I loved you

before I even knew

what love was like.

Liora

"Did you not hear me? We are over," he repeats, his voice cold, unforgiving yet as seductive as ever.

My eyes widen as the words hit me like a ton of bricks, each letter a shard of ice piercing through my heart. "O-v-e-r." He spells it out for me, enunciating each letter as if I hadn't understood it the first time.

I stare at my heavenly boyfriend- correction- ex boyfriend- his gorgeous yellow locks of hair falling into his  eyes. A look of annoyance fills his face,  and out of habit, I reach out to brush them away. Looking even more annoyed than before, he grabs my hand and yanks it away.

"Are you really deaf, or just pretending to be? Fuck off, Loria Syliar I am not into you anymore. Actually," he scoffs, "I never was to begin with. Your cheap, clingy nature made me frustrated, and out of great annoyance I decided to tag along. Your weird sense of dressing and
outdated ways of expressing love are not suitable for someone nearly god-like, like me. You are not meant for love."

You believe me like a god
I'll betray you like a man

He completes in one breath, and for the first time in so many years, hurt is visible in my eyes—an emotion I had buried deep in my heart an eternity ago. Daxtor's eyes travel to the other side of the canteen, and I wonder what curls his lips into a smile. I turn around, noticing Ada, all dolled up in her pink dress. Now I get it. That bitch stole him from me. Daxtor is about to leave, but before he does, he shoots me a glare. "Don't you dare approach me again."

I hear murmurs— They are all gossiping about us. About me. Daxtor walks up to Ada and pinches her nose. She blushes and looks down while he grasps her jaw and pulls her into a hungry kiss. The thought of Daxtor's tongue exploring someone else's sends a shiver down my spine, and I grab my jacket with a bang, grabbing everyone's attention.

"Daxtor, you will certainly come back crawling. Mark my words." My bold voice booms across the canteen, and everyone falls silent. Daxtor rolls his eyes as I swing my jacket over my shoulder and leave the canteen with my famous walk.

***

The sun is setting, casting long shadows across the school grounds. The evening air is cool and crisp, a stark contrast to the storm of emotions raging inside me. I walk slowly, the weight of my heartbreak pressing down on me with each step. Daxtor is all I can think about.

He has been my childhood crush, the boy I've secretly admired from afar ever since we were kids. Every memory I have of him is etched vividly in my mind. I remember how his chrome yellow wavy hair turned lemon yellow and curly as puberty hit him. During high school, he started wearing contact lenses, and I can still hear the squeals and giggles of girls whenever he walked by. Those were the good old days when I was his girlfriend. He would peck my cheek, even if everyone was watching, and I would blush with joy. The warmth of his touch, the way his lips would brush against my skin, felt like little promises of forever.

Now, those memories feel like distant dreams, tainted by the harsh reality of my broken heart. The echo of laughter and the thrill of being his now serve as painful reminders of what I’ve lost.

I reach the park near the school, our usual hangout, a place Daxtor despised.
I pull my knees up to my chest, hugging them tightly, trying to hold myself together. The facade I wear as the bad girl at school—tough, unbreakable—cracks and crumbles. Tears stream down my face, each one a testament to the pain I can no longer hide. My heart aches with a raw, searing pain that feels as if it will never heal.

My phone buzzes incessantly in my pocket, the noise grating against my already frayed nerves. I snatch it out and glance at the screen—calls from my mother. Anger and frustration bubble up inside me. With a sob, I shut the phone off and throw it to the ground, the silence that follows almost deafening.

***

Fuck. I feel so high without drinking. I think, my mind swirling in a haze. I almost stumble as I walk toward my house. My hands trail to my pants, and I pull out the house keys. They slip from my grasp, hitting the ground with a clink, and I let out a painful chuckle. Ah, you are as low as me, aren't you, little key? I bend to pick it up, laughing hysterically.

The door opens, and I crash against the threshold, my body collapsing under the weight of my sorrow. It's really late, and the house is silent—everyone is sleeping. Somehow, I manage to climb the stairs without making any noise, each step feeling like a monumental effort. I notice Evelyn's room; her door is slightly ajar, a sliver of light spilling out. She must be writing as usual.

I almost trip again as I finally reach my room. I was too sad to notice that the door was already slightly open. A yawn escapes my lips as I push the door wider. Something hits my legs—suitcases or something—and I nearly fall onto the bed. Exhaustion overtakes me, and I fall asleep almost immediately, the day’s heartbreak heavy on my mind.

***

My head still feels heavy. My right shoulder aches under some weight. It definitely isn't sorrow this time. I feel something—rather, someone—snuggling against me. The fuck? My eyes jolt open, meeting the black ones of a not-so-bad-looking stranger's face.

Shit. We are in an awkward position. A strong force pushes against me, sending me flying to the ground while the handsome stranger sticks to the wall.

"Who the hell are you?" we say in unison.

The audacity of this guy, asking me who I am while I should be the one questioning him. My eyes suddenly widen. What if Mother thinks I brought this handsome guy over last night? She would rip me to pieces!

My last brain cell sends a signal, and I grab the blanket, wrapping it around me. "Who are you? What are you doing in my room?!" I sound like a damsel in distress—something I don’t like.

Confusion is visible on his face as I hear the footsteps of my sisters. Maddy is all sweaty, likely back from her morning practice. Ruby and Frances look bemused, while Evelyn whines, "No way that bitch seduced daddy material!" I catch Maddy rolling her eyes and leaving.

Just then, Mum appears with my eldest sister, Remi. Mother looks surprised, but her expression quickly changes to concern when she sees the 'stranger'.

"Gosh! What happened here? Audren, are you alright? Did Liora cause any trouble?" she asks.

