The Break Up

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“Listen.” Kim said. 

Kim was in the car, parked on the bank of the lake. She was speaking to Troy. 

Troy never listened. 

This was why they were where they are now. 

Troy just never listened. 

“Ok. Look.” Kim said. 

He had nothing to say. Just that dumb look on his face. It frustrated her to no end. 

“I owe you an explanation.” Kim said. 

Again, Troy sat silently. Surely he knew this was the end. The big fight they had. The volatile torment their relationship had endured in recent months. It would be an insult if he didn’t know this was actually the end. 

“It’s not you, it’s me.” Kim said. 

Really? Are you going with that? Did you just watch a 90s sitcom or a poorly written Rom-Com? 

It’s not you - it’s me. 

What’s next? 

‘I’m in a weird place right now.’ 

“Ok. Forget that.” Kim said. 

Kim looked down at Troy’s chipped and cracked finger nails. She looked at his tatty jeans. She looked at his unkempt hair. She remembered her father’s words when he first met Troy. 

That boy is going nowhere in life. 

“It’s you - alright? It’s always been you. You’re lazy. You’re dishonest. You go out with your friends and I don’t see you for four nights on the bounce. I see how you look at other women, don’t fucking think I don’t. My family hate you. And look at the state of you. Look at the mud stains on your trousers, look at that hair. I wasted three months of my life with you. It’s you. It’s you. It’s you!!!!” Kim screamed at Troy. 

She wondered if this was sinking in. The gravity of it all. The reprimanding. The finality of her words. The seriousness of where they now were. 

Break-ups are hard. 

Kim wondered if she was to blame. Despite everything she just told Troy. Of course, she was to blame. After all, she was the nutjob. She was the one that lost her shit when THAT name came up on his phone. 

“Rhiannon.” 

She spat the words on the dashboard. 

She was the one that was too often parked outside his house in the evening. She was the one that constantly monitored his whereabouts, called his sister when he didn’t answer the phone immediately, and sometimes drove around there at midnight.

It was her. 

“Look. I’m sorry. I have to take responsibility too.” Kim said. 

Still nothing. 

“And if you don’t want to discuss our relationship, then I’m afraid. That’s it.” Kim said. 

She looked longingly at Troy. That pang of regret started to sink in. 

I do love you, Troy. 

She pushed Troy. 

Troy’s jaw detached from the thread of skin holding it. 

That was where she shot him. Right in the mouth. 

It’d been hanging for an hour now. 

Finally, the skin detached itself. 

Kim picked up the jaw and tried to mould it back onto Troy’s face. It was hopeless. 

Breakups are hard. 

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