“Please, don’t leave me, I’m begging you!” I shouted, my voice hoarse, and broken, my heart racing, and tears dripping down my eyes.

  She looked back, a hint of pity in her eyes, “I’m sorry, but I just don’t like you anymore.” “It’s over.”

  That was all she said before she left me for another man. And just like my other relationships, she left me, and I haven’t seen her in 10 years.

  You know, when I was younger, my dad would always say, “5 heartbreaks, breaks a man, and leaves him lost, without a plan.”

  And right now, in my thirties, with about five failed relationships, that phrase couldn’t be anymore true.

  Sarah, Kerry, Taylor, Selene, and Celia… they all failed. Left me or cheated on me. Even after they did that…I still loved them… still do.

  5 heartbreaks, breaks a man, and leaves him lost, without a plan. Right now, I am at a point in my life… Where I don’t have a plan. I probably should have made one if I knew what was going to happen. But thinking one of those relationships was going to last, was a bad idea, and now…I’m all alone. Broken, and scarred. Not willing to risk another 5 years on a woman who is bound to leave me, like they all did.

  I used to think I would never feel how bad it felt to be broken up with, and when I looked at those with broken relationships, I would feel pity for them, thinking they never knew what true love was. But now, at this point in my life, I don’t think any of my exes showed me true love. I think it was all fake. Just to confuse my conscience.

  Looking back, I can’t help but scoff at how much of a pushover I was. Looking for something…that never existed in the first place…

  Chapter One: The First Relationship

  I can’t start complaining, when I haven’t even shown you why I’m like this. So here it goes.

  It was my highschool freshman year. I was still new to being a highschooler, and although some things were tough, I was still happy.

  Then my life changed when I met her. Sarah. At first I didn’t see much in her, she was just like any other student. Nothing special. I would just walk past her, she would walk past me, no words uttered between any of us.

  And I wish… it stayed that way.

  “Alright, for your team project, I will assign you a partner, and you guys would have to work together to complete your own part, then at the end of the semester, you must have a well thought, and planned-out presentation.” The teacher said, holding a basket with what looked like papers inside.

  One by one, he picked two pieces of papers that had names written on it, and appointed them as a group. Some were ecstatic, others not so much. But for me, I didn’t know how to feel, I didn’t even know the person, and we just walked by each other in the hall, no words exchanged, but now, we have to work together? Great.

  I walked to her, “Yo, you're Sarah, right?”

  “And you’re?” She asked, her gaze directed at me.

  “Sam.” I replied.

  “Nice to meet you Pam.” She replied.

  Wow. She just got my name wrong, how does someone get my name wrong?

  “It’s Sam,” I replied, after a few minutes had passed.

  “Oh sorry, Theo, my bad.” She replied.

  “Sam, not Pam, not Theo, Sam.” I replied, starting to get a bit irritated.

  “Oh my bad Harry—” She started.

  “Sam.” I replied, “Not Pam, not Theo, not Harry, Sam.”

  How does anyone get my name wrong? It’s literally the easiest name to remember.

  “Nah, Just messing with ya, Nice to meet you Sam.” She said, her hands out for a handshake.

  “Well I didn’t take that joke very favorably.” I replied, shaking her hands, “Anyway, I’ll do the research, and you prepare the presentation.”

  “Alright, since that takes off work from my hands.” she replied stretching.

  I just stared at her, not believing what she just said. “Anyway, since we have two months, we meet at the end of each month, that’s all.”

  “Ok, no problem with that.” She replied, her focus now on her phone.

  Yet again, I just stared at her, nothing in this world, and that very moment, pissed me off, more than she did. And I stand by that.

  “Alright, see you in a month I guess.” I said, a bit of annoyance in my tone, as I walked out the classroom.

  I was wrong, I indeed did not see her in a month, I saw her in my next class, and the one after that. In fact she was in all my classes for the whole year.

  Great. I’m going to have to deal with her, even past the project.

  After that, nothing happened for the rest of the month, other than me getting annoyed at her presence.

  But in the final month before the presentation, things started to change.

  Part 2: Second Month

  We met up at the beginning of the second month for the project, since I’ve been sending her things I found during my research and I expected her to at least have something completed. She had nothing. Yes. Nothing at all.

  And looking back at it now, she really was the laziest ex I had when it came to important things other than cheating on me, she was rather quick at that…

  “Sarah, where’s the work?” I asked, looking down at her, disappointed.

  “Well you see I had a lot of things going on, like my boyfriend broke up with me, and I was just too hungry to work sometimes and—” She started with the excuses.

  “I don’t want to hear it, you had an entire ass month to work, but you didn’t do shit. Sarah I swear to God, if you don’t have anything done by the end of this month—” I started, “Look I’ve been on an A roll this entire year, I can’t afford to let my grade slip, so you do your work, or you work alone.”

  “Wait, you’re not serious are you?” She asked, trying to show what looked like innocence in her eyes.

  “Yes I am, indeed being serious right now.” I scolded, “You do your work or I’m out.”

  “Wait, what about my breakup? And me being hungry all the time, are you going to feed or console me as I work?” She asked.

