8th
352 Words
Chapter Eight: “The Message”
It was Lara’s latest post that pushed her over.
A video clip, set to soft piano music.
Lara in a flowing dress.
Kenzo behind her, hands resting on her barely-there baby bump.
Caption:
“A new chapter begins… Baby K loading. 💕✨”
The comments were flooding in:
“Power couple goals!”
“From besties to parents — God is good!”
“Meanwhile Jasmine somewhere still healing 😂”
That last one?
It shattered something Jasmine had been duct-taping shut for months.
She didn’t cry this time.
She burned.
Her hands trembled as she opened her Notes app — her digital confessional — but this time she didn’t stop at thoughts.
She opened i********:.
Clicked “New Post.”
And for the first time in months, her face appeared.
Puffy eyes. No makeup.
Raw. Unfiltered.
She stared at herself, then flipped the camera to black.
Blank screen.
Let the words carry the weight.
She typed.
---
> "Since you all want a story so badly…"
I loved him. Deeply. Loudly. Softly. In ways most people don’t understand anymore.
I trusted her. With my secrets. My fears. My soul.
And they both watched me bleed while calling it love.
He held my heart while planning vows for another.
She fixed my hair while sleeping with the man I prayed over.
I was never perfect — but I was true.
And yes, I’ve been quiet. But don’t mistake silence for defeat.
You didn’t destroy me. You just forced me to find the version of myself that doesn’t need an audience to feel worthy.
Enjoy your fairytale.
But know this: the girl you buried?
She’s learning to grow things in the dark.
---
She stared at the screen.
“Post” blinked at her like a dare.
Her thumb hovered…
Then—
Delete draft.
She didn’t need them to see her pain.
She needed to survive it.
Jasmine tossed the phone on her bed and took the deepest breath she’d taken in weeks.
Let them think she snapped.
Let them wonder.
The real comeback?
Was loading.
- Writer
