My epic heartbreak horror story

By Monica Kreber
kreberm@mytjnow.com

Four years ago I was a senior in high school. 

If you were to look at my Facebook status on Feb. 14, 2012, this is what it would have read: “HAPPY SINGLES’ AWARENESS DAY! Oh, and 113 more days.”

By “113 more days,” I meant 113 more days left until my high school graduation.

According to the new Facebook Timeline, I made this status at 7:31 a.m., before school actually started that day. Little did I know that it was going to be the worst Valentine’s Day I would ever have.

In order to explain this, I need to take you back four months beforehand...

I am sure everyone has some sort of “epic” heartbreak horror story from their high school years that they share with friends today. My own story occurred right on Halloween: about a week beforehand, I broke up with my high school sweetheart. It was not a break up in which something profoundly dramatic happened (i.e: someone cheated, someone was becoming abusive, etc.). The relationship simply was not working out anymore. 

Initially, my ex and I were civil and seemingly harbored no hard feelings for each other. We tried the whole awkward “still friends” thing for a week. We still mingled with the same group of friends; we still got along at school. 

Then my ex slept with his best friend’s girlfriend and our “still friends” thing was over.

It was not because the mess really had anything to do with me, but this was high school so no one could be mature about it…especially my ex, who actually had the nerve to steal his best friend’s girl and then inform me on the phone that somehow this was all my fault because if I had not broken up with him, he would not have done such a thing.

In a weird way, I guess he was correct, but who does that to their own friend?

Long story short, my ex and I stopped speaking after this incident. He may have acquired a new girlfriend, but I heard through the grapevine that most of his buddies had sided with his former best friend about the whole “stealing-his-girl-away” problem.

The new girlfriend and I were not exactly friends either. I have plenty of colorful names that I could refer to her as, but I think I will just stick with calling her “Jane.” 

Since I was the ex-girlfriend, Jane. Did. Not. Like. Me.

I think she got it into her head that since she was dating my ex-boyfriend that I was out to get her. Really, I was looking forward to graduating from high school and moving on – in fact, at this point in time, I already knew I had been accepted into Winthrop. Like most graduating seniors, I had a huge case of senioritis once I had my college plans sorted out – that is why I started the countdown to graduation in my Facebook statuses.

I will say, however, once February drew closer that school year, I got a little apprehensive since I was guy-less…and Jane delighted in that fact.

Second semester senior year, when everyone’s class schedules had changed, I had the misfortune of having to pass Jane in the hallway at the end of every day in order to get to my car. She and I never spoke to each other, but on the morning of Valentine’s Day I could not help but wonder if she planned to make some snarky comment as we passed each other later.

I got my answer at precisely 3:35 p.m. when school let out.

At the end of the school day I was feeling relieved. All I had to do was get to the senior parking lot, hop into my “nifty” burgundy Buick, fight my way through the horrendous bad drivers that I shared that parking lot with and go home.

It was the home stretch – literally.

I walked through that last hallway that stood between me and a set of stairs that would lead me outside and to my car…and there she was.

Jane was walking my way, smiling. She had a bouquet of flowers in one hand that I can only assume were from ex-boyfriend.

I kept going. I remember smiling at the people I recognized as I passed in order to look like I did not see her.

But I did see her. She knew I did.

She gave me a weird little wave as I passed her but I kept walking. Then suddenly I heard that ridiculous voice of hers.

“Hey, Monica, Happy Valentine’s Day!”

I froze. With a feeling that someone had just socked me in the stomach, I whirled around but she was gone. I felt my face go red, my palms start sweating, my whole body start shaking. 

I wanted one good reason not to find her and confront her, but instead I swallowed my pride and forced myself to head out to my car and just go home.

When I got to my Buick, I angrily threw my book bag into the backseat, and then something caught my eye. Jane had just passed by a few empty parking spots over. She did not see me; she was looking back toward the school – probably searching for her boy toy.

I did not feel like swallowing my pride.  I dropped everything – I did not even bother shutting the two doors I had hanging open on my car. I quickly walked up behind Jane and said sharply, “YOU!”

She turned around, and immediately started backing up (that part made me feel better).

“What was that?” I demanded.

Jane looked all defensive. “Sorry. I wasn’t trying to p*** you off. I was just wishing you a happy Valentine’s Day…”

“Why.”

She shrugged, still backing up. “I don’t know…just trying to make peace.”

I just looked at her.

“Fine, I’ll leave you alone, if that’s what you want,” she said.

I said, “Whatever” and turned right back around and headed to my abandoned car. I was still fuming as I slammed on the gas pedal and sped out of the parking lot.

According to the grapevine at my high school, Jane remained steadfast in the belief that she was just trying to be nice to me. I guess that is left open for interpretation.

(I think I had the last laugh, though; less than two weeks later, word got around that Jane had cheated on my ex and proceeded to break up with him. Since he had originally stolen her from his best friend in the first place, nobody pitied him).

Everyone has had a nasty break up. It is nothing to dwell on or be ashamed of – I think it is all part of growing up.

At the time, I hated my life as I prepared to graduate from high school. Four years later this is my second time being a senior, and I have noticed that the biggest difference between now and then is: back then, I had a Facebook status countdown to my graduation day. Now I am so busy with my friends, my boyfriend, my classes, my need to find a job…I have not really thought about graduation. When I flipped my calendar page over to February, my reaction was, “Already?!”

Cherish this semester, fellow seniors. Happy Valentine’s / Singles Awareness Day and…I do not want to know how many days until graduation.