I wake up early, and for one blissful moment, I feel happy. Then the events of yesterday come crashing down on me.

Gradually, I ease myself out of bed and stand up. My apartment is a mess, I'm not afraid to say that much. At some point, I must have started smashing things, because every picture I have of Brett is gone, and the picture frames lie on the floor like the bodies of crushed insects, spider's webs of cracks running through the glass. I put my green slippers on for protection and head into the main room.

The place is almost in ruins. It looks like someone let a whole creche of hyperactive six-year-olds high on sugar loose in the room. That is, six-year-olds that are prone to arson. Half-burnt photos mix with the ashes of others more successfully burned ones, and candle stubs sit on the table.

Despite this, I'm too depressed to eat. Instead, I boot up my laptop and blare Thnks Fr The Mmrs, but then something catches my eye. Messages.

Of course. It's my birthday today. Great. I'm twenty-seven and still single in the middle of Chicago. Well done, Lydia.

When I'm in the middle of cleaning up, there's a soft knock on my door. I turn off the Fall Out Boy and quite literally bound towards it, hoping that it's Brett, that he's come back, but of course it's not. It's my neighbour, and for some reason, he's holding my post. Weird. I didn't think he ever really came out of his apartment.

"I...uh... You didn't come down, and it's almost one." God, he's right. I must have slept through the whole morning.

"Yeah, thanks," I say. He hands it to me.

"Is it your birthday or something? I you've gotten a lot of mail." Yeah. Thanks for reminding me.

"Um, yeah."

"Oh. Well, happy birthday," he smiles.

"Thanks." I make to close the door, but then he sees inside. Great.

"What happened here?"

"My... my b-boyfriend dumped me last night." His eyes widen and I look at the ground, embarrassed and upset.

"The day before your birthday?" I nod. "I'm really sorry."

"It's ok."

"All right." He pauses, and for a moment, I think he's about to say something, but he changes his mind. "See you."

"Bye."

Well, that was awkward. As I said earlier, I never really see him out his flat, so him actually coming to my apartment unsettles me slightly.

I've gotten a lot of cards, all of them wishing me a happy birthday. Yeah right. Some birthday this is turning out to be. My boyfriend dumped me, and my only visit has been from a randomer who I barely know.

I go online and put on Fall Out Boy, and then I check the fanbase. There's no new songs, although Fall Out Boy said last week that they were working on a new one. The music helps me forget about yesterday, if only for a bit.

I decide to post on the fanbase. So I put: Feeling low. My boyfriend broke up with me (asshole) and it's my birthday. FOB is the answer!

Instantly, about a million people console me. This is what our fandom is like. Everyone's always there for each other, no matter what. Because there's not really a lot of us (Fall Out Boy isn't that famous), it's a lot more personal, which I like.

One girl says, I know what it's like. My girlfriend broke up with me last Christmas, and I spent the whole day crying over Infinity On High, which made me feel a lot better. Keep jamming out, sweetheart!

Another person says, He sounds like a total dick. Good riddance! Don't feel low about him, whatever you do.

I feel better.