As Preston stood there, the weight of his words hanging in the air, the silence between him and Karma felt unbearable. His thoughts were a whirlwind, his heart caught somewhere between hope and hurt. He wasn't sure what to do next. The space between them felt like a chasm that couldn't be crossed in a single conversation.
Just then, his phone buzzed in his pocket, breaking the tension. He pulled it out, his eyes still on Karma as he glanced down at the screen.
It was a message from Jay.
Jay: Yo, you good? I saw you with Karma. Everything okay?
Preston's fingers hovered over the screen, torn between responding to Jay and continuing this difficult conversation with Karma. He could feel the urge to reach out, to talk to someone who wasn't tangled in all the confusion and emotional weight of the moment. But as he looked up at Karma, standing there, vulnerable and apologetic, he felt like this was a conversation he had to finish first.
"I need to check something," Preston said quietly, glancing at his phone again.
Karma nodded, her gaze downcast. "It's okay. I understand."
Preston quickly tapped out a response to Jay, trying to keep his voice casual even though his stomach was twisting.
Preston: Yeah, it's... a lot. I'll explain later.
He set the phone down in his pocket, but the buzzing didn't stop. Another message from Jay popped up almost immediately.
Jay: Alright. Just letting you know, I'm here if you need to talk, man. Don't let things get to you too much. You're a good dude.
Preston paused. The words hit him harder than he expected. He'd been so focused on Karma, so lost in everything she had said, that he hadn't thought much about how it had all been affecting him. Jay, someone he barely talked to outside of band, was reaching out like this.
Preston: Thanks, man. I'll figure it out.
He slipped the phone back into his pocket and looked back up at Karma. She was still standing there, waiting, as if unsure of what to do next.
"Preston, I—" she began, but he cut her off with a sigh.
"I need some time," he said, his voice firm but not unkind. "I'm just... not sure where we go from here. And I don't want to say things I don't mean. Not right now."
Karma's eyes softened, and for a moment, she seemed to understand. "I get it. Take all the time you need. I just... I don't want to lose you."
Preston nodded, but the words didn't quite reach him. He felt the pull of the message from Jay lingering in his mind. Maybe it wasn't the worst thing to talk to someone who wasn't involved in this mess. Maybe Jay was right—he didn't need to let it all weigh on him.
But right now, the park bench, the cold air, and the broken pieces of his relationship with Karma seemed to stretch out farther than any advice Jay could offer. He needed space. He needed clarity.
"I'll talk to you later," Preston said to Karma, his voice softer now.
She nodded, a faint, sad smile tugging at the corners of her lips before she turned and walked away, leaving Preston alone with his thoughts—and his phone buzzing in his pocket.
Preston stood there for a moment, watching Karma leave, her figure disappearing down the park path. The weight of everything pressed down on him, and he couldn't shake the feeling that things between him and Karma were hanging by a thread. Maybe the thread was already starting to fray.
He pulled out his phone again, the buzzing from Jay still lingering in his pocket. He tapped on Jay's message and replied quickly, needing someone to talk to, someone who wasn't caught up in the mess of his relationship.
Preston: Hey, you around? Need to talk.
Jay: Yeah, I'm at the park. Come through.
Preston didn't hesitate. He pocketed his phone and walked toward the bench where Jay had said he would be. The afternoon sun was beginning to dip low, casting long shadows across the empty park. When he reached Jay, he found him sitting casually, looking at his phone, his dreadlocks slightly swaying with the breeze.
"You good?" Jay asked, noticing Preston's tense expression as he sat down next to him.
Preston sighed heavily, rubbing the back of his neck. "I don't know, man. I'm just... not sure what to think about anything right now."
Jay raised an eyebrow but didn't interrupt. He let Preston gather his thoughts, waiting patiently.
"I talked to Karma," Preston began, his voice low. "And it didn't go how I thought it would. I don't even know what to feel anymore. She keeps saying she's sorry, but... I don't know if I can just forgive her and move on like nothing happened. It doesn't feel right."
Jay didn't say anything for a while, but when he spoke, his tone was more serious than usual. "Look, Preston, I'm not trying to be harsh, but you've been holding onto something that's been slipping away for a while. You can feel it, right?"
Preston looked at Jay, taken aback by the bluntness of his words. "What do you mean?"
Jay leaned back, looking out at the park. "I'm just saying... maybe it's time to stop pretending. If you're feeling this torn up about it, maybe it's a sign. Maybe... it's time to let go."
Preston's stomach twisted, and he felt the ground beneath him shift. "What? You're telling me to break up with her?"
Jay nodded slowly, his eyes meeting Preston's. "Not exactly. I'm saying that sometimes, it's better to let things end before it gets worse. You know when things aren't working, and trying to force something that's already broken... it just makes it harder. For both of you."
The words hit harder than Preston expected. It wasn't like he hadn't thought about it. The distance between him and Karma had been growing for weeks, and now, seeing her pull away like this—seeing how the trust had been chipped away—he wasn't sure if there was anything left to salvage.
"You think it's already over?" Preston asked, his voice barely above a whisper. He wasn't sure if he was asking Jay or himself.
