A week has passed since Anthony and I broke up, and I feel like a shadow of my former self. My once vibrant personality has dimmed; I barely talk, and my interactions with friends are fleeting. My appetite is gone. I'm not starving myself, but eating feels like a chore. A breakup can rip through you, leaving a hollow void that's hard to fill.

In my search for solace, I bought a journal and started documenting my feelings and daily experiences. Initially, I was hesitant. The pain was overwhelming, and just thinking about everything brought tears streaming down my face. But that release was cathartic. Since that first emotional outburst, writing has become my refuge. It even sparked a new hobby: reading. I was always a brainiac, excelling in academics, but books never really interested me. Now, I find myself lost in horror novels. If I weren't nursing a broken heart, romance might have been my go-to genre, but horror seems fitting given my current state of mind.

It's Friday, and I'm curled up at home with a gripping, spine-chilling book, trying to lose myself in someone else's nightmare, when my phone rings. It's Xalia.

"What's good, Xalia?" I answer, trying to sound upbeat.

She immediately breaks down, sobbing hysterically. "That idiot messed with me!"

"Whoa, calm down," I said, alarmed. "What happened? What idiot?"

"Noah cheated on me with a dog and a girl!" she cries, her voice a mixture of rage and heartbreak.

"Wait, what?" I said, trying to process her words.

"HE CHEATED ON ME!!! And now I hate him so much," she screams, her anger palpable through the phone.

"I can't believe Noah would do such a thing. Even nerds turn out to be cheaters," I replied, shaking my head in disbelief. "But how did he cheat on you with a dog?"

"All men are cheaters," she declares bitterly. "The girl he cheated on me with has a dog, and he's been kissing it. So yeah, he cheated on me with that damn dog too."

She started crying again, and I had to console her because, as her friend, that's my job. I calmed her down, offered some solid advice, and she seemed better. We ended the call, and I felt a mix of relief and exhaustion.

As soon as I hung up, I had this sudden urge to dance. I cranked up the music on my phone and let loose. It felt incredible, like I was shedding layers of stress with each move. For a moment, I felt invincible, as if I could take on anyone in a dance battle. I danced until my feet ached and then collapsed onto my bed, breathing heavily. That was one intense workout.

Needing a break, I decided to relax and meditate a bit. Afterward, I took a refreshing shower and headed to the store for some goodies. Then I hit the mall before going straight home. Once back, I unloaded the groceries and started cooking. The kitchen soon filled with the mouthwatering aroma of my culinary efforts. I didn't go to school today because, as I've been saying, I haven't felt like myself lately, so I took the day off with my mom's permission.

After finishing dinner, I enjoyed my meal, watched a long movie in my room, and slept like a baby as night fell.

The next morning, I woke up to find a slew of voice messages from the girls: Karissa, Jaelee, and Xalia. Clearly, they were dealing with something major. Before diving into their drama, I decided to freshen up, eat, and mentally prepare myself. I knew I needed to have a clear head and a full stomach before handling whatever chaos they were about to unload.

And there you have it. I did what I had to do and then headed into the kitchen to whip up some good old breakfast. It was so finger-licking good that I found myself actually licking my fingers—how ironic. While enjoying my meal, I heard a car pull up and then a knock on the door. I checked to see who it was, and yup, it was the girls. They looked absolutely furious.

"Madam, you can't answer your phone when people are calling you?" Jaelee snapped.

"Girl, you got me so tight," Karissa added.

"I tried calling you too," Xalia chimed in.

They were all talking at once, and it was like a chaotic symphony of frustration. I just stared at them like I was daydreaming, but they didn't stop, so I had to say something.

"Everyone, zip it!" I exclaimed.

"Is you good?" Karissa asked, looking concerned.

"No, I'm not good. You guys have been talking all at once, and I can't comprehend anything. I've been going through a lot, so forgive me for not answering one phone call," I said, exasperated.

"I called you six times after our call," Xalia pointed out.

"Oh my god," I sighed.

I let the girls in, and one by one, they started to unload their issues. You already know about Xalia's situation, so no need to rehash that. As for Karissa, her girlfriend cheated on her, and Jaelee found out her crush got with someone else. A real shit show, right? The room was filled with sadness and tension, and I knew we needed a way to release all that pent-up frustration.

