Two Years, A Cosmic Lie

Chapter 2

Word Count: 629 | Released on: 10/07/2025

a mechanical purpose, folding clothes and putting books into boxes. Chlo

rn in my muscles a welcome distraction. When I

alk about this?" she as

her touch soft and familiar. I f

id, my voice

ack, surprise widenin

hloe. I'm goi

w knew were completely empty. She didn't press the issue. She was good a

d, and stared at the ceiling. For the first time in two years, I fell aslee

I walked into the living room and saw Chloe standing by the w

brought it bac

oice uncertain. She ran a finger over the p

walked over, took it from her hands, and dropped it in

t made was

ed out, her voice sharp with disbeli

I interrupted

e from having to explai

still fighting?" he asked, hi

trash bag as if I'd thrown a live animal

d, trying to kee

for each other. You can't just throw away two years over some stupid argument. And hey, my dad is throwin

h that sounded more like a co

uys are solid. So

n me, wide with a desperate hope. She was thin

bout it," I sai

too long. Let me know," h

s a carefully constructed mask of concern, but I could see

in my mind, a crue

f Liam and I were both in trouble, a

ced smile on her face. "Don't be silly, Etha

Chapter End

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Two Years, A Cosmic Lie

Tamarah Lupton Sci-fi

“I poured every spare dollar from my part-time jobs and scholarships into a scuffed-up piggy bank, dreaming of a future with Chloe and a promise ring that would seal our love. But then I heard her laugh-a laugh that wasn't for me. Just an hour after I ended things, saying "We're over," my best friend, Liam, walked up, clueless as ever, showing off an expensive watch Chloe had helped him pick out, a watch that screamed what a joke my cheap promise ring was. I ducked into a stairwell, my heart pounding, and pulled out my phone. In our shared photo album, I found a selfie of Chloe and her friends at a fancy rooftop bar. Zooming in, I saw it-my piggy bank, next to a bottle of champagne, being used as an ashtray. The memory hit me: overhearing Chloe brag to her friends about using me as "A tool, a pawn to make Liam finally notice me," all while calling me "a little charity case" and "so boring." My world shattered. Two years, all a lie, a game where I was just a prop in her drama with Liam. The cheap daisies I held for her surprise visit were crushed in my hand, my stomach churning with nausea. I spent the night walking, my mind a blank, howling void. The pain solidified into a cold, hard resolve: I had to disappear. Five years of isolation. No friends. No family. No Chloe. To me, it sounded less like a punishment and more like a rescue. I went to see Professor Davies and signed up for the Ares Project.”