3 years ago 

"She’s just a friend, Nora, I promise. I’m not like that.” Dylan said, stroking her cheek as he looked at her in a way that made her feel like she was the only one. 

 But she wasn’t. And the other girls were getting betrayed as well, though they were oblivious too. Lying was a pastime. 

“Just a friend, are you sure?” She whispered back, leaning against his touch. 

She was trying to be serious, but he left her mesmerized. She felt loved. A feeling she had never experienced when her mother had left her. Her head was laying on his chest, and she felt at ease with him.  

“Shut up.” Dylan teased, playing with her chestnut hair. 

“Make me...” Nora replied softly, her cheeks flushed as she looked into his eyes 

He kissed her softly, and her doubts faded. Dylan was really something. A real heartbreaker. But Nora didn’t know it. She was in love with him, and that was anything that ever mattered when she was with him.  

“I love you, Dylan.” 

He had never said he loved her because that would’ve been a lie. Instead, he’d give her a charming smile, making her forget he had never loved her.  

“We’re together, what do you think?” He chuckled, before he closed his eyes and sighed, kissing her forehead, “You should go now, love. You said your dad wanted you to come back before supper.” 

Nora nodded, pulling away from him one last time before she walked off to her house, all giddy and happy. 

Dylan slammed the door after she left, sighing deeply, rolling his eyes. She was so stupid in thinking he had ever loved her. He had fooled her four months ago, when she said she liked him. She’d forget in a few years when she’d enter high school. 

Little did he know it never happened. Not like he cared, though. It wasn’t the first heart he had played with; Nora wasn’t any different. The boy was so talented that even if the girls knew that he was a playboy, he’d make them fall for him and throw them away. 

At the exact same moment, thirteen-year-old Nora was humming to herself, writing in her diary as pop songs played over and over in her headphones, completely in love. 

“Dear diary, today Dylan was extremely sweet. He kept on saying I was pretty, he’s so cute! I thought he found me weird because I was blushing, but he said I was prettier when I blushed and that I should blush more often! That’s so cute! 

I love him so much! I’m certain I will have a good love life in the future, he’s such a prince! He calls me his princess; he makes me crazy! I bet I’ll marry him later! Oh, I’ll be back diary, my dad’s calling!” 

She went downstairs, all giddy and humming, and she sat next to him. She grabbed her fork and took a bite of chicken, laughing to herself. Stephan was overjoyed to see his daughter this happy-he wanted to know what made her happy. 

“Feeling happy again? I’m glad. What makes you feel this way, Nor-Nor?” 

“He told me I was pretty! He’s so sweet!” 

“Don’t let him break you, Nora. You have to be careful, you’re still incredibly young to be in love, and some boys are like that!” Her father warned with a gentle tone, filled with good intentions. 

“I know he’s not like that!” She retorted angrily, gritting her teeth as she folded her arms over her chest, avoiding his gaze completely.  

“If you say so.” 

And he was right. More than right. She thought that this happiness was extreme, extraordinary, but she had never thought it could’ve killed her. 

“He kissed her at the party! He said it wasn’t so bad!” The girl cried exactly a week after, curling into a ball. 

Stephan tried to reassure her, but she pushed him away, crying even louder. Her diary was soaked. But she didn’t care. Her diary might’ve been soaked, her heart was broken, for the first time of her life, and it was hurting badly. 

“You should break up with him...” The man suggested, remaining at a meter of distance, not wanting to annoy her. 

“I did...I think it’s better for me.” 

“You did a good decision.” 

*** 

Present day 

I wake up from my sleep, rubbing my eyelids. My eyes flicker and I notice my cheeks are wet. Shit, I’ve been crying. Not that shitty dream. It only remembers me of this asshole. Yet it did happen, but I was too dumb to notice it. 

I got trust issues with Jules now, but I know he won’t break me. Well, I hope not. I wonder if Cegep’s going to separate us though.  

We have one more year of high school, one year to keep us alive.