I stumbled out of the clinic room, feeling dazed, as the doctor called my best friend, Skylar, back inside. I leaned against the wall outside and heard the doctor's serious voice filtering through the door:

"Her condition isn't looking good. The test results suggest she's already showing signs of suicidal tendencies. You need to keep a close eye on her."

"And also, try to contact her boyfriend. It would be ideal if he could come and assist with her treatment. Emotional wounds often need emotional healing."

A flicker of hope sparked within me. If he knew what I was going through, would he come to support me through this? Was there still a chance for us?

Skylar emerged from the clinic, saying she needed to use the restroom. I knew she intended to call Oscar without me overhearing. Quietly, I followed her to the stairwell.

She dialed several times before Oscar finally picked up. Even though Skylar usually had a fiery temper, she was keeping her cool and speaking gently for my sake.

"Arianna really isn't doing well right now. The doctor confirmed it's depression, and she needs you to be involved in the treatment process."

"Please, think about the four years you shared and try to help her."

I couldn't hear what he said on the other end, but whatever it was, it upset her.

"What do you mean she's tricking you? How could this possibly be a trick?"

"Hello? Hello?! Oscar, you jerk, you absolute bastard!"

As she hung up the phone, cursing, she turned and saw me watching her. Our eyes met, and we both began to tear up.

She rushed forward and wrapped me in a hug.

"It's okay, there's no way I'm letting you go through this alone! I'm right here with you!"

"Don't cry, don't cry. We're going to get through this!"

I wanted to gather my strength. I didn’t want my best friend, Skylar, to worry about me. And I certainly didn’t want her to feel humiliated by begging Oscar again. So, I put on a brave face in front of her. I forced myself to eat and drink and even tried to laugh.

But my emotions were like a ship I couldn't control, swaying and drifting in the depths, pulling me toward an endless darkness. It wasn't until one day when Skylar knocked the knife from my wrist that I snapped back to reality. Tears streamed down her face as she slapped me hard across the cheek.

I collapsed to the floor, feeling the sting of her hand on my skin.

"I didn’t tell you because I was afraid of how much it would hurt you," she cried. "But less than a week after you two broke up, he announced his new girlfriend on Instagram! While you're here hurting yourself, he's posting about her peanut allergies!"

"Arianna, you can't let yourself fall apart over a guy like him! Snap out of it!"

I sat in the corner, listening in stunned silence. Then, suddenly, I laughed. It was as if I’d heard the funniest joke in the world. Tears rolled down my cheeks as I laughed.

My best friend, Skylar, used her incredible knack for networking to gather stories about Oscar from our shared school days. She managed to piece together his story with that new girl, painting a vivid picture like a forgotten play brought back to life.

The girl's name was Melina Walker, an exchange student at his school. During gym class, when she ran out of energy, she fainted right at Oscar's feet. Without hesitation, he picked her up and carried her to the nurse’s office.

After that incident, Melina was undeniably drawn to him, even though Oscar initially brushed her off as he often did with others. But everything changed one afternoon on the basketball court. She had brought a sports drink for another guy, and Oscar’s face darkened immediately. In that game, he made sure the guy lost badly, his competitive spirit ruthless and sharp.

When the game was over, Oscar took her hand in front of everyone, his voice brooking no argument as he declared, "From now on, you’re not allowed to bring drinks to anyone else."

The rest of their story unfolded predictably, a romance that blazed bright and intense. Meanwhile, I was left to drown in that sea of passion, just another casualty in their newfound love.