Young and Innocent Love

What is love, if not futile? Fleeting?

Human emotions are rampant and unstable. There’s nothing to latch on to be able to trust. There’s a saying I heard somewhere, by someone who I can’t remember the name of; ‘Airports see more sincere kisses than wedding halls. Hospital walls heard more prayers than a church. Because love is felt more when it’s leaving.

I just confirmed that myself. Neither in a hospital nor in an airport. That would be much too troublesome for a poor college student like myself.

All I needed was the living room of a…close friend. Many of my suspicions were correct. It was an evening of 'revelations’ if you could call it as such. Truthfully, it’s just another jab towards Everly, who happens to be a dutiful Christian girl. Though, that’s what they all claim.

 Once I started making myself comfortable with her boyfriend, the obscenities coming out of her mouth don’t belong in a church. No pun intended. Her shrieks and wailing would make you think she was possessed. Although, she was tied to a chair, so I guess that didn’t help the exorcism she was going through while I made myself comfortable on top of her boyfriend.

Her screaming turned into white noise about twenty minutes into this. At one point it turned into a competition of who can be the loudest. I like to think it was Julian and me, but we were too busy with ourselves to even notice or care about Everly.

Once I’m satisfied with proving my point and getting my fill, I get off from Julian’s lap. He checks over his legs to make sure there isn’t any leftover mess from our little session. I give him a kiss before turning over towards Everly, whose face is stained with snot and tears.

I smirk. “You look hideous when you cry. Was that too much for you?”

I look for my skirt forgetting that I’m still bare in front of her. Not that it matters at this point. She’s seen everything she shouldn't have. I wanted to feel bad for her, truly, but her bad personality is unforgivable. I’m hoping she learns her lesson after this; how exchangeable and replaceable love really is.

“You fucking bitch,” Everly sobs through gritted teeth. “You’re sick in the head.”

“What a mouth you have, but not the best insults I expected from you. I just fucked your boyfriend and that’s the best you can do?”

I can’t hide my sneering. It’s all too revoltingly funny. I never thought myself to be the kind of person to stop this low. Given, I did always believe I was better than this flimsy fake goody-two-shoes, but she needed to be put back into place. There’s nothing I hate more than hypocrisy, and it looks like Christians have a talent for it.

From behind, Julian buckles up his pants. He and Everly lock eyes for a moment, and there, in those deceivingly innocent brown eyes, I’ve confirmed that she loved Julian after all. Now, after he’s been swiped by someone else. It’s a tragic realization for her, and many others like her, that someone’s love isn’t something to be played with nor taken for granted.

Julian was deeply enamored with her. Even those in the trenches of lovesickness and affection get tired of dragging through the same dirt for years and years; with the hope that their feelings will be equally returned. And thus, it was no problem to use him as part of my revenge.

Oh my, I let slip a little more than I wanted to. But it’s true, this was also very personal for me to carry out. I’m not that cruel to mentally and emotionally torture someone just for the sake of teaching them a very valuable lesson.

It’s thanks to sweet, smart, and God-loving Everly that the plan even started in the first place. Let this be a lesson to you as well: do not go after someone else’s partner. It’d be a sorrowful day when you mess with someone that’s much more cruel than I am. At least this hussy got off easy. What’s a little emotional scarring these days anyway?

Speaking of, I wonder what’s going through her head as she watches Julian go into the kitchen to make himself a snack? Right after blatantly ignoring her and being extra loving with me. Imagine that, nearly five years and that what it accounts for. But I suppose it’s not so bad as Christians seem to have a kink for suffering.

“What did I ever to do you?”

My face instantly darkens. Without a second thought, I slap her across the face. It’s the one thing that was missing in all of this. I wish I could be more…expressive, with my anger. But I don’t want to actually be tried for a crime.

“You’re really keeping up with that fucking pious attitude aren’t you?” I snarl.

She turns, a red hand mark appearing on her tanned skin. “I swear, I don’t know what you’re talking about,” she keeps boohooing about.

I can’t help myself this time. I had to slap her on the other cheek to make her see sense for once in her fucking life. I can think of a hundred different times she pissed me off. Yet, she’ll be blind to all of them unless I make it fucking clear to her.

The hypocrisy. The audacity. The fucking nerve to pretend to be my friend while going after my boyfriend. All while making me seem like the crazy one. Making other believe that I’m just an insecure and jealous girlfriend. When I had been right all along: she was in love with Andrew.

I seen it since the beginning; smiling to my face while her hand lingered on his leg or arm a little too long. The giddiness every time we’d show up at the library or at the university café; obviously I wasn’t even given a second look. But she’d know how to manipulate those feelings as any perfect Christian would.

“You two are so perfect for each other. I wish my boyfriend and I were like you.” 

“We can be like sisters-in-law!”

“Yeah, my boyfriend knows Andrew’s my best friend. He knows there’s nothing weird going on.”

