The Break Up Plan

44: WHITE NOISE

Dedicated to Habihindu

Around fifth period on Monday morning, I realize that the self-conflict I had, deciding whether or not to come to school was absolutely useless.

Cole Matthews avoids me like a plague.

My plan was simple, I had thrown a killer party over the weekend so all I had to do was come to school looking gorgeous and bask in the glory. I'm Isabella Paxton. I'm beautiful, smart, popular and everybody loves me.

Well, almost everybody.

The only time Cole and I are in the same vicinity longer than five seconds is in Chemistry class when we go to use the Bunsen burner and can't decide who should go first, so we just stand awkwardly till Charlotte Farrow edges her way around us to use it first.

Asides that, you'd think I don't exist.

I'm not going to bother lying. It hurts like a bitch.

I can't even properly process what's going on in my head, let alone feel any emotions about it. All I know is there's an ache in my chest that won't go away.

Cheer practice is the only time my mind isn't spinning and thinking about Cole, and that's because it's too busy trying to get my steps right and keep my kicks high.

"Alright girls, that's it for today."

And he's back.

Coach Manson asks me to wait behind to discuss a couple of things and from the corner of my eye, I see Megan and Ryan talking. So much for the breakup plan.

Those two only got closer.

Then again, I can't say my heart was in it the whole time.

"... I'll compile it and let you know, so you can pass it on to the girls."

I nod, "okay coach, enjoy the rest of your day."

Right then, a loud sob echoes through the almost empty gym and I turn just in time to see Megan run out.

"Woah, you should check on her" Coach Manson says.

I nod, already moving in the direction she ran in. I follow her to the empty locker rooms-most of the girls prefer to go home and soak in bubble baths rather than settle for the showers―and see her crouched down in front of her locker, sobbing.

"Megan?" I call out cautiously, sliding down next to her. "What's wrong?"

Now, Megan and I have never been close, and coupled with the fact that I've been trying to break her and Ryan up, you can imagine my surprise when she reaches out and hugs me, burying her head in my shoulder as her body shakes with sobs.

I gently pat her back, waiting for her to calm down. Eventually, she pulls away, sniffling and wiping her face. "Wanna talk about it?" I ask gently.

She sniffs, "I thought he liked me. I was so sure he was going to ask me to be his girlfriend, officially."

I hold my breath, "Ryan?"

She nods, "he said he thinks we should see other people and he's just not feeling it anymore" she breaks down into another round of sobs, hugging me again as she continues to sob out the rest of what happened.

My eyes are fixed on a butterfly sticker on Morgan Silver's locker but my mind is flying everywhere. The breakup plan worked. Ryan and Megan are over. Cole can finally get what he wants.

He can finally be happy.

***

How do you prepare to tell the boy you like, who rejected you, that the girl he likes is finally available for him to date even though the thought of it kills you?