  “Look here, I don’t care about your breakup, and it looks like you're healthy enough, so do the work, or I’m out. And I’m not gonna repeat myself.” I scolded, turning around.

  “Alright I will, you don’t have to be so serious all the damn time, like take a break sometimes y’know?” She replied, “How about we go out for lunch, eat to our heart's content, and worry about this project for another day eh?”

  “Nah, Ain’t doing that.” I said walking away.

  “Then are you going to leave me all alone in this big mall?” She asked, walking toward me and putting her arms around mine.

  Taking my arms out of hers, and walking with space between, I said, “In this day and age, you’re completely safe, plus look at the bright side, there’s plenty of people everywhere.”

  “But… what if I get kidnapped, even when there’s people around, plus I’m hungry.” She started to scream, slowly directing everyone’s gaze toward us.

  “This sly girl.” I thought, “She’s trying to make me look bad.”

  I looked around, and tried to keep my head straight, but shame caught up to me, “Alright, we can have breakfast, then you walk home, deal?”

  “Deal.” She replied, trying to put her head on my shoulder.

  Now this was my first mistake, falling into her trap. Every girl I’ve dated has done this, they try to make me look like the bad guy by doing this, when we weren’t even dating. I don’t know why I fell for this. Multiple times at that

  If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

  After a few minutes of walking, we entered a fast food place. And ordered fries, nuggets and burgers. At least that's what I remember we got.

  “You know, I don’t have money to pay for all this.” She started, food in her mouth.

  “Neither do I, and that’s why I told you to not buy the expensive things, but here you are.” I replied.

  “Come on, don’t tell me you weren’t hungry either.” She replied, drinking one of the sodas she ordered.

  “Indeed I was not, but you still forced me to order things for myself.” I replied, annoyance rising.

  “You didn’t have to listen to me, because you had free will, but you did.” She replied, taking another fry and nugget, and stuffing it in her mouth.

  “Wow look at you try to turn the blame back at me, when you acted like a child in a restaurant!” I replied, trying to calm down.

  “Well ok, anyways thanks for the meal.” She said, as she finished the last bits of her food, “Well, I’m gonna go to the bathroom, because I have to pee, so see yah in a bit.”

  I just stared at her as she left. “She doesn’t want to pay for what she ordered.” “She’s about to leave me.”

  But I had patience, so I waited. And waited. Five minutes passed, then 10, 20. 30 minutes was the straw. I paid the bill that was going to be for my transportation home, but I guess I was going to have to walk home now.

  As I paid the bill, and left the mall, I saw her waiting in front.

  “So, how’d it go?” she asked.

  “Piss off.” I replied walking toward her, annoyed at what she did.

  “Are you mad at me?” She asked, trying to look innocent.

  “Nope, no more of that bullshit, try to look as innocent as you want, I’m done, and I’m tired, and I’m going home.” I replied, walking past her.

  “So am I, I’ve been waiting for you for the past 30 minutes and you still didn’t arrive!” she shouted, directing everyone toward us, as she continued to walk near me.

  “He left his girlfriend alone for 30 minutes? Scumbag.” I heard people say. “How could he leave such a pretty girl alone? Scumbag.”

  “Scumbag.”

  “Scumbag.”

  “Scumbag.”

  “Hey mind your damn business, this has nothing to do with you, so buzz off!” I shouted walking a bit faster.

  “Then you shouldn’t leave your girlfriend alone for 30 goddamn minutes!” I heard someone shout.

  “Girlfriend? Who? This bratty person? Hell no!” I thought, I would never date or like someone like this. And just thinking of that pissed me off.

  “She is not my girlfriend!” I shouted, pissed off.

  “Yes I am!” Sarah responded to my dismay.

  I looked at her, what the hell did she think she was doing? Trying to make me look like the scumbag? Hell no.

  “No she’s not!” I shouted even louder, while turning my head back to look at her, “What the hell do you think you’re doing?”

  “What? I’m just calling you my boyfriend, you should be proud.” She replied, for some reason, a difference in the words she said.

  “Who would want to be your boyfriend? Definitely not me.” I retorted, basically running away from her.

  “You’re lying, a lot of people would die to want to date me, in fact out of a hundred people, ninety-nine would want to date me.” She replied, somehow matching up to me.

  “Alright since out of a hundred people and ninety-nine would want to date you, count me out as the one who doesn’t.” I replied, gasping for air, and stopping because I was tired. “Look, why are you following me?”

  “Because my house is on the same path you’re on.” She replied, also stopping. “And also, don’t lie to yourself, I know you want to date me too.”

  How self-absorbed is she? “Get it in that thick egotistical brain of yours, that, I don’t like you, and I will never ever like you! So I don’t know where you got that from!” I barked while walking away from her.

  “...” She started crying, tears dripping down her eyes like a stream, “he said he doesn’t like me!!!”

  At this point, I don’t care if she cries. She’s pissed me off so much that I don’t care if she starts crying.

  “I’m heading home, you better head on home too.” I replied coldly, as I headed home. Without looking back.

