Love is pain

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"Jane, you have to listen to me; Leo isn't who he is.”

I narrowed my brows in both confusion and curiosity.

“What do you mean?” I asked not to take the idea of Judith telling me who my boyfriend is.

I'm Jane, a 20-year-old high school girl, beautiful with porcelain skin. I am all shards of beauty, you could tell from my beautiful sparkling green eyes. I love my hair color, brown. So I dyed it from black to ember brown. And there is my sister Judith, who thinks I'm a child; she is all I got now, acting both as my father and mother, but it stinks being with her because most times I feel she pushes me around.

“There the necklace,” her voice cut through my thoughts. My hand moved to the necklace on my neck; it was given to me by my boyfriend a few hours ago.

Normally we don't open presents till it's Christmas Eve, but Leo really wanted me to see this; I didn't mind, actually.

My hands caressed the gold metal on my neck with a raised eyebrow that asked the question, ‘What are you getting at?’

“It changed color, just now,” Judith said with pop eyes, like she was surprised. Her eyes darted on my necklace. Is she jealous or something?

“Judith, I know you don't like Leo. Please just leave us alone and mind your business.”

"Jane, you are my business, and I have to protect you,” she said. We were both in the kitchen, and the door shut closed. I was about to get coffee for Leo, who was seated in the sitting room.

I knew the circumstances I and Leo met weren't right. We met at the bar when I almost fell to the ground. He caught me, and I was drawn to his ocean blue eyes. I felt a connection, one I can't explain. It felt like we had known each other for a long time; my body reacted so quickly when he touched me. I looked forward to meeting him or running into him, and after that day I met him in class with Mia.

I was happy to see him, but not until Mia introduced him as her boyfriend. I felt hurt, but I had to let him go, knowing he is my best friend’s boyfriend, but Leo didn't stop. He began sticking with me, showing up at my house and at the coffee shop everywhere I went.

I thought I could suppress this feeling, but every time I set my eyes on him, it resurfaced. I was losing my mind. I asked him to stop; nothing was going to happen between us. I can't hurt my best friend; I can't be the reason for her broken heart. Leo understood my point. He stopped coming after some time. I miss seeing his face, but it was for the better, and the next thing that happened was Mia coming to me in all tears that her boyfriend broke up with her. She asked me to find who the other girl Leo was seeing.

I am the other girl; how will I say this to Mia? I'm the one Leo has been chasing all this while but remained silent. Now I'm on the mission to find out who Leo is chasing after. Leo told Mia he had fallen out of love, which is the reason why he was breaking up.

Telling Mia about this will break her hurt; she is already hurting from the eyebags underneath her eyes, her reddish eyes, which she covers with sunshade. She became the shadow of herself.

I feel guilty knowing I'm the cause of her pain. I know I have to tell her one day, which will cause me to lose our friendship, but I don't know if I can.

But two days before Leo and I began to date. I decided to confess to Mia; she deserves to know the truth. Looking at her as she sat in the coffee shop with her dark shades, my heart broke into pieces, and my hands trembled. Taking a deeper step into the coffee shop was like carrying a heavy brick underneath my feet.

"Mia,” I called when I got to where she sat; she turned to look at me.

“Did you find the girl?” she asked. I swallowed hard, taking a seat opposite her. I held her hands.

“Yes, I did.” My chest tightened so painfully when she asked me to go ahead.

“Mia I don't know how you will take this, but I'm the girl Leo is chasing after,” I said with a trembling voice.

There was a momentary silence before she brought down her glasses immediately, black eyes, smirked eyeliner, and a pale and dull face. Mia is suffering; her soft eyes harden, and she quickly removes her hands from me like I'm irritating her.

“What are you talking about?” She asked again to be sure she was hearing properly.

“Mia I'm so sorry. I should have told you, but I didn't know Leo was already dating when we first met. I'm sorry, please forgive me." I couldn't hold back the guilt anymore as tears trickled down my cheek. I knew I'm going to lose my best friend, but it was best if I told her the truth.

Fast-forward We are now dating, and now my sister thinks there is something wrong with Leo.

“I got you,” my sister giggled at me; it wasn't funny her pulling a prank on me.

“See how serious you are, like you want to bounce at me,” Judith stopped taking my hands into hers.

“I love you, sister, and I'm happy for you. I know you lost Mia, but I'm sure she will come around. You have to give her some time." I nodded, and just then the door cracked open, revealing Mia with a rap gift on her hand.

“Merry Christmas.” I stood both in shock when Mia showed up in my house.