The Day Love Burned Out

It was the day before SAT. I made a video for my time capsule. If all went well, I'd be watching the video 10 years later, and all did go well. A bit too well, really.

The moment I opened the video call app, I was connected to the future me. The one living a decade in the future.

"Did I get into Harland U? Got a PhD? Is Johnny still my best friend? He has a very short temper. No one else can stand him. I bet you've gotten your PhD and married Zoe."

The future was a bright, hopeful place in my mind. Unfortunately, the future me flew into a rage the moment Zoe's mouth left my tongue.

"That bitch is giving you pens filled with vanishing ink so Johnny gets to be the state's top scorer instead of you! You're not getting into Harland! You're forced to repeat the year!

"That bitch is going to act sorry and down and promise to get into an LDR with you only to go steady with Johnny right away! The whole campus knows about them! They're the perfect couple!

"You're an idiot, Seamus! Your girl's going to cheat on you, and you'll thank the guy who railed her for fucking taking care of her!"

It's True

The video call came to an abrupt halt. I stared at my reflection on the screen. It was staring back at me in disbelief. Now, I couldn't help but wonder whether it had actually happened, or whether I was hallucinating.

Zoe Shamrock and I were childhood friends. I was still reeling from the sudden news, and my mind was wandering when Zoe popped up behind me and tapped my shoulder.

"SAT's tomorrow, Seamus. You should be studying, not spacing out. You'll be sorry if you flunk it and don't get into Harland."

"As if!" I snapped.

Zoe was an innocent, charming girl. So, I couldn't imagine her cheating on me with my best friend. My mind was settled, and I laughed at myself quietly. Here I was, panicking over a nothingburger even when the tests hadn't begun.

Just then, Zoe plopped a bag of stationery on my desk. "I knew you wouldn't be prepared, so I got it covered! Tuck your ID in and take the whole bag with you tomorrow. I got one for Johnny, too. You're not sharing my presents with him this time!"

She stuffed another bag of stationery into the drawer of the desk next to mine. They were identical.

The smile on my face froze like water hitting absolute zero. Zoe's eyes were flickering with curiosity as they looked at me. "You're looking at me weird. Do I have something on my face?"

I shook my head.

My emotions were churning violently, but I forced them to stay in check. The moment she was out of earshot, I pulled a pen out of the bag and wrote something on a piece of paper.

…

Two hours later, everything I'd written was gone.

I tried the other pen, only for it to end up showing the same thing. This wasn't something I had seen coming. I couldn't believe that Zoe had truly given me disappearing ink pens. That could only mean everything my future self said was true.

I tilted my head and glanced at their empty spots. Before anyone could notice, I sneakily switched my sabotaged stationery with theirs. When I checked, I found that Zoe and Johnny's pens worked just like any other regular pen would.

Now, I could finally identify what was bubbling and boiling under my skin—fury. If I had my way, I would have hurled the pens in her face and demanded that she give me an explanation.

I didn't do that. Instead, channeled all my strength into keeping my fury to a low simmer, though only barely.

…

The SAT was here.

Before we entered the halls, Zoe took her time to go through my stationery. "Look, same pens! I bet we'll get into Harland together!"

A smile curled my lips, but it did not reach my eyes. I threw a question back at her. "And Johnny has the same pen as well. You want to attend the same place as he does?"

Zoe paused for a moment before playfully swatting me on the shoulder. "Hey, you're the one who wouldn't stop sharing my presents with him."

Johnny had always scoffed at Zoe, claiming that I was out of her league. Meanwhile, Zoe had always seen Johnny as a bad influence. The two of them were always at odds. They would start squabbling like a dozen geese whenever they met. I always had to play the mediator.

This whole rivalry was the foundation of my trust when it came to them. I trusted my friends to be loyal. Unfortunately, I was rewarded with both of them stabbing me in the back.