Sweet revenge

I used to believe love was easy. Like in movies where people fall in love and live happily ever after. But real life? Real life is different. Love isn’t always beautiful. Sometimes, it’s painful, confusing, and unfair. I remember the first boy I thought I liked. His name was *Tinashe*. We were both 12 and in Form One. He was tall, funny, and had a charming smile that made all the girls in school giggle. I wasn’t even looking for love at that age, but somehow, he caught my attention. At first, I thought we were just friends. We’d talk after class, walk together to the tuck shop, and even share snacks. Then one day, he said, “I like you.” My heart skipped. No one had ever said that to me before. I smiled and said I liked him too. But Tinashe wasn’t what I expected. He would talk to me sweetly one moment, then ignore me the next. In class, he flirted with other girls and acted like I didn’t exist. When I asked him about it, he would say, “Don’t act like my mother.” I was only 13, but even then, I knew something wasn’t right. I cried many nights. My grades dropped. I felt like I wasn’t enough. Until one day, I stood up during break time, looked him in the eye, and said, “I’m done.”