Breaking the Echo: Have You Ever
By Olivia Salter
Word Count: 986
Simone believed her relationship sounded like Brandy’s Have You Ever, but as the song played in the empty apartment, she wondered: had she ever been loved, or had she only been a reflection in Marcus’s hollow world?
***
Simone stared at the framed photo perched on the edge of the coffee table. It showed her and Marcus on their first anniversary, arms around each other, her face bright with joy. His smile was smaller, almost polite, as if he’d been asked to pose. She picked up the frame, tracing the glass with her finger. It was the last thing she’d pack, but not because it mattered—because it didn’t.
In the quiet, Brandy’s Have You Ever played softly from her phone, the lyrics looping like a question she couldn’t shake:
"Have you ever needed something so bad you can’t sleep at night?"
Simone set the frame down, facedown this time, and turned to the boxes scattered around the apartment.
***
They had met at a mutual friend’s party. Simone hadn’t wanted to go—crowded rooms and forced conversations weren’t her thing—but Marcus was magnetic. He’d drawn people to him effortlessly, his laugh cutting through the noise like a warm melody.
“You look like someone who hates small talk,” he said, offering her a drink.
Simone smirked. “Depends. Is this small talk?”
“It’s small now, but it could be big later.”
It was cheesy, but the way he said it made her laugh. She had fallen for him in that moment, swept into the easy charm of his confidence.
***
At first, their love felt like a melody in perfect harmony. He’d call her brilliant, tell her she was beautiful in a way that made her believe it. When she was with Marcus, she felt seen.
But as time passed, she realized that Marcus didn’t love the parts of her that weren’t convenient.
When she shared her dream of opening a boutique, he listened with a faint smile. “You’ve got such a sharp mind. Retail seems… beneath you.”
“Beneath me?”
“Yeah, I mean—you’re better than that. Don’t waste your potential.”
She tried to explain that it wasn’t about potential, but about passion. He’d waved it off, distracted by his phone.
When they hosted a dinner party, Marcus had spent the evening bantering with Camille, their mutual friend. His attention was light and playful, but it lingered just long enough to sting.
Later, Simone confronted him.
“You spent the whole night flirting with Camille,” she said, her voice tight.
Marcus sighed, leaning against the counter. “Simone, it wasn’t flirting. That’s just how I talk.”
“It didn’t feel that way.”
“Well, you can’t expect me to walk on eggshells because you’re insecure.”
The words hit her like a slap. She opened her mouth to respond but found nothing. She had already learned that fighting him meant losing—either her dignity or his attention.
***
It was a rainy Wednesday when everything shifted. Simone sat in the car outside Marcus’s office, waiting for him to finish yet another “quick meeting.” The rain drummed on the windshield, the wipers sweeping it away in rhythmic motions. On the radio, Brandy sang:
"Have you ever loved somebody so much it makes you cry?"
Her chest tightened. She thought of all the times she’d lain awake at night, replaying their arguments, wondering if she was the problem. Love wasn’t supposed to feel this lonely.
Marcus slid into the passenger seat, shaking off his umbrella. “Sorry, babe. That took forever.”
She stared at him, her grip tightening on the steering wheel. “Marcus, do you even love me?”
He glanced at her, startled. “What kind of question is that?”
“I mean it,” she pressed. “Do you? Or do you just like the idea of me?”
Marcus frowned, shifting in his seat. “Simone, I care about you. Isn’t that enough?”
Her stomach sank. It wasn’t.
***
That night, while Marcus slept, Simone packed. She moved silently, careful not to wake him. Each item she placed in her suitcase felt like shedding a weight she’d carried too long.
On the kitchen counter, she left a note:
"I can’t keep being someone who loves you more than I love myself. I hope you find what you need, but I can’t wait any longer for you to see me."
She left without looking back.
***
Weeks later, Simone met Camille for coffee. They hadn’t spoken much since the breakup, but Camille reached out unexpectedly.
As they sipped their cappuccinos, Camille hesitated before speaking. “You know, Marcus always said you were too emotional.”
Simone’s throat tightened.
“But honestly,” Camille continued, “he just couldn’t handle someone real. You deserved better, Simone. I hope you know that.”
It wasn’t just the words—it was the validation. For the first time, Simone felt like she hadn’t been imagining the cracks in their relationship.
***
Healing wasn’t easy, but Simone found her footing. She moved into a small studio apartment, filling it with lavender paint, thrifted furniture, and plants that thrived under her care.
One afternoon, as she walked through the park, she passed a street performer playing an acoustic version of Have You Ever. She stopped, her heart tightening for a moment before
***
A few weeks later, Simone wandered into a record store. She was thumbing through the vinyl when a man at the next shelf caught her eye.
“Brandy fan?” he asked, nodding toward the album in her hand.
She smiled. “Always.”
The moment felt light, unforced. And for the first time, Simone didn’t feel like she was chasing love. She was ready to let it find her.
She walked out of the store into the crisp afternoon, the weight of her past finally lifting. The song played softly in her mind, not as a question anymore, but as a quiet anthem of her strength.
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