1. Anniversary and breakup

Olivia

"Okay, so we have the reservation at 7 pm, the flowers are ordered, and the menu is set," I said, ticking off each item on the list.

My best friend Jamie nodded in agreement. "Yes and the restaurant has confirmed everything, so we're good to go."

I grinned, feeling excited for the surprise dinner we had planned for my boyfriend, Alex. Our anniversary was coming up, and I had a feeling he was going to propose. Jamie and I had been planning this for weeks, and everything was falling into place.

"Do you think he will suspects anything?" Jamie asked, taking a sip of her coffee.

"I don't think so," I replied. "He's been so busy with work, he hasn't had time to think about anything else."

Jamie nodded. "Good. That means the surprise will be even better."

I couldn't help but feel a flutter of excitement in my chest. This was going to be perfect. A romantic dinner with the man I love and hopefully, a proposal.

"But just in case he doesn't propose, we have a backup plan, right?" Jamie asked, with a mischievous glint in her eye.

I laughed. "Of course. I have a few hints saved on my phone in case he needs a little nudge."

Jamie grinned. "You're such a romantic, Liv. I hope he appreciates all the effort you've put into this."

I smiled, feeling grateful for Jamie's support. She had been my rock throughout my relationship with Alex, always there to listen and give advice.

"Thanks, Jamie. I'm just hoping for a perfect evening."

"And you'll have it," she said firmly. "No matter what happens, we'll make sure it's a night to remember."

I felt a rush of gratitude for my best friend. With her by my side, I knew I could handle anything. And with this surprise dinner, I was hoping to take our relationship to the next level.

After finishing our coffee, Jamie and I decided to go shopping for a new outfit for my surprise dinner. We went to a few stores, trying on dresses and skirts until we finally found the perfect outfit.

"This one looks amazing on you, Liv," Jamie said, admiring the blue dress I was wearing. "And it's so comfortable too."

I twirled around, feeling happy with the choice. "Thanks, Jamie. I couldn't have done this without you."

Next, we headed to a nearby spa to get our hair done. We sat back and relaxed as the stylists worked their magic, chatting about our plans for the evening.

"I'm so excited for you, Liv," Jamie said, as her hair was being styled into loose curls. "I can't wait to see Alex's face when he sees you in that dress."

I blushed, feeling a mix of nerves and excitement. "I hope he likes it."

"He will," Jamie said confidently. "And even if he doesn't propose tonight, he's crazy if he doesn't see how amazing you are."

After our spa appointment, we headed back to my apartment to get ready. Jamie helped me with my makeup, and we talked and laughed as we got ready for the evening.

"Okay, you look amazing," Jamie said, as I finished putting on my earrings. "Now, it's time to call Alex and let him know you're ready."

I felt a flutter of nerves as I dialed his number, hoping he was just as excited for our surprise dinner as I was.

"Hey, Alex, it's me," I said, trying to sound calm.

"Hey, Liv. Are you ready?" he asked, his voice warm and loving.

"Yes, I am," I replied, feeling a smile spreading across my face.

"I can't wait to see you," he said, his voice full of excitement.

"Me too," I said, feeling my heart flutter with anticipation.

I hung up the phone, feeling excited and nervous. Jamie gave me a reassuring smile. Jamie left afterwards.

My heart was pounding as I stood in front of the door, waiting for Alex to arrive. I had spent hours getting ready for this night, trying to make sure I looked my best. My nerves were on edge as I waited for him, wondering what he had planned for us.

Finally, the doorbell rang, and I felt my stomach flip over. I took a deep breath and unlocked the door, my eyes widening as I saw Alex's handsome face.

"Hey, Alex," I said, trying to keep my voice steady.

"Hey, Liv," he replied, his eyes twinkling as he looked at me.

I couldn't help but smile as I noticed the small bouquet of my favorite flowers in his hand. It was such a sweet gesture, and I felt my heart swell with love for him.

"These are beautiful," I said, taking the flowers from him.

"I got them for you," he said, his voice low and husky. "I want to make tonight special."

My cheeks flushed with pleasure, and I leaned in to give him a kiss. As we broke apart, Alex took my hand and led me to the living room.

The room was dimly lit, with candles flickering on the coffee table. The effort I had put in to make tonight special.

