Reflection
Five faithful years together and he shacks up with my best friend. I was lucky enough to glance over at a text that backstabbing harlot sent to him. “Meet me at the carnival,” it read. My anger rose inside my chest as he exited the apartment, his lips dripping with lies about having to go in to work on a Saturday. I was furious! How could she try and steal my boyfriend from me?
Arriving at the town park, I was full of bad intention. Pulling my hat down further over my eyes until the lid touched the top of my sunglasses, made it easy for me to not get noticed before I could get my proof. I walked around but couldn’t find them. Then I thought I caught a glimpse of the back of Jason walking into the house of mirrors.
There was a girl in front of him with blonde hair. Her face was hidden, but I knew it was Jenna. My best friend since we were kids. How could she do this to me?
They walked in further and then I made my way inside. When I entered, I could hear giggling so I followed the sound until it led me to a room that I couldn’t get out of. Suddenly it went dark and I heard a voice in the shadows.
“This isn’t how you want this to end. You should sit down and talk with Jason, give him a chance to explain,” said the voice.
“Who’s there?” I asked.
“Give him a chance to explain? What other explanation could there be for him being on a date with her best friend? He’s obviously cheating. You should never trust anyone,” said a second voice.
“I’m scared in here, can someone turn on the light?” I whimpered.
“You don’t have all the facts. You should ask him point blank why he is here with her,” said a third voice.
“Oh like he’s really going to tell her the truth!” said the second voice.
“I’m sure there’s a perfectly good explanation, you don’t have to be so negative all the time,” said the first voice.
“Stop talking!” I yelled. “Who are you people? What’s going on?” I asked.
A light flickered in the distance casting a shadow upon three mirrors all reflecting images of…me. There was one of me crying, one of me angry and one of me happy.
“I don’t understand, how can this be happening?” I asked.
“We are you, all three of us, all the time. We help you make your decisions based on your intellect, your emotions and your rationality,” they said in unison.
“But I am still confused. I don’t know what to do?” I cried.
“Do what you always do”
“Don’t do anything”
“Try something new,” they whispered.
A breeze floated by me, then a butterfly wisped through a crack in the doorway. Compelled to follow it, I stayed on its trail where it eventually led me to the exit. Catching my breath, I stood shaking and trying to digest what just happened. Across the park I saw Jason again. He was standing on a sound stage putting up a banner. Jenna was there too and as I watched them laughing and joking with each other, I began to cry and clench my fists in rage. The thoughts running through my head were scrambled and I honestly wasn’t sure what I was going to do when I reached them.
Breathing heavier now, I became lightheaded from the emotional state I was in and could barely contain the tears ready to burst from my eyes, that I had to stop for a moment and close them before I passed out. After a few minutes I got my bearings and lifted up my head moving full speed towards the sound stage until I saw something that stopped me dead in my tracks. A brightly colored banner hung perfectly across the top of the stage with the words “Michelle, will you marry me?” splashed across it. My jaw dropped as I stood there in total awe. He’s going to propose to me? He’s going to propose to me!
A swarm of different emotions spilled around inside as my heart sunk deep in my chest. Sitting down on the ground, I hung my head in shame. I had let trust fly out the window without giving it any thought and now because of my rage, all I felt was embarrassment and shame. Wiping the last tear from my eye, something landed on my knee. It was that same butterfly. It sat there staring at me, and I back at it. It was beautiful, speckled with several colors, as I was speckled with many emotions. It was a symbol of change, an ability to grow emotionally, to create more positive reflections of myself and to learn to think before I act.
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