The drought in my heart

Lilly's eyes fluttered open to the golden rays of the morning sun streaming through the large window beside her bed. The sunrise had always been her favorite sight to behold which is a daily reminder that no matter how dark the night had been, a new day would always come. But this morning felt different.The sunlight hit her face, forcing her back into reality. With a heavy sigh, she reluctantly pushed herself up from the bed. Her eyes wandered around her room, and the sight only deepened the ache in her chest. Everything was still a mess. Clothes were scattered across the floor, her wardrobe doors hung open with garments spilling out, and her bed remained unmade, the sheets tangled from countless sleepless nights. Nothing was in order.Just like her life.It dawned on her once again that it had been three days since Jayden broke up with her.Three days.!Three painfully long days that felt more like three years.Her heart still couldn't accept it. She couldn't bring herself to believe that they were truly over. The same man who had once promised her forever, the same man who had become the center of her universe, was now the source of the deepest pain she had ever known.The irony wasn't lost on her,The person who had brought her the most joy was now the one causing her the most suffering. A hollow emptiness settled inside her. She felt lost and abandoned like a wounded puppy desperately searching for its owner in a crowd. Every part of her felt weak. Even getting out of bed felt like carrying a mountain on her shoulders.Now there was no one to run to for comfort.She wasn't as close to her friends as she used to be. Somewhere along the way, she had slowly drifted away from them which was The painful truth that was impossible to ignore now.The person she had sacrificed her social life for had left her for someone else. The thought stabbed at her heart.Her mind drifted back to the beginning, replaying memories she desperately wished she could erase but couldn't stop revisiting. If only she could return to the day they met,The day he approached her with that bright smile and those charming eyes. The day everything changed! "Who wouldn't fall for him?" she whispered bitterly to herself, trying to convince herself that she hadn't been completely foolish.But the words brought no comfort. Without warning, tears flooded her eyes. A sob escaped her lips, followed by another. Soon she was crying uncontrollably.”Two years.”Two solid years of her life. Two years of memories, sacrifices, dreams, promises, and plans for the future. And now it had all been discarded as though it had meant nothing. Of all the ways their beautiful love story could have ended, it had to be because of another girl.A freaking girl.!The thought made her chest tighten painfully. Suddenly, the sound of her phone vibrating interrupted her breakdown. Her eyes darted as The screen lit up with an incoming call. Mia.Lilly hesitated before answering."Hello?" came Mia's calm voice from the other end. "Lilly, I've been calling you for so long. I heard what happened." Lilly opened her mouth to respond, but no words came out.Nothing. She realized she hadn't spoken much since the previous day. Whenever she was overwhelmed, she retreated inward. Isolating herself had always been her way of processing pain. Silence stretched between them.An awkward, fragile silence that felt as though they were both listening to the sound of their own heartbeats. At that moment, Lilly wasn't only hurting because the man she believed was her soulmate had left her for another woman.She was hurting because she remembered every time she had pushed Mia away for him.Every canceled plan.Every ignored text.Every moment she chose Jayden over her friends. She remembered how differently she had treated Mia while trying so hard to be the perfect girlfriend, constantly following the expectations and rules set by her narcissistic boyfriend. Guilt mixed with heartbreak overwhelmed her .Mia, understanding Lilly better than most people, knew how difficult it had always been for her to express herself during emotional moments. So she gently broke the silence. "Why don't I come over?" she suggested softly. For the first time in days, Lilly felt a tiny flicker of relief. Briefly after some moment she unlocked her phone and realized she has missed a couple of calls from her mum and Mia too , she scrolled through her call logs and just right there it was as if her heart felt ten times heavier as she saw the name she frequently dialed , mi Amor , the call that always gave her the butterflies, she couldn’t believe he hadn’t called yet , she never imagined a day would come when she would be forced to delete Jayden’s number, she has texted and called him after the breakup but he was intentionally ghosting her ,how could he be so Okay saying she meant nothing to him anymore,Lilly's eyes drifted to the contact name glowing on her phone screen. A bittersweet ache settled in her chest as she remembered New Year's Eve,the night they had sat side by side, laughing until their stomachs hurt, editing each other's names in their phones. It had seemed like such a small thing at the time, but to her, it had felt meaningful, almost sacred. Everything about that night had felt magical.Back then, her heart had danced wildly with excitement, sparkling like golden embers rising from a bonfire into the night sky. Every message from him made her smile. Every promise sounded believable. Every moment felt like the beginning of something beautiful.Now, the memory only deepened the ache inside her.The same heart that had once glowed with warmth now felt bruised