Short stories based on a true story

“I can’t trust you,” he said. Noelle sat speechless in her office. The relationship with her boyfriend was coming to an end. “I can’t trust you four blocks away, let alone four states away,” Tristan said from his Brooklyn apartment. Noelle worked in Washington, D.C. They’d been dating for six months, yet they’d known each other more than a decade. “I’m done,” Tristan said. Noelle, looking helpless on the other side of the FaceTime call, started to regret ever being honest about the “one last time” encounter with her immediate ex. But the sensing she received to be honest about it overwhelmed her out of sleep earlier that morning. 

‘I can’t let you do this,” she said desperately. “I didn’t cheat on you, but I should’ve been honest about sleeping with him before I ended that relationship. When you told me you had a jealous streak, I figured sharing those details was unnecessary considering I was breaking up with him to be with you! Tris, please,” she begged. Tristan had to go. As a starving artist, he had an audition later that week and needed to rehearse his lines. 

At 35, Noelle wanted badly to be in a fulfilling relationship. However, sometimes her desire distorted her reality. Deep down she knew she was sacrificing parts of herself to be with Tristan, but she believed it would all balance itself out in the happily ever after. In the ever after, she imagined him as a successful actor who she’d stare at lovingly from the audience as he accepted award after award. But truthfully, that would only solve some of their issues. 

She replayed the past few months in her mind. Because they’d had a fling 10 years prior, when they decided to rekindle their feelings, things moved pretty quickly with the intention of marriage. The meeting of families, the couples’ counseling, the dreams for the future… Everything she invested, both emotionally and financially, was now down the drain. “I guess it doesn’t always pay to tell the truth,” she thought to herself. “Sometimes it can cost you everything.”