They say we sometimes lie to protect ourselves—but not all lies shield; some destroy. I learned that the night we buried our high school time capsule.
At the time, I was dating Brian—my first love. We were young and full of dreams, and I thought we’d last forever.
My best friend, Jess, was by my side—or so I believed.
But that night, Brian grew distant.
Without explanation, he walked away from me, blaming me for ruining everything.
I was devastated and confused. Jess was there to comfort me… but deep down, something never felt quite right.
Fifteen years went by. Then an email from Malcolm, a former classmate, reminded me it was time to dig up the capsule. Despite everything, I went back.
Being on that schoolyard brought back a flood of memories. Jess and Brian showed up late—together. I assumed they were still a couple, and it hurt more than I wanted to admit.
When we opened the capsule, I saw the locket Brian had once given me.
