AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“What?” Alice turns to where I’m looking.
“Someone just pulled up,” Theo says.
We wait in silence as the car door slams. A moment later, a key turns the lock and the front door swings open.
His shoulders are slumped as he walks into the living room, eyes downcast. That’s why he doesn’t see us at first. When his head lifts and his eyes lock squarely on me, he freezes for a moment. He turns toward Alice, and then Theo, and that’s when his whole body flinches back.
“Ben—”
He doesn’t wait around for his brother’s explanation. Ben turns on his heel and walks out the door he just came through. Theo doesn’t hesitate before following him outside.
Alice and I exchange a look, both of us wondering if we should follow. This feels like a reckoning. After months of tiptoeing around each other, this is the confrontation that was coming. They need a chance to work out their issues in an honest way. It shouldn’t be our responsibility to interfere or help mend their relationship.
I nod once, and we walk outside.
“What the hell are you doing here?” Ben asks. “You can save whatever speech you planned—she’s made up her mind. It’s your fault she even applied to that internship.”
“I don’t have a speech this time.” Theo’s voice is dry as he holds up his hands in surrender. “She asked me to help her move out, and that’s all I’m doing.”
This time. A callback to how this all started, but Ben can’t know that, can he? He doesn’t react to Theo’s specific phrasing, doesn’t seem to notice anything strange in it. But then, he’s too angry to notice much of anything.
“That doesn’t change the fact that she’s leaving because of you.” He shoves at Theo’s chest, and though Theo doesn’t fall over, he nearly loses his balance.
“Ben, stop!” He halts at the sound of Alice’s voice, head swinging around, eyes bulging with rage. “I… thought you weren’t coming back until nine.” Alice shifts her weight from one foot to the other. “They’re just helping me pack.”
“It had to be them of all people. It’s not like there was anyone else you could call that I’m still on good terms with.” He keeps his eyes trained on Alice, maybe because of the three of us, she’s the only one he can stand to face. Even if his venomous tone suggests he’d rather have nothing to do with any one of us. In a way, I can’t blame him. In his mind, he’s sharing oxygen with three enemies. Three ghosts reflecting the mistakes he’d sooner bury than own up to.
“Ending our engagement and moving halfway across the country wasn’t enough, now you need to humiliate me in my own home? Haven’t you done enough?”
“Don’t talk to her like that.” I step forward, blocking him from Alice. “You don’t have the right. You’re just as culpable—”
“Me? You think this is my fault? What the fuck is even happening—” He lets out a laugh, humorless and wild. Runs his hands through his hair until his face stretches back. It would almost be comical if he wasn’t so pissed. “I would still be engaged if it wasn’t for you! That fucking text blew up my entire life!”
Okay, so we’re doing this out in the open then. I’m conscious of every car that passes by, a few even slowing down to stare. Despite the curiosity of strangers, I’m far more scared of the chaos that will be unleashed if we attempt to hash this out inside. There’s an entire box labeled BREAKABLES in there—any one of us might be tempted to crack it open for ammo.
“She didn’t blow up your life,” Alice cuts in. “I did. I chose to end our relationship, and don’t you dare pretend not to know why.”
“You saw the text before I did!” He throws out his arm, raising his voice. “You wouldn’t even let me explain—”
“You didn’t have to. It opened my eyes to what’s been right in front of me this entire time. Every time we had a fight, she’s the one you ran to. Do you know how many times I wondered if you were looking for a reason, any reason at all, to break up with me so you could be with her instead?”
A punch in the gut couldn’t knock the air from my lungs as much as that question just did.
I never knew about any of their fights. I always thought Ben and Alice were happy and in love and in it for the long haul. He never once hinted at the cracks in their relationship. I wonder how much I would’ve latched on to the hope of one day having him for myself if I’d known.
“I’ve been trying to get through to you for years about how unsatisfied I’ve been with my career, but every time I tried you took it as an attack. You never listened to me, never asked me what I wanted, not once. You can’t blame Theo for reminding me of the dreams I left behind, or Marcela for one goddamned text message. They didn’t blow up our engagement.” She shakes her head. “They saved us from the worst mistake of our lives. Ben, we don’t work.”
I don’t notice the shine of his eyes until tears streak down Ben’s face. He tries to hide his face with his hands, but it’s too late. Of all the times we’ve shared our pain in the past, of all the low moments we’ve experienced together, I’ve never seen him like this. I’ve never seen him broken.
We used to understand each other in a way other people didn’t. That’s why I’ve always been drawn to him. He was the first guy I ever saw myself in. I latched on to that, believing that was the reason why we should be together. But maybe we’re too much alike in the worst ways for us to have ever worked out.
Ben doesn’t understand how this happened, but I do. He told me once this was his worst fear. Becoming like his father, abandoned by everyone he loves. Now I’m watching it happen in real time.
“Why is everything always my fault?” His voice comes out garbled from the effort of keeping his voice steady. “Why am I the only one to blame here? If you never saw that message, we’d still be together.”
“Maybe.” Alice sniffles. She’s crying too, now. “But that doesn’t change the fact that we had problems we couldn’t solve. Getting married wouldn’t have fixed them.”
“Right. Fine. I’m the problem, once again.” He heaves a deep breath, collecting himself. “Never mind that you were the one looking for a reason to leave, and you found it in the form of something I had no control over. But sure, I’m the bad guy here.”