  Part 3: The Rumors

  The next day I headed to school, and there were rumors.

  “Did you hear, he left Sarah all by herself, after she confessed her love to him, how could he do that?” I heard a girl say as I walked to class.

  What? Her? Confess her love to me? Bullshit. That’s not what happened. She made me look like the bad guy!

  I entered the class, and eyes were on me, I could hear whispers and murmurs. And they were all about me.

  Dropping my bag at my seat, I walked toward Sarah, who was on her phone.

  “I would like to have a talk with you.” I started, her gaze now facing toward me.

  “Why would I—” She started.

  “NOW!” I cut her off before she could speak, then I walked off.

  She just sat there, her expression showing shock.

  I went out to the halls where the people just kept looking at me and waited for her.

  When she came out of the classroom I started, “Sarah, what’s the meaning of this?”

  She looked at me, trying to sound nonchalant and putting a piece of gum she had in her mouth, she asked, “Meaning of what?”

  “Don’t give me that bullshit, you know what I’m talking about.” I replied, annoyance rising.

  “Like I said, what are you talking about? Please elaborate.” She said, chewing obnoxiously.

  “Do I have to spell it out for you? This, the freaking rumors!” I semi-shouted, trying to keep my calm.

  “What rumors?” She asked, still chewing obnoxiously on her gum, and now looking at her phone, “If you brought me out for no apparent reason then I’m going back inside.”

  “This motherf-” I started, before calming down, “Two can play this game, Sarah, two can play this game.”

  “Yeah, yeah, you play your game, and leave me out of it.” She replied, going back to the classroom.

  After calming myself down, I went back to class, still pissed off, incredibly.

  Part 4: More Rumors

  Class ended, and a new wave of rumors surged.

  “Sam, hit Sarah.”

  That itself pissed me off, but looking back at it, it really is funny now, because not a soul believed me when I tried to tell the truth.

  Anyway, if these rumors started, then how on earth did I start to like Sarah, and how did we start dating?

  Part 5: Starting to like an enemy

  This was at the end of the month, where our presentation was due.

  Sarah and I met up, at the same mall, and I asked the question: Did you do what you were required to do?

  “Yes, I did.” she replied, her computer in hand.

  I sat down near her, and looked at the presentation while she scrolled through it.

  “This is mediocre, at best all we’re getting is a C.” I started after she finished.

  “Mediocre or not, I’ll take my chances.” She replied.

  “You will, but I won’t, we’re going to have to do revisions.” I replied, “I’m not willing for my final major grade to be anything lower than an A.”

  “Ok Mr. A, how ‘bout you finish it at your own time while I do my own thang,” She replied, starting to scroll on her phone.

  I just looked at her annoyance beginning to pile up. “This is a team project for crying out loud. Either we do it together or else you want to leave me to do it, then you can do both the research and the presentation again, you choose.”

  “Are you really on about that again, we agreed that you do all the work while I take the credit.” She said, trying to gaslight me.

  “Look at you, trying to gaslight me, you really have no shame do you?” I replied, turning to leave, “Since you really don't care, you can do it all on your own.”

  “Wait, I'm sorry, I need a good grade to graduate, and since this is the last major grade of the year, I can't afford to fail.” She tried pleading.

  “Are you willing to do your work properly and not half-assed?” I asked, turning back.

  “Yes…” She said in a nonchalant tone.

  “I'm leaving, since you clearly don't care.” I replied, turning back to leave once more.

  “Yes! I am!” She shouted as if she was desperate.

  I turned back once more. A part of me didn't want to help her, but at the same time, another part of me wanted to.

  Looking back at that time, I shouldn't have helped her.

  “Fine, I'll help you and not leave.” I replied, sitting down near her once more.

  That's when it happened.

  As we were working, I never noticed how beautiful she looked. Her long brunette hair cascading down her back like a waterfall. Her pale yellow skin complexion matching her freckles—which although individually painted on her face usually wouldn't look good—added to her beauty. The way she looked so serious while working on the project. And her perfume, tied everything together.

  This wasn't the first time I sat next to her, it probably won't be the last, so why on earth did I start to notice these things, and feel this way? Especially about her.

  With what felt like fleeting seconds but was more than 5 hours, we finished. Everything was perfect.

  “Thanks for the help.” She started, breaking the silence after a while.

  Still mesmerized, I somehow managed to say, “No problem.”

  “Anyways, I'm hungry, ain't you?” She asked, stretching.

  “Yes I am, I'm in the mood for pizza, what about you?” I asked, snapping out of my daydream.

  “Same, you just took the words right out my mouth.” She replied.

  “Did I?” I muttered, my mind going back to daydreaming.

  “You say something?” She said, standing up.

  “Nah.” I replied, following suit.

  “Alright there's a pizza place nearby, you paying or I'm paying because I came prepared today.” She asked, getting her stuff.

  “It's fine, I can pay.” I said, blinded by my growing obsession.

  “Ok.” She said looking at me, then looking forward.

  I don't know what she did differently today, or that day, that made me head over heels for her. But whatever she did, sure messed me up.