Kiss Me, Break My Heart: Episode 1

I was ten years old when Jace O’Connell kissed me.

Cassie

I was just ten years old when Jace O'Connell planted a kiss on my lips. In that instant, my entire being ignited, like a burst of fireworks within me. I saw stars, heard melodies dancing in the air. I witnessed my entire life unfold before my eyes—an existence where I grew up and found myself married to Jace.

For a brief seven seconds, heaven replaced the backdrop of the grimy, dilapidated bike shed where we stood. But then, Jace released me and turned to kiss Eve—our shared best friend. The vision of me walking down the aisle toward Jace came crashing down, consumed by raging flames.

"I love both of you," Jace declared, enfolding Eve with one arm and me with the other. "I won't let anything come between us. It's the three of us, forever. Promise me."

Eve and I exchanged glances, then directed our gaze back to Jace. "We promise."

Even at the age of ten, I knew it was impossible for both Eve and me to marry Jace. Yet, that didn't diminish the profound impact of that kiss. In that moment, my best friend engraved his name on my heart. I yearned to witness celestial wonders once again, to feel the earth tremble beneath my feet, and to hear the enchanting melodies of flutes, even if it meant sharing him with my closest companion.

It wasn't until high school began that I realized I might have to share Jace with Eve and every other girl our age. Jace embarked on a personal mission to kiss as many of our classmates as possible. Every time I saw him with someone else, it felt disconcerting—like being trapped in a nightmarish haze where I endured recurring blows to my stomach, unable to escape.

"Doesn't it bother you that he's constantly kissing everyone else?" I asked Eve when we turned fourteen.

"Guys enjoy spreading their affection, Cass. Seriously. It's their biological urge to sow their seeds," Eve replied, her tone gently condescending. Although her words pricked my ego, I chose not to challenge her. Eve possessed beauty, popularity, and regularly engaged in dating. She considered herself my guide in navigating the realm of romantic relationships. Little did she realize that I abstained from dating because there was only one person who held my heart in their hands. And I wasn't prepared to enlighten her just yet.

"Why doesn't he treat us the same way, then?" I inquired.

"He probably sees us as sisters. We've been best friends since we were four. Besides, can you imagine how strange it would be if he started treating us like all the other girls in school? Not to mention, it would ruin everything once it inevitably ended. We're a trio, Cass. Someone would inevitably feel left out."

Eve was right; we were an inseparable trio. Our bond formed when my father and Jace's father established a private investigative agency together. At the time, my mother ran a daycare from home, making it convenient for her to care for both Jace and me. Eve lived nearby and had already become a familiar playmate. When Eve's mother decided to return to work, she seamlessly joined our group. From that moment on, the three of us were inseparable.

I held onto the hope that our friendship would endure indefinitely.

That's why, after my conversation with Eve, I made a concerted effort to conceal my feelings for Jace. It didn't matter that the glimpse of heavenly bliss in Jace's embrace propelled me into a crush that evolved into something much deeper and all-consuming—love. I became the clichéd girl I had read about, the girl in love with her best friend, too apprehensive to confess my emotions for fear of jeopardizing everything. As dreadful as it was to embody that stereotype and as much as I despised Jace kissing other girls, I wasn't willing to risk our friendship or exclude Eve.

No matter how profound my love for Jace, I convinced myself that the sacrifices were worthwhile. I believed that keeping my feelings hidden would ensure that Eve, Jace, and I remained best friends forever—united against the world.

Then everything changed. Eve started dating a guy who captivated her, and I saw my opportunity to finally reveal everything to Jace—to express my feelings without compromising our trio.

Instead, a single secret shattered my heart into countless fragments and forever placed Jace beyond my reach.