The Heartbreak

Chapter 1

"It’s like, he doesn’t get it, you know?" Reina said while playing with her long bangs, trying to sweep them to the side, still not quite used to her relatively new haircut. "I’m not interested in spending the holidays with my mom in Arizona. My friends are here, but I guess he just wants to get rid of me during winter break."

She sighed quietly while glancing around the courtyard. She was not looking at anyone, but clearly avoiding looking at us in fear we could read too much into them. We did know her for the longest time, and had been there for her through the hardest parts of her life. That included the divorce of her parents, probably the last decision they had both agreed on. Since then, she had always felt trapped in the middle, forced to choose between one and the other.

Not with us, obviously. Never with us, because we were closer than sisters. We were best friends.

Being the strong one of of little group always drove her to wear a mask. She pretended she was not affected by the whole thing, but she barely dealt with it all. I never brought it up, but I did remember the way she cried when her mom remarried. I guess it's true what they say about divorce children: they do hope for their parents to get back together.

"Have you talked to your mom?" I asked, while my eyes followed her every move. She never really said much, but I had learned to read her over the years.

"And what, Joey? She’s the one who left!" Reina almost vibrated with fury for a few seconds before her gaze softened. Sighing, she mumbled an apology.

I always meant to be nice, to pay attention and be there for my friends. Some considered I was the mature one. Well, I sort of tried to be. My life seemed all worked out, with my parents perfectly happy together, my protective big brother and my good student profile. I never got in (much) trouble. In case of need, I was always there.

I admit I was almost… boring.

"Maybe you should just, you know, let them speak to each other. Or call your grandpa again," Skye added in a weak attempt to joke, barely lifting her gaze from her cellphone. She tapped on it quickly, with light and long fingers.

The three of us knew that, when it came to family, Reina only enjoyed spending time with her grandparents, particularly her grandfather. He had been the one who had taken her in when her parents split up, and helped her keep her sanity during the battle that came afterwards. But since his knee surgery, after a nasty fall, Reina had decided that she could not rely on him forever.

"Let’s not talk about this now, please. Just let’s plan something for today and make me forget about the crap my parents put me through."

I smiled and shook my head at Reina’s words. She was not a soft-spoken girl.

"Sure, that’s what friends are for."

Skye’s phone beeped one more time to signal a new message had arrived.

"You cannot even pay attention to us for two seconds, can you?"

“Sorry, Joey.” Skye turned her clear blue gaze and warm smile up and away from her phone. “It’s just Ollie has the weirdest teachers now, so he has to tell me all about it.”

Ollie was Skye’s boyfriend. He had graduated the year before and was in college now. To keep their relationship going, and go against what everyone had told them, they were in constant communication, afraid that the distance could drive them apart.

Reina rolled her eyes surreptitiously. She not only disliked Ollie, but she also thought they were destined for failure. It was obvious, at least for me, that Rei had a cynic view of love.

As I tried to control my amused smile and give a scolding look to Rei, I noticed the good humor in Skye’s face changing from the rosy cheeks and happy smile of a girl in love to show dread and look almost sick. For a moment I believed she had seen Reina’s reaction, and once again they would start an argument about how Reina had no right to say anything about Ollie, since she had never officially dated anyone.