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“She would never cheat, even on a loser like him,” Evan growls.
“I didn’t cheat on you, but nothing I say will make you change your mind about that. I’m not here to hash that out with you. I’m here to get the game. They are filing charges against me, Zach. And I know the boy who meant a lot to me is still in there somewhere. You can’t really want to end years of friendship like this. I don’t believe that.”
“I didn’t want it to end, full stop. It was you. But you gave up on us,” he growls.
“I need you to return the game,” she demands.
“No. Maybe if we weren’t separated, I would have. You’ve made your choice and now you have to live with it.”
“So to get the game back, I have to get back with you?” she states, and I can hear the pain she’s feeling by the way she says it.
“You could call the university and tell them the picture was edited as a cruel prank,” he demands. “You could start there. And maybe I will give you the game back.”
“Well, he’s admitted to taking it,” I note.
“It’s not enough. He could argue it’s about any game. She needs him to mention stealing it.”
I hadn’t thought of that. “Shit!”
“Did you use your phone as an excuse to steal the game?”
He laughs. “Worked too.”
“Why, Zach? Why would you do that? I thought you wanted to remain friends.”
“I never planned to take it. But when your friend came into your office with the gift basket, I saw an opportunity. You wasted my time, Imogen. Now I’m taking it back.”
“How is this taking it back? What did you want to achieve by stealing that game? Was it to get me fired?” She claps her hands. “Congratulations, you’ve done that. I got fired because of you. I’m facing criminal charges because of you. Is that what you wanted?”
“I wanted to hurt you like you hurt me,” he bellows.
“I never meant to hurt you, Zach. It’s why I broke up with you. You changed. Your wants changed. I needed to end it before it went any further. But you hurt me intentionally. You stole company property with the knowledge of what it would do to me. You read the contract. You knew the ramifications it would cause. You didn’t do just one thing to me. You’ve ruined my life. I have no job, I will never be hired by a respectable company again, and I’m facing criminal charges.”
“You did this. I was always there for you when some guy broke your heart. I changed my life to fit you in it and it was never enough. Fuck, I offered my home to you so you could move out of that shit hole. It wasn’t enough for you. Nothing ever was. And now things aren’t going your way, it’s my fault? You want me to do something else for you, but I’m done helping you.Youaren’t who I thought you were. Now, you get to live with the consequences. Because you’ll never find anyone like me again. No one else will put up with your family. No other guy will love you when you’re fat. No one will ever treat you better than I did.”
“You know what, fuck you!”
“Don’t like it when you are hit with the truth, do you?”
She steps closer. “Maybe if the truth was being thrown at me, you might finally hit your target. But it seems you not only lie to others, but to yourself too. You think there isn’t a person better than you? You’re wrong. I’ve seen it, Zach. No one who truly loves and cares for a person would do what you’ve done to me. The ultimatums were one thing, but you belittled me at every turn. You’ll be hard pressed to find someone else who will put up with you. I did it because we were friends. Or I thought we were. Now, I think you’ve always had a hidden agenda. I think this is who you really are, and I’m glad it’s over.”
“We’ll see.”
“Yeah, I guess we will,” she whispers. “I’ll make sure to say hi to your mum when I go and fill her in on what has happened.”
He begins to shout expletives at her but the mic isn’t clear enough to make out what as she walks away.
“I don’t think she’s in a fit state to go to the police station,” I mention as I take in her tear-streaked face.
Evan sighs. “I’m going to take her home. Did you want to come over for dinner?”
“No, I’ll take this to the station and let them know she will be coming in tomorrow morning.”
“Thank you for coming,” he declares.
“Any time.”
As he gets out the car, my gaze is on Imogen. She ducks her head, and her thick auburn hair covers her face.
