deja Vu
932 Words
*CHAPTER 10
My hands were shaking so badly that I almost dropped my phone. I was scared, furious, and confused. I didn't know what to do—should I talk to Rowan or meet Valeria and find out what she wanted to tell me? I couldn't take it anymore. My friends were waiting outside for me. I wiped away my tears, looked at myself in the mirror, and whispered, "I can't keep crying over him."
I walked out with a serious expression. Then I heard Rowan's voice behind me.
Rowan: Harper, wait. We need to talk. Please.
Harper: And what exactly do we need to talk about? What are you going to tell me? That your ex came back? You lied to me. You told me you never paid attention to her. You lied to me. How could you do this to me? I'm so disappointed in you.
Rowan: Harper...
Harper: Harper this, Rowan that... This was a damn mistake from the very beginning. You only played with my feelings. Enough!
I ran away. I saw my friends at the exit. Lizy and Lara looked deeply worried, but I didn't stop. I knew Rowan was right behind me.
As I stepped outside, a taxi happened to pass by. I got in as fast as I could. Rowan stopped in front of the taxi and looked straight into my eyes. His eyes were filled with tears, just like mine.
The taxi drove away.
With trembling fingers, I typed:
Harper: What do you want, Valeria?
Valeria: I want us to meet tomorrow at Coffee Love at 7:00. Can you make it?
Harper: Okay. I'll be there.
I arrived home completely exhausted. All I wanted was to sleep. I knew Rowan would come looking for me, so I changed the house's security code.
That night I didn't eat dinner. I had completely lost my appetite. There was a painful knot in my throat. My heart felt broken... betrayed.
I took a shower, put on my purple pajamas, and played Olivia Rodrigo's "deja vu." I loved that song.
As it played, my eyes began to burn. Tears streamed endlessly down my face. They were already swollen from crying so much. I was tired of everything. It felt as if someone had ripped my heart out. My face was flushed bright red.
I lay down, but I couldn't stop crying. I wiped my face, splashed cold water on it one last time, and finally crawled into bed, hoping sleep would silence the pain.
---
The next morning, I woke up early. I washed my face, took a shower, and got ready to meet Valeria at the café.
When I arrived, she was already there.
She was wearing an all-black outfit with black boots. Honestly, she looked like she was dressed for a funeral.
She was staring at her phone.
I walked over to her.
She smiled.
The nerve of her.
As if we were friends.
Valeria: Harper, thank you for coming. We need to talk about Rowan.
Valeria: Look... I never wanted to do this. But Rowan and I... we never really broke up.
My whole world collapsed.
Valeria: We've actually kept seeing each other, even while he's been dating you.
She took a sip of her coffee as if nothing had happened.
As if she wasn't stabbing me in the heart.
Valeria: The truth is, Harper... I want him back. And I know you're hurting too.
I clenched the napkin in my hand until it tore apart.
Valeria: Let me tell you our story, because he never did. Rowan used to write me letters in high school. Every single day for two years... all 365 days. I fell in love with him. We dated for a year, but then I moved abroad without explaining anything to anyone. When I came back... I found out he already had a girlfriend.
I slowly stood up and spoke.
Harper: You know what, Valeria?
I said quietly.
Harper: If you want him that badly, then go get him back. But don't use me to do it.
I stood up and left my untouched coffee on the table.
Harper: Oh... and if it helps, he's not the same boy who used to write those letters anymore.
I walked out of the café without looking back.
Even though, inside...
I was falling apart.
The cold air hit my face.
The moment I stepped outside, every step felt unbearably heavy.
I didn't know whether to cry, scream, or go back inside and demand that Valeria stop playing with my life.
How could Rowan have hidden something like this from me?
With trembling hands, I pulled out my phone.
More than twenty missed calls.
Every single one of them was from Rowan.
There were messages too.
Rowan: Harper, please let me explain.
Rowan: It's not what she told you.
Rowan: Please don't push me away.
Rowan: I swear I love you.
A lump formed in my throat.
My eyes burned once again.
I didn't want to hear any explanations that day.
I called a taxi.
Throughout the ride, I stared out the window.
People walked through the streets as if nothing had happened.
As if the damn world was still the same.
But mine had just fallen apart.
When I got home, I threw my bag onto the couch and sank to the floor.
I wrapped my arms around my knees.
The tears came back, impossible to stop.
Harper: Why...? I whispered between sobs. What did I do wrong?
My chest hurt so much that it was hard to breathe.
Then the doorbell rang.
- Writer
