Good morning, Max," I replied, returning the smile.

I swung open the back door and slid into the car. Max wasted no time, taking his place behind the wheel, turning the ignition, and smoothly navigating us out of the compound.

**********************************

We arrived at the familiar sight of Makers High School's parking lot. As Max expertly brought the car to a stop, I hopped out, waving a quick goodbye. With a spring in my step, I headed towards the main school building,

The whispers of shock rippled through the crowd as I walked by. I could practically see students' heads snapping in my direction, their eyes wide with surprise. Yeah, right? Who wouldn't be blown away by my incredible transformation?

Smoothing my skirt, I strutted forward, a triumphant smile playing on my lips as I caught snippets of the hushed conversations around me.

"OMG is that really fatty Mara?"

"She's gorgeous!"

"Check out that figure! It's literally perfect!"

"Wow, those legs go on forever!"

The admiration fueled my confidence, propelling me forward with every step. Gone was the awkward, overweight girl I used to be. In her place stood a pretty girl who knew her worth and wasn't afraid to flaunt it.

A grin stretched across my face as I spotted my best friend, Ellen, leaning against the school's pole, clearly waiting for someone.

I practically sprinted towards her, excitement bubbling inside me, and pulled her into a hug. She quickly extricated herself, but I brushed it off.

"I missed you so much!" I exclaimed, but she only gave a Curt nod, not returning my smile.

Something was off. Was this really Ellen? What was she so down about? Did she have a bad mood? Or maybe... cramps?

"Ellen, what's wrong?" I asked, concern etched on my face. She shook her head, her eyes avoiding mine.

"Is it your cramps?" I ventured, trying to find the cause of her sullen mood.

"No, it isn't," she mumbled, her voice barely audible.

"Are you okay?" I pressed, worry gnawing at my insides.

"Do I look like I'm not?" she retorted, a slight edge to her voice.

I took a step back, taken aback by her snappish reply. "Well, I have a ton of juicy gossip for you!" I exclaimed, trying to lighten the mood. As usual, i reached out to hold her hand as I normally would. But she flinched and pulled away.

This was getting serious. "Ellen, what's going on?" I asked again, my voice firm but gentle.

"Meaning?" she replied, her tone flat.

"I mean, you wouldn't normally act like this. Did I do something wrong?" I pleaded, desperately searching for an explanation.

"Whatever" she scoffed, her voice dripping with sarcasm.

"Ellen, I honestly can't remember us having any kind of fight the last time you were at my house. Why are you being so mean to me?" I asked, my voice laced with worry.

She crossed her arms and looked away. "We don't have to fight for me to decide I don't want to be your friend anymore."

My heart sank. Ellen was my best friend, and the thought of losing her felt like losing a part of myself. "Ellen, wh-" I started to say, but the girls around us suddenly erupted in a chorus of high-pitched squeals, their eyes glued to something across the hall.

I instinctively followed their gaze and my heart skipped when i saw Bryan

He walked towards us, looking even more handsome than usual. His black curls bounced playfully on his forehead, his bright eyes sparkled, and his flawless skin glowed. A wide smile stretched across his pink lips, sending a tremor through my heart. I noticed Ellen's face melt into a smile.

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Ignoring the smile on her face, I turned to Bryan as he reached us. My smile faltered as he walked past me, his full attention focused on Ellen. He pulled her into a tight hug, and my breath hitched as his lips met hers.

Ellen responded instantly, kissing him back with an intensity that mirrored my own growing sense of shock and despair.

A sudden, powerful headache slammed into me, and the world spun around me. I felt myself falling slowly, as if in slow motion. A sharp, tearing pain ripped through my chest. Then, the hard floor met my body in a jarring impact. Dizziness washed over me, and my eyelids grew heavy, slowly closing until darkness swallowed me whole.

End of flashback

Tears stung my eyes, and my body cried out in pain as I rose from the bed, facing Bryan with a heart shattered into a million pieces.

"Mara, are you alright now?" he asked, his voice as smooth as honey, capable of melting even the coldest hearts.

He moved closer, his arms reaching out to support me. The moment his touch connected with my skin, my pain faded, the tears in my eyes dried up. It felt like magic.

