Her Mistakes

ths, Lisa felt like she

nly girl in the world. Lisa, with her cautious heart and layered fears, had begun to believe again. He made her laugh with silly impressions and never

roommate one night, hugging a pillow tightly. "Lik

ut said nothing. Sometime

conversations became deeper, touches more intimate, and the time they spent together felt s

a mischievous smile, leaning close. "Just us.

place." But the truth was simpler: she wasn't ready. Not for what she felt Joe was truly asking for. Sh

oon as they sat under the huge baobab tree near her faculty build

eyes, and Lisa's resolve began to falter

he whispered

his usual bright smile, opening the car door for her like a gentleman. Her h

s dim, and Joe's touches became more frequent, more lingering

ed, but he kissed

o her hair, and the words wra

sion and longing. When his hands moved beneath her shirt, she hesitated but only

d with a blend of urgency and tenderness. Joe didn't know he didn'

e fell asleep beside her, a peaceful smile on his fac

e man she'd spend forever with. Instead, she had given it away in the

ugh the thin curtains. Joe st

incredible," he sai

r heart sore and confus

eggs and toast and drove her back to campus, humming alon

t made

y had. She convinced herself it was fine, that maybe it was supposed to happen this way. J

the cracks b

weekend, but he'd be out for hours-sometimes the enti

ou?" she aske

ctic school is right now,"

use, though unease c

essed further. "Joe, you've barel

d I'm sorry, alright? I didn't mean to i

by soft kisses and promises that th

me the norm. Then came

"I'm really in a tight spot. I need some cash for

him the money. Of course sh

ds. Every time she voiced concern, he'd brush her off with a

e nev

for a call, a message, a knock on her door. Nothing.

ped my mind. I was

broke a li

birthday, too. Excuses piled up each

baobab tree. The same tree where Joe had first asked her to spend

immed in

here?" she whis

ce whispering, "I love you." She thought of the prom

he thought

s listened. Who had once told her she deserved a

osed h

whispered. "And I w

er or lightning. Just silence, deep

ves from her skirt, and walke

didn't yell or cry. She simply c

n't fi

a long pause. "So y

softly. "I need

ilence. The

expecting the pain to rush in like a tide. Bu

quiet di

, her phone buz

e overthinking things. We've just

ssage for a long mome

nking. I've been under

ct. But I can change. You just ha

ed that

me," he pleaded. "I know I messed up. I didn't realize how

before," Lisa sa

ed. School... pressure... I didn't know ho

't see the cracks," she said. "You didn't liste

a new tactic. "Are you going to throw

" Lisa replied. "It's about a

y. Fine. I'll come over

y. "There's nothing

wouldn'

outside her dorm with a sma

"But look at me, Lisa. Look at us. We've been through

ng her arms. "You think th

moving closer. "I just... I was stup

roblem," she whispered. "

if you want. I'll cancel everything.

tered. His eyes, the way he looked

were spent alone. The unanswered call

ant you to change for me. I want to lea

if he hadn't expected

he said bitterly. "And yo

e you everything. And

ing him standing there with the

e healing tears, cleansing tears. T

self. She learned to say no, to

and smiled-not because someone else lo

d he

e, it wasn't

as r