Jay's expression softened. "I'm not saying you have to make any decisions right now. But sometimes... it's better to cut your losses than keep hanging onto something that's already done. You deserve better than this, Preston. You deserve someone who's going to be all in, not someone who's playing games with your feelings."
Preston sat there, the words settling heavily in his chest. He thought about Karma, about everything they had shared—the laughter, the late-night texts, the plans for the future. But he also thought about how distant she'd become, how the trust between them had shattered little by little until it wasn't something he could fix with a conversation or an apology.
"I don't know if I'm ready to let her go," Preston admitted quietly, his voice thick with uncertainty.
Jay gave him a small, understanding smile. "I get it. It's not easy. But sometimes, letting go is the hardest thing, and it's also the right thing."
The silence between them stretched for a few moments, the weight of Jay's words hanging in the air. Preston didn't know what to do next. He wasn't sure if he could just walk away from Karma. But he also wasn't sure if he could keep fighting for something that felt like it was already slipping through his fingers.
"Take your time, man," Jay said, clapping him on the shoulder. "But don't let her pull you down if she's not going to meet you halfway. You're worth more than that."
Preston looked at Jay, his mind a whirlwind of emotions. For the first time in a while, he felt like someone was giving him permission to feel what he was feeling—like it was okay to question what was best for him, even if it meant walking away from someone he cared about.
"Thanks, man," Preston said, his voice quieter now. "I don't know what I would've done without someone like you to talk to."
Jay grinned. "Anytime, dude. You know I've got your back."
As the sun dipped lower in the sky, Preston found himself lost in thought. He wasn't sure if Jay was right, or if he was just looking for an easy out. But one thing was clear—he had a lot to think about. And no matter what happened with Karma, he needed to start putting himself first.
The rest of the evening passed in a blur, but Preston knew that he'd have to make a decision soon. And deep down, he knew that whatever decision he made, it would change every
The next few days passed in a haze for Preston. The weight of Jay's words hung over him, and he found himself replaying the conversation in his head. He wasn't sure how to move forward, but everything felt different now. He could feel the cracks in his relationship with Karma deepening, and with every passing hour, it became harder to ignore them.
At school, things had been awkward. Karma had tried to reach out, sending him messages asking if they could talk, but Preston couldn't bring himself to respond. Every time his phone buzzed with her name on the screen, his stomach twisted. Part of him wanted to hear her out, to give her a chance to explain, but another part of him was terrified of what that might mean.
One afternoon, after band practice, Preston found himself standing by his trombone case, staring at the familiar hallway. The sounds of students laughing, lockers slamming, and distant chatter all felt so far away. He was so lost in his thoughts that he didn't notice Karma walking up until she was standing right in front of him.
"Preston, can we talk?" she asked quietly, her voice laced with uncertainty.
He looked at her, the familiar ache in his chest gnawing at him. She looked different somehow—vulnerable, almost like she wasn't sure what to say next.
"Yeah," he said, his voice low. He hadn't meant to sound so detached, but the words came out anyway. "We need to talk."
They walked in silence to a nearby bench, the usual buzz of the school day carrying on behind them. As they sat down, Preston avoided her gaze. He couldn't bring himself to look her in the eyes right now.
"I don't even know where to start," Karma said, taking a deep breath. "I know things have been... off lately. And I hate that. I hate the distance between us."
Preston nodded slowly, his fingers fiddling with the strap of his trombone case. "Yeah, I've noticed. It's been hard to ignore."
Karma looked at him, her eyes searching his face as if looking for some kind of sign. "I know I messed up. I shouldn't have let things with Dylan go as far as they did. It was stupid. I was confused, and I wasn't thinking. I never meant to hurt you, Preston."
Preston remained silent for a long moment, taking in her words. His mind raced, but it felt like his heart was frozen. He could hear the sincerity in her voice, but the damage was already done. He could never unsee what he'd seen—the way she'd looked at Dylan, the way they'd stood so close to each other. It wasn't just a moment of weakness. It was a crack in the foundation of everything they had built.
"Do you still care about me?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper.
Karma nodded quickly. "Of course I do. I never stopped. But I understand if you don't feel the same anymore."
Preston swallowed hard. "I don't know, Karma. I want to believe you, but... I just don't know if I can. It's like... everything's changed."
Karma's expression faltered. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean for any of this to happen. I've been a terrible girlfriend, and I understand if you want to walk away. But please, don't just walk away without giving me a chance to make things right."
Preston looked at her then, really looked at her. He could see the pain in her eyes, the way she was desperately trying to hold onto something that was already slipping through her fingers. It hurt to see her like this, but it hurt even more to realize that he wasn't sure he could trust her anymore.
"I don't know what to do," he said, his voice cracking slightly. "I don't know if I can keep going like this. I don't want to keep hurting."
Karma's eyes welled with tears. "Please, Preston. I'll do whatever it takes to make it up to you. I know I've messed up, but I still want to be with you."
Preston felt his chest tighten, and for a moment, he was torn. Part of him wanted to believe her, to take her back and pretend everything would be okay. But another part of him—the part that had been hurt so deeply—knew that things could never go back to how they were.