"I had to bring you to school infirmary when you suddenly fainted in the hallway. Are you sure you are okay?"

He asked with concern.

"Oh yeah i am okay" I murmured

"Did you eat breakfast this morning?" he inquired, his brow furrowed

"Yes" I replied weakly.

"It always seems like you faint when you skip breakfast" he chuckled and gently pulled my checks.

"I was planning on saying hi to Ellen, my girlfriend, before saying hi to Tamara, my best friend"

Tears streamed down my face, hot and unstoppable. I clutched my chest, a sob escaping my lips.

"Oh my God, Mara, what's wrong?" he exclaimed, reaching out to wipe away my tears.

But the tears kept flowing, uncontrollably

"Do you want to go home? Are you sure you're okay?" His voice was laced with concern, his eyes reflecting my own distress.

Wiping away my tears with the back of my hand, I sniffled, feeling my heart ache.

"I-i-I'm fine," I managed to stammer, forcing myself to look into his worried eyes.

"Mara, you're not fine," he said, his voice gentle. "What's wrong?"

"I'm really okay," I lied, my voice trembling slightly. "I just have a headache."

He hesitated, then asked, "Are you sure? Can you go to class now?"

"I'll join you in a sec," I said, forcing my voice to sound calm. "I just need to splash some water on my face."

"Okay, Mara," he said hesitantly, his eyes still filled with concern. "Are you sure you're alright?"

"Absolutely," I replied, offering a weak smile that barely reached my eyes.

"I almost didn't recognize you at first," he said, trying to lighten the mood. "You've changed a lot. You look more beautiful than before. I bet you have a lot of guys hitting on you." He winked playfully.

I managed another small, sad smile.

The moment he was gone, I crumpled to the floor, sobbing uncontrollably. My chest tightened with pain, and I pounded the ground in frustration, holding it with one hand as if to hold my shattered heart together.

Ellen, the one I trusted the most, turned her back on me after urging me to do what I did. She started dating Bryan, the only person my heart belonged to, the one I swore to be with, the only one who held the key to my deepest emotions.

She knew the lengths I had gone to, just to win Bryan's affection, the personal hell I had endured. My tears flowed freely, unheard by anyone, as I pounded my chest in silent fury. "How could I have allowed myself to love so deeply?" I cried, a whirlwind of emotions raging within me.

Even after everything, even after Bryan's is in love with her, I couldn't help but love him more.

My eyes ached from all the crying, and I couldn't shed another tear. Feeling heavy, I stood up, staggering unsteadily. I planted my wobbling legs on the ground, sniffing as more tears threatened to fall.

I opened my backpack and pulled out my phone, intending to call Max for a ride. But as soon as I turned it on, I flung it against the wall with all my might. The screen shattered into a million pieces. Tears streamed down my face again.

My lock screen wallpaper was a picture of Ellen, her innocent face a stark contrast to my current state. But I couldn't even unlock my phone, because the home screen wallpaper was a picture of Bryan.

They were my whole world, the people I loved most. How could they betray me like this? Especially Ellen, who knew how I felt about Bryan.

Or maybe it's some kind of sick joke?

No, it can't be. They're both deadly serious.

How can I possibly face life without them? They were the only real friends I'd ever known.

"Is this just a nightmare? Please tell me it is..."

With a sigh, I walked over to my phone and picked it up. The shattered screen was beyond repair, i removed the memory card and SIM card, carefully placing them in a small case within my backpack, before dropping the phone itself into my pocket.

I headed towards the infirmary restroom, needing to splash some cold water on my face.

A few minutes later, I found myself wandering the streets, lost in a deep fog of thought. Tears streamed down my face, and I kept wiping them away with the back of my hand. I had lied to the security guard, telling him I wasn't feeling well and needed to get to the hospital. He asked a few questions, which I answered with practiced deceit, before finally letting me through the gate.

I walked for hours, my legs numb and mind swirling. To my surprise, I found myself standing before the familiar gate of my house. Quickly, I wiped away the last traces of tears and rapped my knuckles against the metal.

"Who is there, please?" came James' voice from the other side. He was the gatekeeper, a friendly man with a perpetual smile.

"It's... it's Mara," I stammered, my voice thick with emotion.

Tbc.....