🦉WIse OWL CHRONICLES🦉

My finger hovered over the “Cancel” button, my breath hitching in my throat. With a mix of resolve and dread, I pressed it. A ping confirmed it: “Plans canceled.” I let the phone slip from my hand, and it landed beside me on the bed. I stared blankly at the wall, feeling the weight of my decision wrap around me like a suffocating blanket. Tonight was supposed to be my engagement party. Friends and family would be gathering at the restaurant downtown, laughter and congratulations filling the air, with me at the center, a radiant bride-to-be. Instead, I sat alone in my bedroom, the remnants of my future scattered around me like shattered glass.

I ran a hand through my hair, tugging at the ends as if the pain might jolt me awake from this nightmare. The arguments with Josh had been escalating for months, but we always found a way back to each other. Until today. Today, everything came crashing down.

My phone buzzed with a message from Lily: “Hey, where are you? Everyone’s asking.” My fingers shook as I typed a response, then deleted it, then typed again: “I’m not coming. I canceled the party.”

Moments later, my phone rang. It was Lily. I let it go to voicemail. I couldn’t talk to anyone right now, couldn’t explain what even I didn’t fully understand. How had it come to this? One moment we were planning a life together, the next, it was all falling apart.

The last argument replayed in my mind, Josh’s face contorted with anger, his words like knives. “You always do this, Sarah! You make everything about you!” I had screamed back, something about him being selfish, about him never listening. The details were already blurry, but the hurt lingered, sharp and raw. And then, the final blow: “Maybe we shouldn’t get married.”

The silence that followed those words was deafening. We had stood there, staring at each other, the reality of what had just been said sinking in. I turned and walked out, my heart pounding, tears blurring my vision. Now, hours later, the pain was still fresh, the wound still bleeding. I glanced at my reflection in the mirror across the room. My makeup, done with such care earlier, was now a mess. My eyes were red, mascara smudged, hair disheveled. I looked as broken as I felt.

My phone buzzed again, another message from Lily: “What happened? Are you okay?” I closed my eyes, took another deep breath, and replied: “I just need some time. I’ll explain later.” I stood up, the room spinning slightly as I did. I needed to get out, to clear my head. I grabbed my keys and slipped out the door, the apartment feeling like a prison. The evening air was cool and refreshing, a stark contrast to the stifling atmosphere inside. I walked aimlessly, the city lights blurring around me. I ended up at the park where Josh and I had shared our first kiss, where he had proposed. I sat on the bench, memories flooding back, each one a dagger to my heart.

I didn’t know what the future held. I didn’t know if Josh and I could fix this, or if there was even anything left to fix. But for now, all I could do was sit here, in the place where our love had once flourished, and hope that somehow, we could find our way back to each other. The minutes ticked by, each one heavier than the last. I pulled out my phone and texted Josh, my heart in my throat: “We need to talk.”