Jane couldn’t believe it. He had done it again, smashing her heart to bits. As if he had reached into her chest and pulled the beating flesh out and trampled on it like he would an ugly spider.

Why she kept letting him do this to her, she had no idea. Well, almost no idea. She loved him, and always had. She first saw him in grade 2, back when boys were gross. And yet she knew she loved him even then.

Matt shifted uneasily, eyes darting up and down. Jane knew that he felt ashamed for breaking up with her. Again.

“Why do you keep dragging us through this cycle, Matt?” Jane whispered.

“I-I wish I could give you a good reason, Jane. But this time it is for real, I swear!” Matt’s confidence grew with each word.

“I know you believe that, but that’s what you always say. If I were a dog you’d treat me better than this.” Jane was starting to feel livid.

“I do like dogs…”

“Matt!” Okay, that was kind of funny, Jane had to admit to herself. It was enough to bring her back down.

“Matt,” she repeated softly, “I don’t know how on earth you rationalize this to yourself, but I know know how I can for me.”

She took a breath, and started straight into Matt’s eyes.

“You’ve caused me so much pain, and yet the love I feel for you blinds me of it!”

Matt’s eyes widened. “You - you love me?” He stood there, stunned.

“Yes, and I’ll be damned if I let some other woman get in the way of that. I know you, you’re just scared of commitment. That ends today, Matt. Here and now. You’re mine, and that’s it.”

Screw this, thought Jane. In a sudden move, she grabbed his face and locked herself onto his face, taking the biggest bet of her life.

It paid off. He reciprocated, and they lived happily ever after.

“Mom! That’s not it goes!”

“Ewww! You kissed daddy? Blech!”

“Of course she did, Sam! That’s what mommy’s and daddy’s do.”