When I pulled up to Karissa's house, her car was nowhere in sight. Great, I thought, she's still out. I gave her a call, and she told me she was still at school but would drop off the girls and hurry home. I rang the doorbell, and her mom let me in while I waited.

After what felt like an eternity, Karissa finally showed up. She greeted her mom, then me, and we headed upstairs to her room.

Karissa wasted no time. "Something tells me Anthony did you wrong."

I sighed, feeling the frustration rise again. "Yes, girl. He lied about taking pictures with his ex."

Karissa's eyes widened. "Are you serious?"

"Dead serious. And that's not even the worst part. Deanesh has been feeding his ex lies about how much Anthony misses her and wants her back."

Karissa rolled her eyes, exasperated. "It's always Deanesh causing drama. How did you even become friends with her? And you need to cut Anthony off for good this time. He clearly doesn't care about you."

"Honestly, I have no idea why I ever befriended her. And yes, I'm done with Anthony," I said, though doubt lingered in my mind.

Karissa gave me a skeptical look. "Why do I have a feeling you're not going to stick to that?"

"Can we not go over this right now? Let's just have some fun," I begged, needing a distraction.

"Alright, what do you want to do?"

"Let's go see a movie or something."

"Alright then," she agreed.

I cut the conversation short because I couldn't stand dwelling on it any longer. I needed to escape the sadness and frustration. Screw Deanesh, screw Anthony, and screw his ex. I was done with all of them.

Karissa and I decided to hit the movies to clear my head. I was already dressed, so I waited while Karissa got ready. Finally, she was done, and we headed to the movie theater. When we arrived, the place was packed, but that was perfect. The more people, the less chance of running into anyone I knew.

As we stood in line for tickets, I felt a weight lift off my shoulders. Tonight was about forgetting all the drama and just having fun. And with Karissa by my side, I knew I could get through anything.

We waited nearly half an hour to get a ticket. The woman handling the orders had a nasty attitude, so Karissa and I decided we weren't about to let her ruin our night. We put her in her place, causing a scene that drew the manager's attention. She was promptly replaced by someone far more pleasant, and we finally got our tickets.

Once inside the theater, we opted for a horror movie. Romantic films were out of the question for me, given my current stance on love. Horror it was.

Throughout the movie, I was screaming and shaking, which apparently annoyed a lot of people. They kept telling me to keep it down, as if that was going to happen. Even Karissa, who was equally terrified, tried to shush me, despite doing the same thing herself.

When the movie finally ended, I felt a sense of relief. As we left the theater, Karissa mentioned needing to pick up a few things for dinner. I agreed, needing the distraction.

At the store, we stocked up on essentials, including eggs and bread. As we were leaving, we spotted Deanesh and Carmen—Anthony's ex—laughing together. The sight of them sent a fresh wave of anger through me.

"I can't believe those two right now," I muttered, my temper flaring.

"Me either, but let's get even. What do you say?" Karissa replied, a wicked smile forming on her lips.

"Oh, I'm so here for it," I said, feeling a surge of adrenaline.

"Hand over the eggs and milk," Karissa instructed.

We divided the supplies, drove closer to where Deanesh and Carmen were, and let them have it. Eggs and milk flew, hitting their mark perfectly. We sped off immediately, the shock on their faces etched in my mind. It was priceless.

We couldn't stop laughing, the thrill of our spontaneous revenge too much to contain. Karissa pulled into a parking lot, and we let out the laughter that had been building up.

Karissa's laughter reverberated through her cozy car, blending with mine as we replayed the grocery ambush on Deanesh and Carmen. "Oh my goodness, I haven't laughed this hard in years," she exclaimed, her eyes sparkling mischievously.

"Haha, me neither," I replied, still savoring the image of their stunned expressions. "Did you see their faces?"

Karissa erupted into another bout of laughter. "Yes, girl! Haha, my God. Hopefully, Deanesh gets the message and leaves you alone now."

I rolled my eyes playfully. "You know that's wishful thinking after what we pulled."

"True, but if she wants to mess with you, she's messing with the whole squad," Karissa affirmed with a hint of sass. "She won't know what hit her."

"Aww, thanks Rissa," I said sincerely. "You, Jaelee, and Xalia are the real MVPs. I'm seriously grateful."

"No sweat, babes," Karissa responded with a wink.

"So, should we gear up for another round to reclaim those groceries wasted on those two rats?" I suggested, a mischievous grin spreading across my face.

Karissa chuckled knowingly. "Those groceries weren't wasted; they got what they deserved."

"Haha, touche," I laughed, reveling in our shared sense of justice amidst the chaos.

