Her Love Is Traumatic

Life is unpredictable

The next morning, Christine dragged herself to college, her heart weighed down with the news of Lara's illness. Every step felt heavier than the last, her mind wandering back to the heartbreaking conversation with her best friend. The bustling campus around her seemed to fade into the background as she replayed Lara's words in her head: six months. How could something so final, so devastating, happen to someone she loved so much?

She barely noticed Robert waving to her as she approached their usual lunch spot. He had already set up their food, sitting down and watching her with curious eyes.

"Hey, you okay?" he asked, his voice gentle, aware of her distant mood. Christine gave him a small, forced smile, hoping it would be enough to convince him she was fine.

"I'm good," she replied, her voice barely above a whisper as she sank into her seat.

Robert wasn't convinced, but he let it slide for the moment. Instead, he attempted to lighten the mood, cracking a few of his usual jokes, hoping to draw a laugh from her. Yet, Christine remained quiet, her fork pushing food around on her plate but not lifting any to her mouth.

After a few failed attempts at humor, Robert's concern grew deeper. "Come on, Christine, what’s going on? You’re clearly not yourself."

She sighed heavily, her mind still full of Lara's condition, but before she could respond, Robert’s phone rang.

"It's Nicole," he said apologetically as he glanced at the screen.

Christine’s lips curled into a smile at the mention of Nicole. She was Robert’s secret girlfriend, a model, and someone who had captured his heart completely. The two had kept their relationship under wraps for the sake of avoiding public scrutiny, but Christine knew all about it. They both found it amusing when rumors about Christine and Robert circulated around the university, but they never bothered to correct anyone. It was easier, and honestly, it gave them something to laugh about when they hung out.

“Go ahead, talk to her,” Christine encouraged, motioning for Robert to take the call.

He smiled gratefully and walked a few steps away, speaking in hushed tones. Christine, for the first time that day, felt a small warmth in her chest as she watched him. Robert had always been there for her, and his love for Nicole only made Christine feel more at ease. She knew she wasn’t truly alone, even though her heart ached for Lara.

When Robert returned, his face was apologetic. “I’ve got to go. Nicole’s waiting for me, and we have plans this afternoon.”

Christine nodded, understanding completely. “Of course, no worries. I’ll see you tomorrow, then?”

“Yeah,” Robert gave her a quick hug before leaving. “Take care of yourself, alright? You don’t seem okay. I’m here if you need to talk.”

As he walked away, Christine sat back down at the table, the sudden emptiness around her swallowing her whole. Without Robert’s comforting presence, her thoughts immediately returned to Lara. She pulled out her phone, opening their last conversation. She couldn’t stop thinking about how fragile Lara had sounded, how much pain was buried under her words. Without hesitation, she began typing.

"Hey, Lara. How are you feeling today?"

Lara’s response came quicker than expected.

"I’m doing okay. Better, I guess. What about you?"

Christine felt a small sense of relief that Lara’s mood seemed to have improved, but she knew better than to take it at face value. Her fingers hovered over the keyboard for a moment before she began typing again, choosing her words carefully.