"Guys, I think we need to let out all this anger in a rage room," I suggested.

"What do you mean?" Jaelee asked, looking puzzled.

"Yeah, what Jaelee said," Karissa added.

"A rage room or anger room is a place where we can just let out our frustration by smashing things," I explained.

"Doesn't sound too bad," Jaelee said, considering it.

"I was literally thinking about it yesterday. Let's do it because I need to let out every bit of anger I have built up," Xalia said, her voice filled with determination.

"I'm with you guys too," Karissa agreed.

We decided it was high time to hit up the rage room, hoping the cathartic chaos would do us some good. The girls arrived, dressed to the nines, while I looked like a hot mess even though, let's be honest, I usually look fabulous. With a quick wardrobe dive, I found something presentable and gave the signal. We piled into the car and headed to the place, which was conveniently close by. Upon arrival, we were greeted by an almost empty venue --just what we needed.

After signing the necessary waivers, we geared up and got straight to work. I grabbed a hammer and went to town on some glass, while Xalia and Karissa unleashed their inner demons, screaming and smashing like they were possessed. They were a whirlwind of fury, and it was both terrifying and exhilarating to watch. Meanwhile, Jaelee and I took a more deliberate approach, shattering glass with a calculated precision.

But then, the atmosphere shifted. The person in charge cranked up some loud, pulsing music, and the energy in the room skyrocketed. Jaelee and I, caught up in the infectious vibe, joined Xalia and Karissa in their frenzied destruction. We went from methodical smashes to full-on mayhem, channeling every ounce of anger, frustration, and heartbreak into breaking things.

The sound of glass shattering, combined with the blaring music, created an intoxicating symphony of chaos. We screamed, we laughed, we danced --each shatter of glass, each scream, a release of the pent-up emotions that had been suffocating us. It was raw, unfiltered, and utterly liberating.

For the first time in what felt like ages, I felt a weight lifting. The rage room wasn't just a place to break things; it was a sanctuary where we could be unapologetically ourselves. It was a powerful reminder that even in our messiest moments, there's beauty in the breakdown. We emerged from that room, sweaty and breathless, but lighter. The storm had passed, and in its wake, we found a sliver of peace.

After an exhilarating day at the rage room, where we unleashed our frustrations and bonded like never before, we decided to cap it off with a relaxing dinner at a nearby restaurant. The atmosphere was lively, filled with laughter and chatter as we recounted our smashing escapades and shared our thoughts on moving forward.

Jaelee expressed how surprisingly uplifted she felt after venting her emotions in such a physical way. "I really had fun today, and I'm kinda shocked I'm feeling better too," she admitted with a smile.

Karissa and Xalia echoed her sentiments, affirming that the day had been a much-needed relief from their own personal turmoil. "Today was a relief, and I'm still mad as hell at my ex," Karissa declared, her voice tinged with lingering frustration. "But I feel way better. Hell, I think I might move on," she added thoughtfully.

"Too fast?" I interjected cautiously, aware of how quickly emotions could sway.

Karissa clarified with a chuckle, "I meant removing my ex from my mind and finding peace, not jumping into another relationship."

Relieved by her clarification, Xalia teased, "You got us worried there, Rissa."

Karissa chuckled again, shaking her head. "Y'all are so silly. I'm not in the right headspace to just jump into another relationship like that," she assured us.

"I hear you, girl," I said, nodding in agreement.

As we enjoyed our meal, the conversation drifted away from breakups and exes, focusing instead on lighter topics that kept us laughing and bonding. The food was delicious, and the camaraderie among us felt stronger than ever.

Eventually, nightfall crept in, and I reluctantly decided it was time to leave my friends and retreat home to jot down some thoughts in my journal. They understood my need for solitude and bid me farewell with a mix of reluctance and understanding.

Driving up to my house, exhaustion mingled with contentment. Yet, as I approached my front door, a figure caught my eye. Standing there, in the dim glow of the porch light, was Carmen, Anthony's ex. Questions raced through my mind. What is she doing here? What does she want?