The Confusion of Love

The next few days were a blur of emotions. Erica couldn't stop thinking about Nicole's words. She had wanted an explanation, and now she had it, but it only left her feeling more confused than before. She wasn't sure if she was ready to let Nicole back into her life, but the idea of never speaking to her again felt unbearable.

Mia noticed the change in Erica immediately. She hadn't seen her best friend so distracted in weeks.

"You're still thinking about her, aren't you?" Mia asked as they sat together at lunch.

Erica sighed, resting her head in her hands. "I don't know what to do. I want to hate her for what she did to me, for just... leaving without a word. But when she looks at me like that, when she says she's sorry, I just—I don't know."

Mia raised an eyebrow, her expression a mix of concern and disbelief. "You still love her, don't you?"

Erica didn't answer right away, her gaze drifting across the cafeteria, where Nicole was sitting with her friends, laughing and talking. It hurt to look at her, but it hurt more to look away.

"Yeah," Erica finally admitted. "I think I do."

Mia's face softened, but she shook her head. "Erica, you're worth so much more than being stuck in the past. You've been through enough. You can't just go back to her and pretend everything will be okay."

"I don't know what else to do," Erica whispered, staring at her tray of food. "I don't know how to stop loving her."

Mia placed a hand on Erica's shoulder. "You'll figure it out. You always do. But don't let her walk back into your life just because she says sorry. She needs to prove that she's changed."