YOU’RE NOT MINE OR ANYONE ELSE’S

”It happened just like that? ” Sydneys soft arms caressing Phoebes face, also trying to get the best position to view the heavy eye bags growing under Phoebes puffy eyes. She had been crying all day.

Sydneys been Phoebes best friend since college. The two started off as roommates and studying the same course made then realize theyd be seeing more of each other daily. The two knew they couldn escape each other and they concluded that the friendship was meant to be. Over the years, the two had gone through lots together. They knew a lot about each other. Partying, fights, relationships, heartbreaks, boy problems, family drama and a lot more, the two went through together. The pair never seemed to be unpaired.

The moment Phoebe rang Sydneys doorbell, she knew she was going to get questioned. She knew Sydney was going to ask questions she seriously didn want to give answers to because she was still finding it difficult to process what had happened at the airport. She was not ready to give Sydney answers because she didn want to believe what had happened happened but after much pestering, she decided to give in.

”Just like that. He just straight up dumped me the moment he saw me at the airport. I… I… ” Phoebes words got cut off by the cries she was trying to hold back.

”Its okay. You
e okay. Everythings gonna be fine. Hes probably just jet lagged or maybe things didn really work out in Spain the way he wanted and he couldn control the anger and he poured it out on you. By morrow, hes probably going to realize his mistake and apologize. ” Sydney reassured Phoebe with the hopes of cheering her up a little bit.

” You don understand. He looked me dead in the eyes and said it. His eyes were empty. I couldn read it. I could not make out any emotions. It was like he had no pain or regrets saying it. Im just so confused. ”

” Shh, its okay. ” Sydney moved closer to Phoebe and put her head on her shoulder, stroking her hair.

” Mind if I sleep over? ” Phoebe looked up at Sydney, eyes red and swollen with tears in and around it.

” Of course not. My place, your place. Mi casa es su casa. ” Sydney smiled.

The two of them stood up from the couch. Sydney took Phoebe to the guest room, hugged her and left.

That night, Phoebe found it difficult to sleep. Various thoughts running through her head. Mixed feelings like sadness, anxiety, fear, disappointment and whatever negative emotions have you. Reflecting on Sydneys words, she managed to sleep, hoping for the best, hoping she would wake up to a text from Bryan apologizing, asking her to come home.

Her hopes were met, well, not exactly though. He didn apologize.

Come home. The text stated.

He told her to come home though. He wanted her back, so she thought. She became hopeful once more.

”Are you sure about this? ” Sydney asked Phoebe, staring at Phoebe and the text simultaneously. ”He just wrote come home and thats all. Its sounds more like a dominant order. ”

”Well at least he texted me. Hes probably going to apologize by the time I get there. ” Phoebe said with a little bit of hope.

” Ok, if you say so. Im following you though just in case things go south. ” Sydney said.

” Ok, negativity thinker much. ” Phoebe chuckled. Sydney gave a half smile and followed Phoebe to her car. Something was not right and Sydney had feelings that whatever was going to happen there wouldn be good and itll be nothing close to what Phoebe had in mind.

The drive to Bryans house was taking a little longer than Phoebe liked. Despite what happened the day before. She was still eager to meet with Bryan, talk things out. He messaged her you know, he wanted her back. She had this in mind and kept a resting smiling face throughout. Finally, they got to Bryans house and what they saw made Phoebes resting smiling face, well, not so resting.

They were Phoebes belongings, thrown out of the house and scattered everywhere on the front porch, others spread across the garden. Phoebe and Sydney stepped out of the car and walked over to where the belongings were. Her boxes were all over, one even opened and few clothing scattered everywhere. It looked like a garage sale gone wrong. As if knowing she was around, Bryan walked out of the house and stared at Phoebe and Sydney. It was like a staring game, no one said anything until Phoebe managed to break the silence.

”Whats this Bryan? ” Phoebe asked with shaky voice.

”Your things apparently. ”

”Why are they all scattered around? ”

”I think you can answer for yourself. ”

”Bryan whats wrong? Why are you doing this? What did I do wrong? ” Phoebe started sobbing.

” ”Why this, why that, WH questions here and there. Thats not why I called you here. I didn call you here to have a chat. I called you to clear this shit from my compound. Its messing everywhere up. ” Bryan said, pointing at her belongings and squinting his face.

”Our rooms inside Bryan. My things are messing here up because YOU threw them outside. You did this. Its fine. Ill take them inside. ”

”Inside where? Yeah I did this and everything I do is for a reason. ”

”What reason? ”

”Im throwing you out. ” Phoebe stopped moving. She stopped blinking, she stopped breathing, she stopped everything. She couldn believe what she just heard. It hit her pretty bad.

