Page 35 of Isabella

As soon as I take a seat on the cream-colored couch in the privacy of Liana’s office with my two best friends, the tears spring from my eyes, silently seeping down the sides of my face.

“I-I can’t do this, you guys.”

“Tell us what happened, Izzy,” Liana says as she takes a seat on one side of me while Lux takes a seat on the other.

Sinking back into the couch, I bring my hands up to my eyes, dabbing away the tears with my fingers. Liana leans over and grabs the box of tissues off the side table next to her and hands it to me. I take a few deep breaths, using a tissue to dry up my eyes as best I can.

“I just can’t do it. I can’t let him come back into my life and explain his way out of the hell he put me through. I don’t want to give him that chance. It’s not fair to me.”

Lux rubs my back while Liana speaks. “You absolutely do not have to let him back into your life, Izzy, but look at you. Look at the effect this man still has on you. He broke up with you for a shitty ass reason that never made sense to you. Maybe what you need is closure. To help you move on from him. Finally let the ink dry and close that chapter for good.”

I contemplate Liana’s words, and it doesn’t bypass me that Lux said similar ones last week. “You know that’s easier said than done,” I whisper. “I’m still angry, Liana. And I’m not sure I’ll ever be able to move on.”

* * *

SOPHOMORE YEAR AT CENTENNIAL UNIVERSITY

It’s been a few weeks since Nicco broke up with me.

A few weeks since I last spoke to him.

My heart aches every single day, knowing the man I love has turned so cold and calloused. Knowing what I thought was special was only a way for him to pass time until his dad found someone better.

That feeling of not being good enough and being made a fool of has burrowed itself so deep in my stomach that I haven’t even been able to eat much. I haven’t been able to sleep.

Why am I so damn pathetic?

How could I let this man who couldn’t care less about me have such an effect on me. On my health. I haven’t even been going to my classes. How much more pitiful can I get?

I miss him.

I miss him so much.

And I hate that I do.

As I lie on my bed, a cramp pierces through my stomach, causing me to curl up into a tight ball. The pain is strong, and just when I think it’s gone away, another one comes, but this time much worse, making me sick to my stomach.

I whimper and grab my phone to check when the last time I had my period was. Getting my period now would be the icing on the cake, but I’ve been so distracted that I hadn’t realized it was that time of the month for me.

Before I can pull up my health app, another sharp pain slices through my stomach, like a knife is being taken to my uterus. Rolling out of bed, I stumble my way to my en suite bathroom, then feel the gush of blood, letting me know my period has arrived.

It’s never been like this before. I’ve experienced cramps, but they’ve never been painful like this.

I strip my clothes off and hop into the shower. By the time I get out, the cramps have gotten so bad I make my way back into bed on wobbly legs. I cry out again as the pain consumes me.

A knock comes through my door. “Izzy?”

“Yeah?” I moan out.

Liana cracks my door and pokes her head in. Her eyes widen as she takes me in. Pushing the door wide open, she rushes to my bed. “Oh my gosh. I heard you cry out. Are you okay?” she asks while scanning me from head to toe.

“Yeah, I’m fine,” I breathe out. “I just have really bad cramps.”

“Cramps? You’ve never had cramps like this before. You’re one of the only people I know that barely gets any symptoms when you get your period.”

“I know, but I—ouch—think all the stress has led to a pretty shitty period this time around.”

“Wait a second. Our periods are synced. I just had my period two weeks ago. Did you not have yours then?”

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