Change of Heart

Chapter 33

Erica

 

When I start having angina, or chest pains, I’ve been taught by my previous doctor, Dr. Salazar some breathing and coping mechanisms to soothe the pain. They don’t work 100% all the time. Such as this case, it’s not working well. But I don’t think that the exercises that Dr. Salazar taught would work on this one. There’s a huge difference between a chest pain or a heartache and this what they call ‘heartbreak’. You think a medical condition is far worse, well, maybe at some point or in a split of a second when it feels like your heart is being squeezed out of your chest, but when that round ends, it feels a little better. As for heartbreaks, it feels as though it gets worse every minute. And when you’ve finally convinced yourself you’re okay, the aftermath of it is a deep sense of numbness.

When I arrived at the house, I plastered on an ‘okay’ face. I pretty much got used to how to portray the expression ever since I was diagnosed. There was only one person who could see through my act and that was Kat.

I was going to carry on my façade until I reach my room when Kat greeted me by the door.

Enthusiastic as ever, she jumped to hug me and she suddenly paused when she read my face. “What’s wrong?”

I couldn’t lie to my best friend, so I told her what happened starting from how my morning went to what I discovered after lunch.

Her eyebrows met midway in my story and she furrowed them deeper when I got to the part about Seth.

“That doesn’t make sense.” She said. “Seth wouldn’t do that. I know he wouldn’t. I think the guy wouldn’t even hurt a fly.”

“But he did.” I said despondently.

Kat shook her head. “I can’t believe it.”

“Neither did I.”

“He must’ve had a good reason.”

“A pretty selfish one, actually.” I said sadly.

“But if Seth set you up, then Tristan is innocent. So, have you spoken with him?”

I shook my head while I slumped. “We didn’t see each other again after that, but really, I don’t know what to say to him. I can’t even bring myself to face him.”

Kat tilted her head as she scanned the gloomy expression on my face. “Why? Are you still mad at him? But he did nothing wrong, right?”

“It’s not that. It’s just that after I saw him with that girl, my heart just—I don’t know. I just hate to be reminded of what happened. Whether he was being set up or not, I still saw him kiss her.”

“Maybe he thought that was you!”

I held up my hand at Kat, so she was able to control her emotions. Kat still had that deep frown on her face as she leaned on the wall. “What are you going to do about tomorrow? It’s their game remember?”