Lina sat by her window that night, knees pulled to her chest, the soft glow of her bedside lamp illuminating the open scrapbook on her lap. She carefully placed a photo of her and Ethan—taken at the summer festival—right in the center of the next page. His arm was around her shoulders, and her smile was so wide it almost looked unreal. She wrote beneath it in neat, cursive letters:
"No matter what happens, we'll always find our way back to each other."
Her promise.
She glanced at her phone. 9:47 PM.
Still no reply from Ethan.
She sent another message just in case:
"Did you eat yet? Don't forget to sleep early. I'll see you tomorrow. ❤️"
Her screen stayed silent.
---
The next day at school, Lina waited by his locker, holding a small box wrapped in light blue paper. Inside was a bracelet she made herself—simple black thread with a tiny silver heart charm. His name was carved inside the heart.
She waited. And waited.
The hallway buzzed with laughter and chatter, but Ethan never came.
Her heart began to sink.
Suddenly, her friend Maya rushed over, eyes filled with worry.
"Lina… Ethan's outside. I think you should talk to him."
Clutching the little gift box, Lina hurried to the back of the school where the old bicycle racks were. Ethan stood there, hands in his pockets, staring at the ground.
"Ethan! I was waiting for you—" she began with a shaky smile.
He looked up. His eyes were cold.
"Lina… we need to talk."
Her world stopped for a second.
---
They stood in silence. She forced a laugh.
"That sounds serious. Did I do something wrong?"
Ethan exhaled slowly, avoiding her eyes.
"No. You didn't do anything. I just… I don't feel the same anymore."
Her fingers tightened around the gift box.
"What do you mean?"
"I'm saying… let's break up."
His voice was quiet. Firm. Like he had already moved on.
The words hit her like a punch to the chest.
Break up.
So simply said. So easily thrown away.
Lina shook her head, tears forming.
"But… you said forever. You said you loved me."
Ethan finally looked at her, and for a moment, there was guilt in his eyes. But only for a moment.
"I thought I did."
---
In her trembling hands, the blue gift box slipped and fell to the ground.
Inside, the bracelet lay broken from the fall—the tiny silver heart cracked right down the middle.
Just like hers.