A Stray Earring

My body froze when I found a used condom wedged in the side of the passenger seat. My mind went completely blank.James Fullman and I had been in love for 10 years. We fell in love at the peak of our youth. We became each other's most treasured memory of those innocent days.The distance between us in our college years did not manage to break us. Although separated by 600 miles, we called each other constantly, pouring out how much we missed one another. I would sob uncontrollably on the phone, while he listened in silence. Tears would well up in his eyes too. No one expected our relationship to last. Not even the internet believed in long-distance relationships.Yet, James proved everyone wrong. He showed up on my graduation day and went on one knee as he presented me with the ring he had spent all his allowance on.It was a sunny afternoon, but James shone brighter than anything else in my eyes. His youthful gaze sparkled with unwavering determination."Melina, I've lived ev

For nearly a few minutes, I couldn't hear any sound.It felt like my heart was being ripped apart. It was as if I was bleeding profusely and staining everything around me.Sally's worried face hovered over me. She wouldn't stop bombarding me with questions."Mel, what's wrong?"Why are you crying so hard? Did James bully you?"Say something! If he bullies you, I'll stand up for you!"I stared at her blankly. In the past, I would feel touched whenever she showered me with these words of comfort and support.But now, I felt nothing but fear in the face of Sally's fake indignance and righteousness. I struggled to believe that the two people who had stayed by my side for 10 years would work together to betray me. They meant more to me than my life.An overwhelming terror consumed me. I felt like someone had dropped a bucket of ice water over me. All the warmth in my body was gone.I had no idea how much time had passed before I finally found my voice again.My best friend now loo

I woke up the next day in the afternoon. My whole body ached as if I had been run over by a car.I couldn't remember how I had ended up at Evan's place, only that he had topped me like a beast, demanding more from me until I passed out from exhaustion.There were no clothes of mine in the room, so I had to grab an oversized T-shirt from the wardrobe.As I walked out of the bedroom and went downstairs, a sudden noise from the kitchen startled me."You're awake?" I quickly turned my head and met Evan's gaze.There was a faint, almost imperceptible twinkle in his eyes. "You slept really well. Come eat now. You must be starving."Contrary to Evan's calm, I didn't know what to do with myself around him.I hadn't planned to end up in Evan's bed after being riled up by James and Sally. I was taken by surprise at the situation too, but I didn't regret it at all.Seeing my expression, Evan's smile slowly faded. "Your phone turned off on its own yesterday, so I charged it for you. Jame

I was nestled in Evan's arms and scrolling through my phone when the scandalous recording surfaced on James' company homepage.The footage showed James intimately involved with a woman. While the woman's face was blurred, James' features were crystal clear.He buried his face in her neck while muttering incoherently, "I can't let go of you, but I also can't betray my wife..."That incriminating remark confirmed his infidelity.The video spread like wildfire, causing an uproar on social media. Soon, our friends, relatives, and even James' parents knew about it.They called me, trying to comfort me without realizing that I felt nothing at all.…That evening, I came home to Sally waiting for me at the door. She wore a smug, triumphant expression."Mel, you've seen it, haven't you?" she asked. "Even though that woman's face was blurred, you could tell with one look that it was me. Yes, James slept with me."She thought I'd break down and sob uncontrollably, but I coolly unlocked