Broken then Healed (REWRITTEN)

CHAPTER 1

Step Up or Step Back

"Shut up, Tris. Let me look at him for just one second without you talking, okay?" I rolled my eyes at my best friend, Trisha. I love her, but sometimes she really doesn't know when to stop.

I mean, I guess I can understand. She's seen me do this countless times—stare at Chris from across the hallway like some lovesick teenager.

"Just man up and do it already!" she whispered harshly at me.

"I can't just 'man up' and confess that I have a crush on him! Especially not in front of his friends!" I protested, my heart racing at the mere thought.

Trisha gave me the look, the one that told me she was fed up with my excuses.

"W-what if he doesn't even like me, Tris? That would be humiliating. I'd never live it down!" I stammered, trying to make her see my point.

She sighed dramatically, crossing her arms. "How many times do I have to tell you? You won't know what happens until you try. Just go for it." She gave me an encouraging smile, but I wasn't convinced.

"It's not that simple, Tris. I-I just can't." I shook my head, still glancing nervously at Chris, who was laughing with his friends near his locker.

"Fine," she said with an exaggerated eye roll. "But don't come crying to me when he's taken, and you've missed your chance." With that, she turned to walk away.

Her words hit me hard. Ugh, I hate that she's always right. Why is she always right?

"Wait!" I called after her.

She turned around, a triumphant smile spreading across her face. "Let me help you, Jane. Trust me, okay?"

"Um...okay," I mumbled, not fully convinced but knowing I had no other option.

"Stop overthinking everything. From now on, you're following my plan," she smirked, clearly proud of herself. "Come on, let's get to class."

I nodded, feeling a pit of anxiety settle in my stomach as we headed toward history. Something about this didn't feel right. Why did I have the sinking feeling that whatever was coming wasn't going to end well?

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Later that evening, I found myself at Trisha's house, sitting on her hot pink couch while she lounged beside me, scrolling through her phone.

"So, I was thinking we could order Japanese for dinner," she said casually, as if this was any other night.

"Why am I here again?" I asked, sinking into the cushions.

"Because, my dear friend, you need help getting noticed by your ultimate crush." She glanced at me, sizing me up and down.

"Hey, what's wrong with the way I am?" I nudged her, feeling a little offended.

Trisha raised an eyebrow, unimpressed. "Are you serious? Look at your outfits, Jane. No wonder he doesn't notice you."

Her words stung more than I wanted to admit. I tried not to let them get to me, but they did. She saw the look on my face and quickly backtracked.

"Okay, okay, I'm sorry. I didn't mean it like that. I just...want to help."

I sighed, unsure if I should feel grateful or insulted. "Sure. Whatever."

Trisha beamed, picking up her phone again. "So, are we good with Japanese for dinner?"

"Yeah, sure," I muttered, not really caring. What was I even doing here?

After she ordered, Trisha turned to me, her eyes gleaming with excitement. "Alright, Jane. Tonight, we're going to come up with a plan to get you noticed by Chris Russell."

I raised an eyebrow. "And how exactly are we going to do that?"

She laughed, shaking her head. "Not we. You. You're the one with the crush, remember? I'm just here to tutor you through it all."

"O-okay. If you say so..." I replied nervously.

"Relax!" she said, grinning. "This is a big deal, Jane. You should be happy you're finally going to talk to Chris! Look alive, Sunshine!"

I groaned internally. Sure, I'd been dreaming about talking to Chris for years. But now that it was actually a possibility, I was petrified. What if I stutter? What if I make a fool of myself? What if he...doesn't like me back?

The doorbell rang, signaling the arrival of our dinner. We ate in mostly silence while Trisha worked out a game plan for me. According to her, my first mission was simple: say "Hi" to Chris Russell tomorrow.

Easy enough, right?

Dear God, help me.

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After what felt like an eternity of Trisha's tips and pep talks, she finally drove me home. The house was dark, meaning my parents were working late again. I found a note waiting for me on the coffee table:

Jane honey,
Your father and I have double shifts tonight. We'll be back in the afternoon. There's a pineapple pie in the fridge—heat it up and make sure you finish it. Love,
Mum.

"Okay," I muttered, rolling my eyes at the reminder about the pie. Typical Mum.

After taking a shower, I collapsed onto my bed, my mind racing. Tomorrow, I was going to talk to Chris Russell. It felt surreal. What if I said something dumb? What if he didn't like me? What if—

"Stop overthinking!" I scolded myself.

Trisha was right. I'd been in denial long enough. It was time to step up and take a chance.

But as I drifted off to sleep, one nagging thought lingered in the back of my mind:

What if everything goes wrong?

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