and heavy. It throbbed with a pain so deep that she wondered how something invisible could hurt this much. The room around her seemed quieter than usual, as if even the walls could sense her sadness. Her thoughts spiraled endlessly, replaying memories she wished she could forget.A soft knock interrupted her brooding.She froze for a moment before another knock followed."Mia," she whispered to herself.Without wasting another second, she hurried across the room and pulled the door open.Before she could say a word, Mia wrapped her arms around her."How are you?" she asked softly, her voice carrying both concern and affection.The simple question shattered whatever strength Lilly had been holding onto.She melted into the embrace, clutching Mia tightly as tears streamed down her face. The sobs came uncontrollably, rising from somewhere deep within her. It felt as though she had been deprived of comfort for days and was finally being allowed to breathe again.Mia tightened her hold on her friend and gently rubbed circles on her back."It's okay," she whispered. "Let it out."For several minutes, neither of them spoke. The room was filled only with Lilly's quiet cries and Mia's reassuring presence.When the tears finally subsided, Mia stepped back and studied her friend.Her eyes immediately fell on the tangled blankets, clothes scattered across the floor and the half-empty water bottles on the deskLilly looked exactly how her room looked,exhausted, neglected, and overwhelmed.A determined look crossed Mia's face."Nope," she declared suddenly.Lilly blinked."What?" "We're not doing this."Before Lilly could ask what she meant, Mia marched over to her phone, grabbed it from the bedside table, and opened their shared playlist.A familiar beat filled the room."To Be Young" by Anne-Marie and Doja Cat.Lilly couldn't help but smile faintly.Mia immediately grabbed her wrist."Come on." "Mia, no." "Yes, Lilly." "I'm not in the mood." "Exactly why we're doing it." Mia dragged her toward the center of the room as dramatically as if they were stepping onto the stage of a sold-out concert.Despite herself, Lilly laughed. A small laugh.But a laugh nonetheless. As the music continued, Mia began singing loudly and completely off-key.Lilly rolled her eyes."You sound terrible." "Good. That means it's working."Slowly, reluctantly, Lilly joined in.At first, it was barely above a whisper.Then louder.Then louder still.Soon they were both singing at the top of their lungs, dancing around the room and pretending microphones were hidden in their hairbrushes.For the first time in days, Lilly felt something other than heartbreak.She felt alive.As the lyrics flowed through the room, her thoughts drifted inward.She was only twenty years old.Yet somehow she felt older than she should.Heartbreak had a strange way of stealing innocence.Her gaze landed on the mirror across the room.For a moment, she imagined her twelve-year-old self standing there instead.A younger Lilly with bright eyes, endless dreams, and a heart untouched by disappointment.What would that little girl say if she saw her now?Would she be proud?Would she tell her to keep going? Would she remind her that one person leaving didn't erase her worth?The thought lingered in her mind long after the song ended.Perhaps the little girl she once was would simply tell her to be kinder to herself. A sudden voice interrupted her reflection. "Lilly." "Hmm?" "Your room looks like a crime scene." Lilly burst out laughing. "What?" "I'm serious. Did a tornado live here?" "Mia!" "And don't even get me started on your hair."Lilly groaned dramatically and threw a pillow at her friend.The pillow missed. Mia cackled.The laughter that followed felt lighter than anything Lilly had experienced in days.Together, they spent the afternoon putting the room back in order.They folded clothes, made the bed, swept the floor, and opened the curtains wide enough to let sunlight flood every corner of the room. All the while, their playlist played in the background.They sang, argued over lyrics, laughed at old memories, and occasionally paused to perform dramatic dance routines nobody would ever see.By the time dusk arrived, the room looked completely different.And so did Lilly. Her hair had been neatly French-braided by Mia's skilled hands. Her face looked brighter. The sadness was still there, but it no longer seemed capable of swallowing her whole.Looking in the mirror, she almost recognized herself again.Mia sat cross-legged on the bed, admiring her work. Mia had always been gifted when it came to people.She possessed that rare ability to be unapologetically blunt without being cruel. She was confident, outgoing, and fiercely genuine. While Lilly tended to be quiet and reserved, Mia moved through life boldly, speaking her mind and embracing every moment.Somehow, their differences fit together perfectly.Like puzzle pieces. Like balance.After a few moments of silence, Mia smirked."You know what you need?"Lilly narrowed her eyes suspiciously. "A therapist?" "No." "A vacation?" "No." "A new boyfriend?" "Definitely not."Mia grinned."A party." Lilly stared at her."A party?" "Yes. Loud music. Bright lights. People dancing. Maybe some drinks." "Mia..." "I'm serious." Lilly shook her head.Mia leaned forward dramatically."Listen carefully. There is absolutely no reason to suffer in silence when you can suffer while dancing to loud music."Lilly laughed so hard that tears filled her eyes again.This time, however, they weren't tears of heartbreak.They were tears of relief.And for the first time since everything had fallen apart, she allowed herself to believe that maybe, just maybe she would be okay.