”Don look at me like that. Im throwing you out. I don want to live with you anymore. ”

Phoebe staggered. It was like a huge load was thrown at her physically. She was about to fall down when Sydney ran to her side and caught her. She took her to a bench in the garden and sat her down. She then went to get all of Sydneys belongings and put them in the car. She just stood close to the car and kept quiet while all the drama unfolded. It was when she noticed Phoebes lack of balance, she went to help her. After packing all the luggages and stuff, she went to stand Phoebe up from the bench.

”One more thing… ” Bryan said, making Sydney and Phoebe stop. ”… I told you before. Theres no us. Theres no Phoebe and Bryan anymore. I just ignored the fact that you said OUR room because I didn want to elongate this issue. I never want to hear you say it again. Hell, whats the use, this is the last time we
e gonna see each other. ”

Phoebes sobbing increased and became uncontrollable. ” Shhh, its okay. ” Sydney rubbed her palms on her back. As they were heading to the car, Sydney looked back and glared at Bryan. He smirked. What an asshole, She muttered.

”Ill drive. ” Sydney took the keys from Phoebe and drove to her house.

**********

Phoebe didn say a word on the way home. She found it extremely difficult to process everything that happened. What she did not want to happen happened. She didn want to accept reality. Deep down, she already knew this would happen but something in her always shrugged it off. Too much positivity.

”He threw me out. ” Phoebe managed to say when they got back to Sydneys house.

”Normally Im the kind Id friend to say I told you so but this is a serious situation so Ill keep that aside. ” Sydney said. ”To be honest, I already knew something like this would happen. Not too extreme though. I just knew that things wouldn turn out as expected. ”

”What did I do wrong? ” Phoebe said, still sobbing.

”That, we have no idea of but hes a jerk for all this shit hes doing. You know you
e welcome to stay here as long as you want. ” Sydney dragged Phoebe to her side and rested her head on her shoulder, similar to the day before.

Night reached and Phoebe got to her room. Dipping herself into the cold water in the tub, she remembers how the day before was. Soaking herself in hot water, eagerly anticipating her long awaited reunion with her boyfriend. She couldn help but chuckle dryly at how the reality was the exact opposite. First hot water at his house, now cold water at Sydneys. Happy about meeting her boyfriend, angry and sad about meeting him. She got out of the tub and dried her body. She put on her PJs and got to bed. As expected, she couldn sleep. Various thoughts running through her head. She starts to reminisce about the day she and Bryan met, the thought that made her heart sting the most.

**********

It was her second year in college. She worked at a small dairy shop near her school. Her parents were rich though and they could afford her fees but she felt the need to work, just like how she felt the need to work even when she was with Bryan. She didn want to bother her parents on unnecessary expenses that she could afford if she gets paid. Her job basically was to serve people. Staying behind the counter, she accepts peoples orders and serve them.

It was a normal less busy day as the shop wasn always crowded. Theres a bell over the door which creates awareness that someone just opened it and walked in or out. It sounded. Bryan came in. She didn know him back then. He came over to the counter.

”Hello, welcome to Bettys. Whats your order? ” Phoebe smiled.

”One cup of coffee please. ” Bryan smiled.

”Just a cup of coffee, nothing else? ” She returned the smile.

”Yeah Im heading to work. Just need something to soothe me. The coffees probably not needed anymore. Your voice has already done the job. ” He smirked. He wasn a student. He already had a job with Mabel. Yeah hes older than Phoebe with five years. He already worked with Mabel when Phoebe was in her second year and thats why Mabel was fond of him. He was also good at his job though.

”Mhmm.. ” Phoebe smiled knowing what he was trying to do. ”Black or creamed? ” She asked, still smiling.

”Black. ”

”Sugar? ”

”Wouldve said yes but you
e the one mixing and youve already touched the cup. Is the sugar necessary. ” He smirked again.

”Ok does this work with every girl you meet? ” Phoebe laughed.

” Whats that? ” Bryan laughed.

”Using things around as sequences to flirt? ”

”Sometimes. Is it working? ”

”Thatll be $2 ” Phoebe smiled.

”Sure. Keep the change. ” He gave her a higher price and also tipped the jar. He headed out.

”Thanks. Ill make sure I use all the money wisely to pay my way into a broadcast station warning every girl not to fall for men who flirt terribly. ” Phoebe shouted over the counter. Bryan chuckled and left.

He kept coming regularly and finally, Phoebe gave in. They started going on dates till they became official. Phoebe cherished those moments. She wondered where things went wrong.

The Bryan she knew then isn the Bryan she knows now.