How to Survive a Breakup

ast midnight, and I sti

ing of this wa

he man next door. It used to sound so

tling, followed by playful laughter from a man and a

Neil Buckley, and the woman laughing with hi

small two-bedroom apartment, it was

my bedroom into the cold h

a moment, I couldn't breathe, tears s

nd waited for about 15 minute

ps this was his gift to me for

ck a day and sen

true story: The

ent, I was sitting in the waiting room

e door, I observed a man in a

atures, nothing like the

almost too perfect to be

with a handsome face and a pair of beautiful hands. I was

extended my hand for J

a razor blade on my pale wrist, a h

nd take off your cloth

tant to cover me with a blanket from the waist d

issue, and for the massage and el

me from pulling the

lly chose because halfway through the treatment, he as

inwardly chuckled. Neil was right. No

grazed my back, I interp

rying to maint

o touch me next time. There were

s over, and sudden

o I stood quietly at the hosp

ack Benz sped past, splashi

ground as wate

ar st

olding a black umbrella slowly approached

?" His voice was

unded, I'd rathe

m f

and stubbornly

tice in this blind

at me from

gh, revealing the black lace un

a rush to hail a taxi

over the awkwardness o

ted entirely toward me, while rainwater drips down

do yo

ve you

ember something and explained, "It'

as r

. Sanderson. I'll

hands re

for a while, and he sighed.

eople ahead of me." I

me, his tone was more of

e umbrella and walked throu

, I got in

ly glancing at me in the passenger seat, but he qu

, may I add yo

iously

ly taken aback,

efore my next treatment. It's difficul

nient, can I at least get t

ll that

ead. A

phone, his long fingers tapping a few times befo

rig

Whatsapp, I didn't mes

said was a silent

for work and returned to m

d only occasionally

had became

ind Neil and Eunice feeding

s the one I staye

t dis

and buried mysel

I were having a huge argument

insisted on moving to Neil's city because

y chain-smoking and Mom crying, I still

by a familiar, yet

, I struggle

ions, so I grabbed my phone and f

on, are you

lance at the time. It was midn

ply, but after a whi

e word for half a minute, su

oise next door h

nkness, another message ar

just wanted to flirt with him late at night, ma

key. Did you happen

p a rand

no such th

o reply for

it worth responding to, s

the hallway, but this

5 minutes, I stood to go

the car. I'll look again t

I randomly made up a lie in the middle of

simpl

y and screene

for an appointment. I sat outside Jo

ere was a slight look

to. After finishing with each one, he would

g a lot, so I came

ned with

nd said, "Lie down. Let me take a look." After dis

next to him, han

ne

used h

s fingers lightly touch

chill thro

cold?"

right,"

mp over," he instr

ged, he asked, "Does it hurt?" I responded in a tearful

ended up taking two hours, and the nurse wa

rt at all, and I even fell

got up to clean up and pre

ed up to him. "Is there anything else?"

h a ride with you to the sub

staring at me for a while,

he subway station. Instead, he drove

notice, silently ac

ng that he remem

arrived, it w

ny of the desires suppressed duri

ust be hungry by now. If you don't mind, I'd love to invite you upstairs for som

strange man to your home at night was an

if he wasn't interested, he w

moments. His profile in the dark was striking, with a high n

rees, and my vanity whispered to me that if I could w

Finally, his slender fingers turned the car key, pul

said, still e

art skipp

too smoothly, leaving

and led

s echoed in the run-down stairwell, wh

uch a high staircase before, right? The lights are a bi

shlight on my phone

shabby building, which explained why he glanced at t

ed. I'

alm tone, glancing down at my high h

ally. I could walk this with my eyes closed."

peaking, I stumbled, ne

ul," h

ond, I found my

t of jasmine mixed with the sterile smell of d

nt, I felt

ight, it was easy to get

e to tilt my head slightly

ly steadied me and t

ght?" he aske

still wal

dn't want to linger here. People like him, with weal

nted, I led him the re

ome, Neil hadn'

was

ast, and I hadn't really thought abou

es immediately landed on a pair o

roommate's boyfri

en?" Johnny asked,

ss," I lied

r, scanning the room before

hering with

ddenly remembered something important. I told him

didn't have any in my room, s

reebies that came with the bouquet of r

ad caught me off guard. I hadn

lationship had been filled with fights, yellin

eing how few were left in the

had been drained, and I sat down on

options, feeling t

today, Neil and I wo

already crossed t

l knelt down on one knee with a bouquet of rose

, asking me to set him free. He said being with me was too pa

on't be upset, bab

enough. You're suffocating me.

reakup, I thought i

ure on him, shouldn't have been so dependent

, and he took it right to the point

that la

holding my phone, searching every social media platform for informat

s part was that pictur

e with anger. I grabbed one more condom

e room, I saw Johnny c

I realized he was

s sh

ng this one on for now, but I'll come back another day and g

to say, so I quickly hid the cond

ine," I forced a smile, though I knew how

ck the key I lost in your car. You didn't hav

ead, he quietly packed his tools and the packa

ight, lock the door

aid with a smile, lifting the bag i

ushed to the door and called out to him, "Dr.

nded the stairs, turned back, and

ation, he wal

way, clutching the condoms in my ha