Serena, twenty-one, had what seemed like a perfect life, supportive parents, close friends, and a fiancé who once felt like her future. Her days were filled with laughter, coffee dates, and endless wedding plans. Everything seemed bright, almost too bright to be real.
But perfection has a way of cracking when you look too closely.
It all shattered the day she discovered her fiancé's betrayal. And worse, she learned her friends had known, and laughed about it behind her back.
The humiliation burned like fire under her skin. She felt small, exposed, and utterly foolish.
She texted them that night:
We need to talk. I want to hear your side. Don't run from this.
Her hands trembled as she walked toward the café where they'd agreed to meet. From outside the window, she saw them sitting together, the same table they used to share jokes and secrets at. Their laughter, once warm and familiar, now sounded cruel.
As she stepped through the door, the air shifted. Their chatter died instantly. Eyes darted away.
Serena crossed her arms, forcing her voice to stay steady. "So… how long have you been laughing at me behind my back?"
Jenna fidgeted, avoiding her gaze. "Serena, it's not like that..."
"Not like what?" Serena snapped, her voice shaking. "I heard you. All of you. You knew he was cheating on me, and instead of telling me, you made me into a joke?"
Maya tried to speak, her tone fragile. "We didn't mean to hurt you. It was awkward… we didn't know how to handle it."
Serena's eyes filled with tears. "So, you laughed? You turned my life into a punchline? I trusted you, I trusted all of you."
Jenna finally met her eyes, defensive. "It was one stupid conversation, okay? We didn't think you'd find out. It wasn't serious."
Her voice broke. "But it was serious to me."
Silence fell, thick and cold. Serena felt her throat tighten. "I guess I really was a joke to you."
She turned and walked out, her tears blurring the streetlights as she stepped into the night.
At home, Serena sat on the couch, staring blankly at the wall. Her mother sat beside her, rubbing her back gently.
"Sweetheart," her mother whispered, "everything's going to be alright. I'll talk to him. We can fix this."
Serena shook her head, her voice trembling. "No, Mom. I don't want you to fix this for me."
Her mother frowned, her own eyes watering. "I just want to help. I hate seeing you like this."
"I know," Serena said, trying to steady her voice. "But I need to handle it on my own. I can't keep depending on you. I need to stop being the girl who always needs saving."
Her mother's expression softened. "You're not weak, Serena. You've been hurt, that's all. It's okay to lean on people."
Serena's frustration flared. "But leaning on others doesn't change what happened! I have to face it myself. I have to learn to stand again, even if it hurts."
Her mother sighed, tears slipping down her cheeks. "I just want you to be okay."
Serena took a deep breath, her tone softening. "I will be. But I have to do it my way."
Her mother nodded and pulled her close. "Alright. Just remember, I'm here. Always."
Serena rested her head on her mother's shoulder. "I know. And that's enough."
That night, Serena lay awake, staring at the ceiling. Sleep refused to come. Her mind replayed everything, the betrayal, the laughter, the pitying looks.
She didn't want to be that girl anymore, naïve, dependent, waiting to be loved by people who didn't deserve her trust.
She wanted to change. She wanted to start over somewhere new, somewhere that didn't remind her of her mistakes.
Hours passed. The city outside her window grew quiet. Finally, she sat up, deciding to get a glass of water.
But as she blinked, the world shifted.
The air felt heavier. The room was gone.
She stood up, confused, her bed, her walls, everything had vanished. In their place stood ruins and shadows, a silence so deep it seemed to hum.
Serena's breath caught in her throat. "Where… am I?"