The Bad Boy Next Door

"Hey, Mikey, it's Frank."

Mikey frowned as he heard the tone in his friend's voice on the other end of the line. "Hey, buddy, what's up?"

"Jo…she…she broke it off."

Mikey paused a bit. "Frank, I know you don't want to hear I told you so, but…"

Frank sighed. "I know, I just. I love her."

Mikey didn't know what to say. "I know."

"I deserve it."

"What?"

"The ache I feel now, I deserve it. She was another man's wife. I…I had no right. I deserve every bit of this pain."

"Frank, buddy, you don't…are you crying?"

"No!"

"Oh," Mikey said, unconvinced. "It just sounded a bit like you were."

"Well, I'm not." Frank was silent for a second. "Look, I'm gonna go. Sorry I bothered you."

"It's no bother. Hey, you want me to come over?"

"No, I think I'm just going to go out for a bit. Try to take my mind off things."

"You sure?"

"Yeah."

"Frank?"

"Yeah?"

"Don't do anything stupid."

Frank chuckled. "I won't. Talk to you later, Mikey. Bye."

"Bye." Mikey shook his head as he put down the phone.