Excuse after another. I have to give it to her though, it’s a skill to be able to lie so smoothly without any trace of it showing on her face. Unfortunately for her, my skill is in sixth sense. The second I met her, I didn’t trust her. The only reason why I ignored my intuition is because I loved Andrew and I craved for female friendship.

And it looks like the snake of Eden slithered its way into my fucking life.

You might wonder, what about Andrew? Why am I only punishing Everly? Well, you see, dear reader, I don’t give a fuck about him anymore.

Everly’s punishment is as much as Andrew’s, as I ended things with him just before meeting with Julian. This would also be a good time to mention that I ‘accidentally’ called Andrew while riding it out on Julian.

My phone is bombarded with calls and texts now. Months ago I wished he’d give me this much attention when I asked for it. Begged even. But, his time at the library with Everly was much more important than taking my fucking phone call. I’m still seething from hearing Everly’s sickening giggling in the background when Andrew finally decided to answer.

“Look at that; thirty texts in five minutes,” I mumble to myself as I watch the string of texts he sent me. Most of them pleading for me to pick up the phone. There’s about three voice messages that I won’t bother to listen.

I look down at Everly, still with her non-stop crying. I grab a tissue from the couch and wipe her tears with it. “Christian really are disgusting. They act like they do no wrong while committing every sin on the table.” I bop her nose with the tissue. “Just like you.”

“I don’t!”

Another slap. Who cares at this point?

“You like throwing yourself at someone else’s boyfriend while you have your own. Like an unsatisfied slut. Did you think I wouldn’t know you’re in love with Andrew?"

“I-I used to be! That doesn’t justify what you did! You’re sick in the head!”

“Yeah, yeah, you already said that. Be more creative will you?”

I start collecting my things as I still have some studying to do. Although, since I’m not a nursing major like some people, I don’t think practicing for an upcoming play counts as studying after all. As I’ve heard.

Julian’s still enjoying the sandwich he made, ignoring the scene in front of him. I’m actually a little surprised at his nonchalance. He and Everly were planning for marriage at one point. It was like a switch flipped inside of him when he came to me with the truth about Everly pathetically pining after my boyfriend.

He found out the traditional way: text messages. Everly ranted to one of her equally whorish friends about how much she cared about Andrew, how she wished to be with him, and how I don’t treat him right. After seeing those screenshots, my anger spiraled out of control. Andrew also hurt me for being too dense and inconsiderate of my feelings. My resent led me straight to Julian’s arms, but it wasn’t enough, I wanted both to suffer.

Before finals week, I accosted Everly until late in the night. After leaving the library and going to the parking garage, I took my chance and lunged at her.

I slammed Everly’s head against the car door to knock her out. To avoid leaving her without a ride, I took the liberty of taking Everly’s car, with her in it, to Julian’s house. That way she’d leave faster after the show she was about to watch. But it took her a while to wake up to the sounds of Julian and I moaning on the sofa.

Hm, I guess she does have reason to cry this much.

“Julian…why? Why would you? With her?” Everly bemoans to her then-lover.

The latter looks straight at her, deadpan, silently chewing on the least piece of his sandwich. A small squeak comes out of Everly from the lack of his reaction. I sigh, wondering when she’ll drop the innocent act.

“Had enough already?” I ask her while rolling my eyes.

She grits her teeth, finally baring those hidden fangs. “FUCK YOU! FUCKING BITCH! I HOPE YOU ROT IN HELL!”

“I’ll be seeing you there, babe,” I say smiling. “But, since it looks like you do love Julian, even a little, I’ll think give you more to watch.”

I mimic her giggle. Her signature noise to end every sentence. I should've known it was a demon’s call in the first place.

“No! Please, stop! Stop it! I’ll tell Andrew everything!”

I scoff. “Go ahead. He already knows. And I don’t want him anymore.”

After gathering my belongings, I give Julian a long, slobbery, and deep kiss just peek at Everly’s pained expression. A little cherry on top for the end of the night. However, to truly make the whole thing worth it, I slip off my underwear and wrap it around her face.

"Here, have a good smell of Julian. You’re still a virgin, right? Poor him,” I sneer. I head towards the door, pausing for a brief second before opening it. “He’ll put you out the curb once he’s done snacking, don’t worry.”

I close the door behind me, relishing on Everly’s screaming and cursing of Julian and I. If there’s something to learn about tonight, is that love isn’t as promising as we all like to believe. It’s spewed as easily as a sweet and poisonous lie. Almost like the verses Everly likes to yap about when she’s wears her veil of innocence.

However, I won’t sit here and lie to you, dear reader, that I’m made of pearls and holy water. I never thought I’d be capable of such cruelties. Much less enjoy participating in them. Perhaps I was a fiend in disguise, waiting for the perfect moment to shed my human skin and wreak havoc on someone.

And for what? For some salivating harpy that's so insecure in herself that she wants someone else's man to fill that pathetic hole in her? I could've just slept with Julian without traumatizing Everly and dumped Andrew without another word.

Oh well.

All that’s left to do is wait for Hell to break loose on school grounds tomorrow morning.