"I need space," Preston said quietly, his voice firm but not unkind. "I need time to figure out what I want. I can't make this decision right now, Karma."
She nodded slowly, her lips trembling. "I understand. I'll give you all the time you need. Just... don't forget about us, okay?"
Preston didn't answer right away. Instead, he stood up and grabbed his trombone case, turning away from her. "I'm sorry, Karma," he said softly, his voice breaking as he spoke. "I just don't know if I can be what you need anymore."
And with that, he walked away, leaving Karma sitting alone on the bench, her tears falling silently.
Preston spent the next few days in a kind of numb daze. It wasn't so much that he was in pain—at least not the way he expected. It was more like everything had become muted, like the colors in his world had bled together into a dull gray. He couldn't quite wrap his head around the fact that he'd walked away from Karma, and the weight of that decision felt heavy in his chest, almost suffocating.
He couldn't help but replay every moment he had spent with her, wondering where it had all gone wrong. Was it the way she'd looked at Dylan? Was it something he had missed, some sign that he should have seen before? Or was it simply that things had changed, and no amount of effort could bring back what they once had?
The hardest part was the silence that had taken over. No more late-night texts, no more quick kisses between classes. No more promises of forever. Just the hum of the world moving on around him, as if nothing had changed at all. But to him, everything had changed.
In school, things were awkward. He kept his distance from Karma, avoiding her as best as he could. He couldn't bear to face her again, couldn't stand the way she had looked at him, pleading for him to forgive her. Every time they crossed paths in the hallways, his stomach twisted. It wasn't anger, not exactly. It was confusion, a feeling of betrayal mixed with a deep sadness that refused to leave.
But it wasn't just Karma that Preston was struggling with. It was himself. He couldn't escape the feeling that he had failed, that maybe he wasn't cut out for relationships in the first place. His friends noticed the change in him, too. Jay had tried to talk to him, but Preston always brushed him off, not wanting to burden anyone with his thoughts.
One afternoon, after band practice, he found himself sitting on the edge of the bleachers, staring out at the empty field below. The sounds of the band were still echoing in his head, the rhythm of the music something he had clung to in the past to block out his thoughts. But today, the music only felt hollow, a reminder of how everything seemed off.
His phone buzzed in his pocket, and for a moment, he didn't want to check it. He knew it was probably a message from Karma—another apology, another attempt to reach him. But the pull to check was too strong, so he pulled it out.
It was a text from Jay.
Jay: How you holding up?
Preston stared at the message for a moment before typing out a response.
Preston: I don't know, man. Everything feels... off. I can't stop thinking about Karma, and I don't know if I made the right choice. But at the same time, I don't know if I can go back to how things were.
He hit send, and for a moment, he stared at the screen, waiting for Jay's response. He wasn't sure what he expected to hear, but he knew it would be something that could either ease his mind or make everything feel more complicated.
A few minutes later, his phone buzzed again.
Jay: I get it. You're confused. But the fact that you're even questioning it means you already know what's best for you. Don't let her keep pulling you back in. It's okay to put yourself first. You deserve someone who makes you feel like you matter, not someone who makes you question everything.
Preston leaned back against the cold metal of the bleachers, feeling a lump rise in his throat. Jay's words felt like a slap in the face, but in the best way possible. It wasn't easy hearing them, but there was a truth in them that Preston couldn't deny.
He wanted to be with Karma. He wanted things to be like they were before everything fell apart. But part of him knew that he couldn't keep holding on to something that had already unraveled. He couldn't keep sacrificing his own happiness just for the chance to go back to something that wasn't real anymore.
But letting go—actually letting go—was the hardest thing he had ever had to do. He had never felt more alone in his life, even surrounded by friends and people who cared about him. It was the kind of loneliness that came not from being physically alone, but from feeling disconnected from everything that once felt familiar.
Preston's mind kept circling back to that moment with Karma, when he had walked away. Her eyes, filled with confusion and sadness, had stayed with him longer than he cared to admit. It felt like a weight he couldn't shake, a memory that was gnawing at him.
He leaned forward, elbows resting on his knees, and ran his hands through his hair. He didn't know if he was doing the right thing. Was he giving up too easily? Was he wrong to walk away from someone who meant so much to him?
But then another thought crossed his mind—maybe the hardest part wasn't letting go of Karma. Maybe the hardest part was learning to let go of the idea that he needed someone else to make him feel whole.
Preston's phone buzzed again, but this time, it wasn't a message from Jay or Karma. It was an update from the band group chat. The upcoming performance was just a few days away, and everyone was talking about what needed to be done before they were ready.
For the first time in a while, Preston felt a spark of focus, a reminder that there were still things in his life that mattered. The music, the friends, the band—these were the things that had been there for him long before Karma, long before the confusion and heartbreak.
Preston stood up, feeling a little lighter, a little more grounded. The next step wouldn't be easy, but he was starting to realize that maybe the best thing he could do right now was to take a step forward, even if he didn't know exactly where it would lead.
He had to start somewhere, and it might as well be here.