It was December 21st, two weeks away from Christmas.
We were now chilling at Alex's house.
It was essentially a sleepover, only just, we weren't sleeping here.
I couldn't get my mind off of what Alex was doing.
so I had asked Alex if I could talk to his girlfriend about something alone.
He asked me why and told him that I wasn't trying to get with her or anything.
He hesitated at first but agreed to allow me to talk to her alone.
So then both me and her went somewhere separate from the others.
"What do you want?" She spoke in a condescending tone.
It sounded like she was looking down at me like I'm some kind of loser.
I took a deep breath, readying myself for whatever is about to happen after I speak.
"Why are you cheating on Alex?"
She flinched a little bit.
It seemed she didn't expect to be caught.
"Oh uh, what do you mean?" She said in a confused and slightly panicked tone.
Her faked tone didn't fool me not once.
"Why are you talking to a guy named Caleb?"
She flinched again.
"I-i don't know what you're talking about? Who's Caleb?"
I opened my mouth to speak but before I could she called out to Alex.
"Alex!" She yelled.
Alex came walking around the corner.
"What sweetpea." He spoke to her like a child would to his mother which always confused me.
"He wants me to cheat on you."
(What..)
That wasn't what I said.
"A-alex, that wasn't what I said."
"Then what were you trying to say Caiden?"
He sounded mad especially after what his girlfriend told him.
"I just.. I just wanted to know why she's texting another guy named Caleb?"
He looked at her with a concerned look.
He didn't speak for a while after I said that.
It seemed like he was thinking about whether to trust his girlfriend who he's been with for a few months or to trust his friend that he knew for two years.
"Babe, I promise you that I don't know a guy named Caleb."
His girlfriend looked worried about him breaking up with her.
"Alex, we've known each other for two years, please just trust me on this."
I thought to myself that he should make a decision between his friend and his girlfriend.
And whichever side he might pick the other is gonna have to go.
I genuinely wanted to help him and not leave him but.
"Sorry Caiden but-"
"I saw it on her phone whenever we hung out at McDonald's."
I quickly spoke before he could continue.
They both were a little shocked.
I guess they didn't expect me to say that.
But I do think it's a reasonable response, it's not common for people to look at others' phones.
Alex looked at his girlfriend with a serious look.
"Is that true?"
"No, he's lying to you Alex I haven't met or heard a person named."
She looked pretty serious this time it felt like she genuinely wanted to continue being with him.
"Can I see your phone then?"
He put out his hand waiting for her to put her phone in it.
And without a hint of hesitation she took out her phone and gave it to him unlocked.
A slight hint of confusion hit my face.
Wouldn't it have made sense if she kept trying to hide that fact and not give him the phone... unless.
"Caiden, I thought I could trust you man."
"What?"
He showed me her contact list.
It wasn't there.
The guy wasn't on her contact list.
She hugged his arm, smiling at me like I'm a dumbass.
At that moment I froze and couldn't speak.
I didn't have a single thing I mind to defend myself for this.
Alex then looked at me with a disappointed face.
His eyes looked at me like the officer all those years ago, like I did nothing but just lie to him.
"I think it's best if you get your stuff and leave."
His other hand that was empty balled into a fist.
"I don't want to be friends with someone who lies."
Before I realized it I was back home in a blink of an eye.
After putting my stuff down I realized that I lost the only people that were close to me.
And that's when I broke.
I cried and screamed. I punched the walls and threw my stuff around but all of it was meaningless.
There was no point in taking it out on other things when it's your fault in the first place.
It was my fault that everything went like this.
I'm the reason my dad hated me and went to jail.
I'm the reason why my grandparents died when I wasn't around.
And I'm the reason why my friends decided to cut ties with me.
Tomorrow I stood on top of a building with nothing to keep me from being cold.
I don't know why but I chose a building near the school which is most likely the reason there's a lot of people watching me.
Looking down at them I saw that most were smiling like this was some kind of joke.
Some were recording it while others talked to each other, probably betting whether I'd jump or not.
They didn't understand what I feel right now, and maybe they never will.
They all looked so unbothered by this that it wouldn't be surprising if you think that they didn't care about human life at all.
Which isn't far from the truth.
I'm sorry grandpa, I know didn't want me to blame myself for anything but most of these problems are ones I caused myself.
Just as I was about to go forward.
I felt the wind push me from back when I then heard your voice behind me.
"Don't jump!"
I turned around, and that's when I first saw her.