m here if you change your mind.”

I could practically see the little pieces of his heart breaking off as he tried to keep his cool. It was like watching someone painstakingly try to maintain their poker face while getting hit with a pie. I hated that I was putting him through this, but I was equally frustrated with myself.

The classroom door swung open, and I felt a shiver of dread as our teacher stepped in with news that made my stomach drop. “Due to Mr. Queen being out for the next month, we’ll be integrating his Chemistry students into our class.”