"I have a surprise for you," he said, grinning at me.

My heart skipped a beat as I wondered what he had in store. I let him lead me closer to the candles, feeling his strong arm around my waist.

As the night went on, I fell more in love with Alex. The way he looked at me, the way he held me close, made me feel like I was the only person in the world that mattered. I knew then that I wanted to spend the rest of my life with him, and I couldn't wait to see what the future held for us. We eat dinner while having small conversation until Alex broke the silence that prevailed.

"Olivia, we need to talk," he said, his voice tense.

My heart sank. This is the right time Olivia. He's going to propose. My inside thumped with excitement. I stared at me with my best smile.

"I don't think we should see each other anymore," he said, his eyes avoiding mine.

"What? Why?" I asked, feeling confused and hurt my smile immediately fading away.

"It's just not working out. We're too different, and I don't think we're meant to be together," he replied, still not meeting my gaze.

I felt my heart plummet as Alex's words sunk in. "What? Are you serious?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.

Alex didn't respond, instead he just sat there with his eyes fixed on the door. My mind was racing as I tried to process what was happening. Had I done something wrong? Was there someone else? I couldn't understand why he would suddenly want to end things.

As my eyes fell on the bouquet of flowers he had given me earlier, I felt a wave of confusion and hurt wash over me. How could he do this after being so sweet and thoughtful?

"Alex, please talk to me," I pleaded, feeling tears starting to prick at the corners of my eyes.

He finally turned to look at me, his face unreadable. "I'm sorry, Olivia," he said softly. "But I can't do this anymore. We should go our separate ways."

I felt like the wind had been knocked out of me as he stood up and headed for the door. I couldn't believe this was happening. All I could do was sit there, staring at the flowers in my lap, trying to make sense of what had just happened.

As the door closed behind him, I felt a single tear roll down my cheek. I knew that my heart was broken and that it was going to take a long time to heal. But for now, all I could do was sit there in silence, trying to come to terms with the fact that my relationship with Alex was over.

**

I was still in the daze when Jamie call came through. With shaky voice I placed the phone to my ears. "Hey Liv, tell me he proposed!"

"I-" I could feel my heart pulse rate dropping. My vision turned blurry. "Alex- He"

"He broke up with me" I said in one breath as I slouched down on the cold tiled floor

I heard Jamie gasp on the other end of the line. "Oh, Liv, I'm so sorry," she said softly. "What happened?"

I took a deep breath, trying to steady my voice. "He just said he couldn't do it anymore," I said, my voice breaking.

There was a long pause on the other end of the line before Jamie spoke again. "I can't believe he would do this," she said. "You deserve so much better than that."

Tears were streaming down my face as I sat there on the cold floor, feeling completely broken. "I don't know what to do," I whispered. "I thought he was the one."

"Listen, Liv," Jamie said, her voice gentle but firm. "You are strong and independent, and you will get through this. You deserve someone who will love and cherish you, not someone who will just walk away."

"But Jamie-"

"Calm down. Take a deep breath. You will be fine" I didn't have the energy to answer her again. I dropped the phone on the floor.

I sat there on the floor for what felt like hours, my mind racing with thoughts and emotions. I couldn't believe that Alex had just walked out of my life like that. It was like a bad dream that I couldn't wake up from.

Despite Jamie's words of encouragement, I couldn't shake the pain in my chest. It felt like a constant ache that was digging a hole inside of me. I knew that I needed to pick myself up and move forward, but it felt like an impossible task.

As I sat there, lost in my thoughts, I suddenly heard a knock at the door. I hesitated for a moment, unsure of who it could be, but eventually got up to answer it.

To my surprise, it was Jamie standing on the other side of the door. She had a concerned look on her face as she pulled me into a tight embrace. "I couldn't just sit at home and do nothing," she said softly.

As she held me, I felt a sense of comfort wash over me. It was like a small ray of light in the darkness that had enveloped me. I knew that I had a long road ahead of me, but with Jamie by my side, I felt like I could face it.

"Thank you for coming," I said, my voice barely above a whisper.

"Anytime, Liv," Jamie replied. "Let's get you out of here and do something to take your mind off things."

With a small smile, I nodded and let her lead me out of the apartment. Even though the pain was still there, I knew that I wasn't alone and that was enough to give me hope for the future.