Amid our laughter, an unfamiliar number lit up my phone. I hesitated before answering, recognizing Deanesh's shrill voice on the line. She spewed threats about burning down my house, but knowing her penchant for dramatics, I scoffed. "Go ahead and try," I retorted defiantly, unimpressed by her empty bravado.

Suddenly, her tone shifted to a warning, cautioning me to watch my back. I shot back with a few pointed words before ending the call. "I swear, that girl never gives up," I sighed, the weight of recent drama settling in. "All this chaos she's causing, it's exhausting."

"What I really want to know is why she's stirring up all this drama," I pondered aloud, irritation creeping into my voice. "That's been the million-dollar question ever since she started acting up. I don't know what her deal is, but I'm ready to find out."

Deciding to switch gears, Karissa and I made a quick trip to a nearby store to replace the eggs and other groceries we used in our impromptu prank. We swiftly gathered what we needed and headed back to Karissa's place. Cooking dinner together turned out to be surprisingly therapeutic; we bonded over chopping vegetables and swapping stories, turning the kitchen into a sanctuary of laughter and camaraderie.

Once dinner was ready, we settled into Karissa's inviting living room, plates in hand, and sank into the comfort of the couch. Despite the whirlwind of drama, our friendship emerged stronger, a testament to our resilience in the face of turmoil.

Karissa leaned back in her seat, a mischievous glint in her eye. "You know what you need?"

"What?" I asked, intrigued by her sudden seriousness.

"You need a girlfriend," Karissa said confidently.

"Hmm, I don't know," I replied, unsure of where this conversation was heading.

"You sure do know," Karissa persisted, a playful smirk tugging at her lips. "Remember we kissed at the party? I could tell you liked it."

I chuckled nervously, feeling the weight of her words. "Let's not go there, Rissa."

"Whatever you say," Karissa teased, "but seriously, think about it. A lot of guys are liars and unfaithful, but many girls are really loyal to the bone. I think you need the experience."

"You're right about that," I admitted, contemplating her words. "But I don't know, I'll have to really wrap my head around that one."

Karissa's suggestion lingered in my mind as I drove home later that evening. The turmoil with Anthony still fresh, I was lost in thoughts of what could have been and what might be if I explored a different path. Then, in the midst of my contemplation, my phone buzzed with an unfamiliar number.

"Oh no," I muttered under my breath, recognizing Deanesh's number. Against my better judgment, I answered, only to be met with a barrage of insults and threats.

"I'm going to burn down your house!" Deanesh's voice crackled through the phone.

I scoffed, knowing her empty threats all too well. "Go ahead and try," I shot back defiantly.

Deanesh's tone shifted abruptly. "Watch your back," she warned before hanging up.

The drama she brought into my life was exhausting. I sighed heavily, trying to shake off the anger and frustration. Why was Deanesh so intent on stirring up trouble? The question gnawed at me as I navigated the familiar streets toward home.

Arriving at my room, I sank onto my bed, feeling the weight of recent events pressing down on me. The image of Anthony and Carmen kissing haunted my thoughts, fueling a mix of anger and heartbreak. I needed answers, closure.

Summoning courage, I texted Anthony to come over. He arrived after what felt like an eternity of waiting, and the air between us crackled with tension.

"Were you always playing with me?" I demanded, my voice trembling with hurt.

Anthony looked taken aback. "I swear, I never meant to hurt you," he pleaded earnestly.

"Then why did you lie to me?" I asked, my voice raw with emotion.

"I didn't lie," Anthony insisted, his eyes searching mine desperately. "I just said she was my friend."

"But she's not just your friend, is she?" I choked out, tears welling up.

Anthony's expression softened. "I didn't see the picture, Dena. I wouldn't lie to you."

I shook my head, struggling to comprehend. "That's not even the worst part. Deanesh sent me a video of you and Carmen kissing. It looked recent."

Anthony's frustration flared. "Deanesh is playing mind games with you, Dena. Can't you see that?"

I felt torn between love and betrayal, the pain unbearable. "I can't do this anymore," I whispered, my heart breaking.

"So that's it?" Anthony's voice cracked with disbelief.

"Yes," I managed, tears choking my voice. "We're done."

"Says who?" Anthony's voice softened, his hand reaching out.

He then teased me, leaning in for a kiss, but I pushed him away. The hurt in his eyes was palpable, and I knew I had wounded him deeply. Anthony stared at me, his gaze intense, and whispered, "I love you so much. You deserve the world." Tears streamed down my face as he turned and left. I could see he was crying too, but we both knew it was for the best.

Collapsed onto my bed, overwhelmed with sorrow. The weight of our broken relationship pressed down on me, and I sobbed uncontrollably. Eventually, exhaustion took over, and I slipped into a deep, troubled sleep.

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