is this a cold sore or something else? please I need some insight

Can this be a cold sore? I've never had one before but I'm really nervous. I tested negative for HSV 1&2 in May but I know they say that sometimes you can get a false negative and to test 6 months after to be sure. It's now been 6 almost 7 months since I had any sexual contact (kissing included) so I'm just paranoid  that this could be something. So let me give you the background story. Since August, I had this really dry patch on my upper left lip. It felt like tape was on it. I couldn't even peel it so I would just pick at it. It didn't hurt or anything. Just a slightly darker rough spot. I tried blistex, carmex, nothing would really take it away. I even tried lip brushing (it didn't peel any skin off, just little flakes). And I even tried eucerin cream for ecezema. This made it softer but then it would go right back to the same texture. After doing this more often at night time, it seemed to soften up a bit but it still had the rough texture. Now in October, a couple days ago I was able to peel some skin off exposing a small slit of raw skin that hasn't healed fully yet which didn't usually happen. Before, it would scab right over again within minutes. It's been itching slightly after this but nothing crazy. No burning or tingling. The other day tho, I did have this random fluid filled bump pop up on my upper right lip. I felt it forming and getting tight on my lip and as quick as it came up, it went away within a few minutes! Idk what this was, that's the first time it happened.  The thing is, it doesn't look like your common cold sore nor do I have the common symptoms so I'm in denial that it could be a cold sore but I know that some ppl don't even show symptoms when having HSV 1 so I'm concerned that it could be that but just showing in a different variation. I wouldn't expect a cold sore to last this long tho or even look so "plain". I'm attaching a pic. I know you might not be able to see that well because of the lighting and the fact that I put mosturizer on my lips. But it's on my left upper lip(on your right side). What do you guys think? Have you ever heard of cold sores not looking or feeling like the common cold sores? Please let me know. I know this is long but I've been going through a lot of emotional distress because I haven't really been able to discuss it with anyone. I am planning to go to the dermatologist tomorrow tho.