Monday arrived with new rumors.
Andrea was getting tired of being everyone's favorite topic.
This week, apparently, the story was:
Andrea + Tom.
Because of course it was.
One conversation becomes ten.
One laugh becomes dating.
One photo becomes a relationship.
Andrea walked into class and immediately heard:
"I thought she liked Samuel."
"No, now it's Tom."
"Didn't she like Matthew too?"
Andrea stopped walking.
Closed her eyes.
Counted to three.
Then kept going.
Progress.
A few months ago she would've exploded.
Now she was just exhausted.
Tom found out during lunch.
His reaction?
Unfortunately, laughter.
Andrea glared at him across the table.
"You think this is funny?"
Tom was still trying not to laugh.
"A little."
Andrea kicked his shoe.
"Tom."
He raised both hands.
"Sorry, sorry."
He absolutely wasn't sorry.
Andrea rolled her eyes.
"This is exactly why I don't talk to people."
Tom smirked.
"Because they think you're dating them?"
"Because they're annoying."
Tom nodded.
"That's fair."
Andrea stared at him.
Then suddenly smiled.
Tom noticed.
"See?"
"What?"
"You're less angry lately."
Andrea immediately looked away.
"No I'm not."
Tom raised an eyebrow.
"Right."
After school.
The hallway was mostly empty.
Andrea was gathering books from her locker when someone stopped beside her.
Samuel.
Again.
But something was different this time.
He looked tired.
Actually tired.
Like he hadn't slept much either.
Andrea kept her eyes on her locker.
"What?"
Samuel sighed.
"We need to stop doing this."
Andrea frowned.
"Doing what?"
"Avoiding each other."
Andrea laughed quietly.
"I wasn't aware we were together."
The words came out sharper than intended.
Samuel flinched slightly.
Andrea noticed.
Immediately felt guilty.
Then got angry at herself for feeling guilty.
What a mess.
Samuel leaned against the lockers.
"You know that's not what I meant."
Andrea closed her locker harder than necessary.
"Then what did you mean?"
Samuel looked directly at her.
"I'm trying."
Andrea's jaw tightened.
"Trying what?"
Samuel hesitated.
And there it was again.
That hesitation.
Andrea hated it.
"Exactly."
She grabbed her bag.
But before she could walk away—
Samuel spoke.
"Lea and I broke up."
Andrea froze.
Everything froze.
The hallway.
The noise.
Her thoughts.
Everything.
Slowly, she turned around.
Samuel looked serious.
Completely serious.
No games.
No excuses.
No hiding.
Andrea stared at him.
"...What?"
"We broke up."
Her heart immediately started racing.
Dangerously.
Because part of her had wanted to hear those words.
And another part hated herself for it.
Andrea looked away quickly.
"When?"
"This weekend."
Silence.
Heavy silence.
Andrea didn't know what to say.
Samuel rubbed the back of his neck.
"It wasn't because of you."
Andrea looked at him sharply.
"I didn't ask."
"I know."
Another silence.
Then Samuel quietly added:
"But I think you deserved to know."
Andrea swallowed hard.
Because somehow—
That made it worse.
Later that evening.
Andrea sat on a swing at a nearby playground.
Tom sat on the one next to her.
Neither of them were actually swinging.
They were too old for that.
But neither cared.
Andrea had told him everything.
Well.
Almost everything.
Tom listened quietly.
Then finally said:
"So what are you gonna do?"
Andrea groaned dramatically.
"I don't know."
Tom nodded.
"Fair."
Andrea kicked lightly at the dirt.
"I'm angry at him."
"Also fair."
"I missed him."
Tom nodded again.
"Still fair."
Andrea looked at him.
"You're not helping."
Tom laughed.
"You don't need help."
Andrea frowned.
"Then why are you here?"
Tom looked out toward the empty park.
Then shrugged.
"Because friends usually stick around."
The word hit Andrea unexpectedly.
Friends.
Simple.
Normal.
No complications.
No heartbreak.
No impossible choices.
Just friendship.
Andrea smiled softly.
"Thanks."
Tom bumped her shoulder lightly.
"You're welcome."
That night, Andrea lay in bed staring at her ceiling.
Unable to sleep.
Again.
Her phone sat beside her.
Screen dark.
Silent.
For twenty minutes she stared at it.
Thinking.
Overthinking.
Thinking some more.
Finally—
She picked it up.
Opened her messages.
Found Samuel's name.
Her heart immediately started acting stupid.
She hated that.
Then she typed.
Andrea:
Are you okay?
Simple.
Nothing dramatic.
Nothing romantic.
Just four words.
She stared at the screen.
Then pressed send.
A minute passed.
Then another.
Then her phone buzzed.
Samuel:
Not really.
Andrea stared at the reply.
Her chest tightened.
A second message appeared.
Samuel:
But I'm glad you texted.
Andrea looked at the words for a long moment.
Then slowly—
For the first time in days—
She smiled.
A real one.
Even if she had no idea what happened next.