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And there, behind me, I feel his presence.
The man she’s running from.
The knot in my stomach tightens, on the verge of combusting. With the deepest of breaths, my body moves painfully slow until I’m met with his face.
Just like Rose believed, karma has a way of finding everyone.
It’s found me.
And standing beside it is my best friend, Benny.
NOAH
Present
My fingers trace the rim of the glass, slowly gliding against the smooth edge and eyeing the amber liquid with a desperate thirst. Around me, there’s nothing but silence and darkness, which has fallen over my apartment.
Outside the large windows, the views of the Charles River are unsurpassed with the city lights surrounding it. Boston had been my home for most of my adult life, and after graduating from college, we boys made a pact never to leave.
The three of us grew up in a smaller town just outside the city—a place where we made memories and were equally glad to leave them behind. We earned a reputation, which, at the time, we somewhat reveled in. But our immaturity and careless behavior could only last so long before it landed us in serious trouble.
We were thrilled to get accepted at Boston University despite our parents worrying about the mischief, or shall I say, frat parties we’d find ourselves at. They had every right to worry—our college years were the best years of our lives.
But like everything in life, we evolve, and life moves forward. I became career-focused, saving every dollar I could to buy my first condo just out of college. From there, I grew my investment portfolio, making a comfortable nest egg for myself. If truth be told, I was the most driven of the three. Tom was happy with his studio bachelor pad because it had a view of some yoga studio, which according to him, free porn every morning at seven o’clock.
Benny lives just outside the city, working alongside his dad, managing a chain of sports stores across Massachusetts. He travels around, is the biggest sports fanatic, and never misses a game at Fenway Park.
Yet life hasn’t
been the same since that night with Rose. Benny knew straight away I’d fucked her. Running toward me at the bar, his fist connected with my jaw in a matter of seconds. I wanted so desperately to punch the fucker back, but I knew all too well it was my fault. I messed with the wrong girl. The girl my best friend is in love with.
How the fuck was I supposed to know that?
Only after it unraveled did it all make sense how he’d been distant from Tom and me, always making up excuses as to why he couldn’t hang out with us. I just didn’t understand why he went to those lengths to hide his relationship from us. Had he been honest from the start, then maybe, just maybe, this wouldn’t have happened.
But deep down inside, I knew how much shit we both would’ve given him had he told us he was in love.
We don’t do love. Not us boys.
In college, we made a pact—play hard, fuck hard. All around us, friends were dropping like flies, marrying their high school sweethearts and having babies. We were the last three standing and having the time of our lives backpacking through Europe and Asia after college, frequenting Cancun any weekend we had free. Next year, we were supposed to do Australia.
But now, neither one of them will talk to me.
Benny told me that fateful night he no longer considered me a brother, storming out of the bar without Rose by his side. He ignored my calls, and even Tom was quick to take his side. No matter what I tried, or the copious amounts of apologies I’d offer, neither one of them wanted anything to do with me. They had blocked me on all social media and even convinced the basketball team we played on during the weekends to drop me.
The unintentional drama which followed only made the entire situation worse.
Amongst our circle of friends, and in the community of our home town, news had spread like wildfire, much like the game ‘telephone.’ By the time it reached my mom, I had apparently fucked Benny’s girlfriend, knocked her up, and was threatening to leave if she didn’t get rid of it.
I had a lot to answer for. I don’t deny that fact.
My mom and I always had a close relationship, being her only child and with no dad around. So, I was quick to tell her my side of the story. Nothing worse than your mom getting all up in your business.
I hated the fact I’d let her down. She treated Benny and Tom like sons, despite their inappropriate sexual references. She knew how tight of a bond we had and was quick to point out how easily I allowed my dick to act before my brain.
My hands wrap around the glass, raising it to my lips, and consuming the bourbon in one go. It no longer burns or clouds my vision. The only feeling ravaging me is anger. So, I fucked up. Yet Tom and Benny threw our friendship away like I wasn’t fucking human.
With the fire of the bourbon running through my veins, the reality of my life became crystal clear. I was bored with my job, bored of this place, and tired of the same old Boston. The only thing which kept me here was my mom, but even she had her own life.