"I have no idea, Aunt Juliene. I woke up with this girl beside me. How? I don't know." His voice is deep, the kind that makes you want to push him on the bed and seal his lips.

"Ah, now I get it! Liora," Mother grabs my hand and pulls me out of the room. She turns to my father and says, "Honey, just check on Audren once! And you, girl, you are coming with me."

Mother's face is a mask of concern as she closes the door before her, while I stand with crossed arms. The tension in the air is palpable.

"Liora, where were you last night? Why didn't you answer my calls or messages?" Her voice is a mix of worry and frustration.

"I was out. Do I need to give you a play-by-play of my life now?" My voice is sharp. I don't wish to speak this way with mother, but she mustn't know about the horrible public breakup.

I notice mother's eyes widen slightly at my tone, but I ignore it. "I'm just worried about you. You can't just disappear and not let anyone know where you are."

I roll my eyes, feeling a wave of impatience wash over me. "I'm fine, Mother. Stop worrying so much." She stands abruptly, leaving Juliene's anxious gaze following her.

Mother's shoulders sag, a heavy sigh escaping her lips as I walk away leaving her with unanswered questions.

I stride into the kitchen, trying to shake off the confrontation. I feel a pang of guilt but quickly shove it aside. Maddy is at the counter, methodically cutting a pear.

"Where were you last night? Mother was so--" I don't let Maddy complete her sentence and snap back," It's none of your buisness Madison."

"I heard Daxtor broke up with you. That explains why you'd want to let out your frustration. But that guy? Seriously? I thought your taste was better, Liora."

"Firstly, Madison, that guy and I did nothing, for God's sake. Moreover, I don't even know him. But, I can conclude that he certainly is handsome." I snap, and Maddy turns away, irritated.

Did I just defend him? I wonder while taking a bite of an apple. "Good morning, everyone." My attention turns to the owner of the voice. His morning voice is even better than Daxtor's. Avery runs to Audren—that must be his name if I remember correctly. He swings her up and down before turning to Father.

"Let me introduce you to all my daughters," Father's voice is filled with energy. He starts with Remi, our eldest sister who recently turned twenty. Apparently, Audren has already met Maddy, Ruby, and Evelyn. He introduces Frances, our stepsister, as well. She doesn't blend in well yet. When Father points at me, I continue to take a bite of the apple, clearly showing my disinterest.

"Alright, girls! We all need to have a small talk regarding the arrangements for our new family member," Mum says with utmost energy, and I could swear I saw Audren roll his eye. Whenever such announcements are made, we all know what to do. Remi scoops up Avery and claims one end of the sofa, and owing to the scarcity of space, I sit down on the floor.

Audren scans the room for a moment before sitting next to me. There's a respectable gap between us, yet his broad shoulders seem to bridge the distance. Daxtor boasted similar contours when he used to work out. Stop thinking about him. I tell myself, closing my eyes for a brief moment.

"So as you all know, after that little encounter this morning, we have decided that Liora's room will belong to Audren from now on. This isn't something we decided just now. We had planned it yesterday itself, but apparently, Liora was out for her own reasons," Father says.

"Wait, Papa! Where am I supposed to sleep then? I agree, you guys have a soft corner for this new guest of ours, but that doesn't mean you will throw your biological daughter on the couch," I try to fight back.

"We are not throwing our daughter on the couch but rather in her own twin sister's room," Mother says sarcastically. Maddy, who was scrolling on her phone earlier, looks up with blazing eyes.

"That isn't happening," she declares.

"Audren, could you please go to your-- I mean Liora's room for the time being?"
Father sighs, and Audren obeys. I hear a little grunt, before he stands up and leaves.

"Mom and Dad, there's no way any of us will sacrifice our personal space for the sake of this nobody," Maddy says, purposely walking near the staircase and talking loudly. "He is not a family member, and even he is aware of it." Her words sound like venom.

"Lower your voice, Madison Syliar," Mother says sternly. "What if he hears you? I thought I raised mature daughters who know how to be supportive when someone goes through a grave loss."

"We would have been supportive if this guy were a friend of ours. I don't care about his presence as long as he doesn't invade my personal space. Man, I hate this. I'm leaving." Maddy grabs her phone and storms out of the hall. Remi quickly sets Avery down on the couch before chasing after Maddy, calling her name several times.

I am so done with this drama. I stand up, exhaling deeply. "Mom and Dad, whatever Maddy said, I agree with it. Arrange a different room for Audren or whatever his name is."

I turn to leave, grabbing the car keys and heading out for a ride.

The engine hums a low, steady rhythm as I grip the steering wheel, my knuckles white with tension. The familiar streets blur past, but my mind is elsewhere—fixated on Daxtor. How can he feel nothing while I still feel everything? His indifferent demeanor still haunts me, but I am determined. I will get him back. No matter what.

Memories of our moments together flood my mind— He is everything to me, and yet he seems so distant. My heart aches with a longing that refuses to fade, a relentless need to rekindle what we once had.

Daxtor's face comes to mind, his eyes devoid of the love I so desperately seek. It's as if he never felt anything for me. But I know there is something—there has to be. I just need to find a way to remind him, to reignite the spark that once bound us together. I can't accept that it's over. It can't be.

Determined, I press harder on the gas, the world outside the car becoming a mere backdrop to my tumultuous thoughts. I'll make Daxtor see what he's missing. I'll make sure that he loves me, and if not me, then nobody.

I take a deep breath, my resolve strengthening. This isn't over. Not by a long shot. Daxtor and I will be together again. I'll make sure of it.

Tell me pretty lies
look me in the face
Tell me that you love
me even if its fake