I had just finished binge-watching my favorite TV series, indulging in a pint of chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream (because breakups and sugar go hand in hand), when the bombshell dropped. A text message from a mysterious number popped up on my phone. Curiosity piqued, I clicked on it, never expecting the whirlwind of chaos that was about to unravel.
Unknown number: Hey, Charlie! Buckle up, because I've got some major truth bombs to drop. Your oh-so-devoted boyfriend has been playing you and me like a fiddle. Turns out, we're not leading ladies in his rom-com; we're just two fools he's been stringing along.
Me: Excuse you?
Unknown number: Jason has been juggling us like clowns in his twisted circus.
Me: Wait, what? Who is this? How do you even know about Jason?
Unknown number: I'm Amy, Jason's girlfriend.
It got real quiet for a while.
Me: Are you some kind of joke?
Unknown number: Oh, girl, I wish I were. I accidentally stumbled upon your message while trying to find a cute cat video on Jason's phone. Talk about shocking discoveries!
Me: How can I trust you're not just making stuff up?
Unknown number: Look, I'm the chick in all his social media pics. Don't you find it weird he's using some other girl's pic instead of yours?
That's a valid question.
Why the hell is he using another girl's pictures on social media? Did I miss something? Maybe I should've asked before. Damn, that's sketchy. Is there something he's hiding? Could this girl be legit? Like, could she be spitting out some truth here?
I had a hunch, like a little voice in my head, that whispered the answers to these questions..
I ran my fancy French-manicured nails through my long, blonde locks. There was this solid chunk of silence that came out of nowhere and made the conversation grind to a halt.
Unknown number: Charlie? Are you there?
Me: I can't believe Jason would do this to me.
Those words kept replaying in my head, and it was like my world completely shattered into a gazillion pieces that can't be put back together. I was in freaking shock, couldn't even find the words to speak, as if a giant betrayal slapped me right in the heart. Like, seriously, how could he do this to me? All the trust we had, all the promises we made, they just fell apart like a flimsy house of cards. Regret started creeping in, ruining all those once-sweet memories with a bitter aftertaste of lies. The pain, man, it was raw and merciless. But you know what? In that moment, I made a promise to myself.
I'm gonna pick up the pieces of my broken heart, rise up stronger than ever from this messed-up mess, and find the strength deep within to heal and move the hell on.
An unknown caller's ID flashed on my phone screen, prompting me to answer. Without hesitation, I picked it up, and a light, airy voice greeted me with a simple "hello?" on the other end.
I was a total mess, tears streaming down my face, and she came through, offering me comfort with her words and soothing sounds. While I was bawling my eyes out, trying to string together a coherent sentence was, like, mission impossible. Later, I would scold myself for poor waterworks control. Talk about embarrassing, it was downright cringe-worthy. Once I felt calmer, she spoke again.
She was like, "You poor thing! I'm in the same boat as you, dealing with that two-timing jerk, so I totally get where you're coming from. Turns out, he's been playing both of us like a cheap kazoo."
"Oh my gosh! This can't be real!"
"Trust me, girl, it's as real as the unflattering selfie I accidentally sent my dad. The evidence is right here, staring you in the face like an emoji with its tongue out."
I was like, totally overwhelmed by what I just found out, so I had to say it again. "Oh my gosh!"
I took a quick look around. My bedroom felt so familiar, like my own personal girly paradise. It was a whimsical sanctuary, filled with charm and sweetness. The walls blushed in soft pastel pinks, decorated with pretty paintings and delicate floral patterns that seemed to come alive in the sunlight pouring through the lace curtains.
The canopy bed was a dreamy cloud of plush pillows and frilly cushions, begging to be lounged upon. The bedspread was a masterpiece of ruffles and satin bows, inspiring fantasies of enchantment and fairy tale romances. Sparkling lights hung above, casting a gentle, magical glow over the room.
I gave this big old pillow a tight squeeze.
"He made promises, sweet-talked his way into our hearts, and then betrayed us without a second thought," Amy continued. You could tell she was getting super fed up just by how she said it, all annoyed and frustrated. "We're not the leading ladies in his life, we're just disposable extras in his sad excuse for a romantic comedy. Move over, Meryl Streep!"
"This can't be happening!" I blurted out, all pissed off and unable to believe what I was hearing. "I can't freaking believe Jason would pull this on me. We had this dumb argument about being fashionably late to his friend's party, and he goes ahead and dumps me over that. Well, no shocker there. He's got this whole routine of breaking up with me and then begging to get back together, like clockwork. But this? Unbelievable!"
"Trust me, Charlie, I've been there."
My fists were all clenched up, shaking like crazy from the overwhelming surge of emotions pumping through my veins. It was like an electrical current running wild, threatening to short-circuit my whole system.
I took a big breath. Inhaling that summer air was like taking a sip of pure bliss.
Just thinking about everything that went down, I muttered, "Looking back, it's like the universe was practically waving a big red flag. And I was just clueless."
"Jason tends to have that effect on people," Amy said with this bitter vibe in her voice. "He is a total pro at playing mind games. He's got this knack for spinning things around so he comes out looking like the one getting screwed over."
I let out a snort. "Can you blame him? He's a Pisces. They play the victim card well."
"Guess what? This time around, he ain't getting off the hook that easy 'cause he's messed with the wrong bitches."
Man, her words were a burst of positive energy. I knew my tanned cheeks were all fired up with excitement. "Women who won't be played. I love it. What's the plan?"
"We're going to expose his lies and bring him down a few pegs." Amy's voice had that determined vibe, like she wasn't messing around. She meant every word. "Let's meet up and plan our epic revenge. I'm talking about a social media storm that will blow his secrets wide open. #JasonTheJerk, anyone?"
"I'm in. Let's give that manipulative snake a taste of his own medicine. Brace yourself, Jason, because it's about to get real."
Amy cheered, "Woo-hoo!"
"Let's meet at that quirky bar downtown tomorrow," I offered. "We'll be armed with cocktails and determination."
"Perfect! We'll give him a cinematic experience he won't forget. Get ready, Jason, because the two leading ladies are about to steal the show!"
After we ended the call, it was like a switch flipped, and this unstoppable drive took over me.
Shit was about to go down.