mikrokosmos

44: THE HEART THAT LINGERS

TERRENE THEODORE

JP has been extra clingy to Theodore when they arrived at school the next day. Agy, on the other hand, remained his usual self - quiet, and alone by his earphones in the morning.

Before he slept last night, he easily drifted to sleep. The next morning, Theodore's phone was bombarded with his girlfriend's messages which were all threats of Jenevieve breaking up with him if he didn't come by their house that night.

"So you're really breaking up with me?!" Jenevieve dropped her bag on the seat beside Theodore once she entered their classroom, half their class already inside.

Everyone's attention was on them. JP gulped beside Theodore. Usually, they wanted people's attention but it has an exception - when Jenevieve and Theodore are fighting.

It was almost always like that.

In a month, the couple would fight at least thrice because of a petty thing and it was always Theodore's "fault".

All the bullying in class were all Jenevieve's idea. Sometimes, Theodore would disagree but he would always cave in to his girlfriend in the end, not wanting her to break up with him because of that.

He has always liked Jenevieve Carmichael. He liked women that are feisty, and can stand up on their own. Theodore knew Jenevieve has always wanted to get her parents' attention since she's the middle child. He remembered her ranting about why her parents never really paid attention to her needs - it was always her older sister and her younger brother.

When they got together, Jenevieve was overjoyed. She finally felt that someone was giving her the attention she deserved. That was why Theodore always gave her attention. Though most of the time, he would disagree with whatever she wanted them to do

Theodore loved her, yes.

But he couldn't tolerate her any longer.

The manipulation has to stop and he needed to have his peace just as Jenevieve needed to fix her relationship with her family. He has always reminded her to share her problems even with her siblings but Jenevieve refused and would say that she already got him,

Even though he was feeling guilty of leaving her, he also needed to get out of a relationship that was draining him.

"I'm sorry," he told her. "We should talk later, Jen. Class is about to s-" Jenevieve's hand met his cheek.

"No need to talk. Your lack of effort to fix our relationship is enough for me to let go," Jenevieve spat before taking her bag and moving to the vacant seat where Lyra Jade Thompson once sat.

I deserved that, Theodore thought before fishing his phone out of his pocket.

"Dude, you're really breaking up with the Jenevieve Carmichael? Is this for real?" JP whispered.

"Yes. Now give me space, Blackburn," he pushed JP away from him but the boy didn't listen. 

"You're texting Justin?"

Theodore diverted his gaze from his phone and pushed JP away from him for good. "Stop reading my texts."

"You're visiting again?" JP asked. "Is she the reason why you broke up with Jen?"

"No," he answered. "I've been thinking about breaking up for the past month. Jade has nothing to do with this."

"Jade, huh? Close enough to call her by her first name already. Interesting."

"Shut up, JP. Are you coming with me or not?"

"I'll come," JP gladly said then stood up. "I'll ask De Villiers too."