It Wasn't Meant to Be Like This

Magic. The one thing I use to disbelieve in.

But apparently, out there in our cruel, disheartening world. There’s magic and shall I tell why there is magic.

Well, as sick and twisted I may be for feeling this happy over this, but it’s true. Beth and Jack had a fight, yesterday. It’s currently the 2nd January, and apparently when Jack dropped Beth home, they had a huge fight and I mean huge. Jack even came home and punched the wall, he was that mad saying how Beth was acting weird and she says she doesn’t know if she can go to London.

I’m thrilled, I’m absolutely ecstatic, I was practically skipping into work this morning, I was smiling so much I felt like my cheeks would break. I was fucking happy.

I know I shouldn’t be though, I know I shouldn’t find such pleasure in my best friend’s misery but that’s how twisted and fucked up I am. That’s how much I love Elizabeth Carlton.

Today, after work I brought dinner for Jack and I as he was still moping and I had to remember to contain myself when entering the apartment. However, when I arrived inside. I didn’t expect Jack to be running around, packing clothes into a suitcase.

“What the fuck you doing?” I ask, putting the bags down.

“My Dad just called, he’s sick or something. He’s in New York Hospital, I’m going down to see him for a while” Jack says panicking.

“Jack, hold on. You hate your father” I state clearly. Jack started getting angry and threw his bag to the floor.

“I know alright? I just need to get out of town!” Jack snaps furiously and I nod slowly, trying to understand what was going on.

“But what about London?” I blurt out, their flight left tomorrow morning, well 3am to be exact.

“I can’t go, just…I don’t know. I don’t fucking know Finn. Beth’s mad at me, My Dad’s ill. Everything’s wrong!” Jack shouts, he needed to punch something and I hoped it god it wasn’t me.

“Look, just relax. Calm down…” I say, mimicking breathing exercises I saw once on a show, to calm him down. Jack did copy though and soon calmed down.

“I can’t go to London. Beth says she wants to go now, but I just said I couldn’t. We had another fight. I don’t know what to do…unless..” Jack says, rambling.

“Unless what?” I ask, hoping he’d finish.

“Unless you go” Jack says seriously. My mouth dropped and I stared at him.

“You freaking serious?” I ask, stunned.

“Yeah, you can go for me and show her a good time and everything. You’re the only one I trust enough. Please, go. Beth is so upset not being able to go now. I hate upsetting her.” Jack says and I knew he meant it.

I considered it, I really considered it.

I thought about how I shouldn’t go, it wouldn’t be appropriate especially since what happened at the party, it wouldn’t be right. I shouldn’t go, I’d be lying to Jack when I say I’ll look after her because knowing my stupid brain I’d do something wrong and kiss her.

I was going on holiday with the girl I was in love with, yet she has a boyfriend, who happens to be my best friend. It wasn’t worth the risk, I’d lose the friendship I built with Jack, but then again with what’s been happening did I really care?

I thought of every reason, as why I shouldn’t go.

You know I said.

“Okay. I’ll do it” I say, and Jack smiled, relieved.

I’m going to fucking hell.

--

So now I’m on a plane, it’s a 11 hour flight and I had the joy of sitting next to Beth, who was feeling incredibly awkward. She had no true say in the matter, she didn’t even know till a few hours ago that I was the one coming with her. She didn’t sound that happy.

It’s 3am and hopefully, we should land at 11am, tomorrow morning. Don’t ask me how it works, it just does. Whatever, I was going to suffer jetlag anyway.

I had managed to pack everything in time for a week’s trip, my camera being the most important thing. Beth had brought hers too, hopefully we’d get past this tension and have a good time.

It wasn’t go well so far, my chair was being kicked, the hostess kept winking at me and the male hostess has hit me twice with the trolley. Beth isn’t talking to me either, she hasn’t spoke since she said goodbye to Jack at the airport. It was still weird between them, Jack told me to look after her or I’d be a dead man when I came back.

Yeah, likely story. I was going to allow Beth to come into harm’s way. Jeez, am I that horrible?

I watched DVD’s, I tried to make conversation but in the end I fell asleep, when I awoke. We were half way there. I decided now was the time to empty the tank, then solve things with Beth.

When I came back from emptying the tank, I was not happy to see a man about our age maybe older, flirting with Beth.

“Hey man, that’s my wife” I lie easily, Beth stares at me in shock. The guy gets up and apologizes immediately.

“Sorry mate, you’ve got a striker” the guy was Australian, with a very strong accent. Shame he hit on Beth, I always wanted an Australian Friend to say “G’day mate! Fancy some bangers?” or something cool like that.

“It’s alright” I say, as I take my seat. The Australian guy went away and I notice Beth was blushing bright red.

“You alright?” I ask, hoping she wasn’t traumatized.
“I’m fine, thanks” she says and made herself comfortable again. I took a deep breathe and decided it was time.

“Look, I’m sorry about what happened at the party. We were both drunk and everything, I won’t tell Jack. I promise” I say sincerely.

Beth eyes me curiously. “You shouldn’t have to apologize. I was the one that kissed you” Beth says, sounding regretful. Ouch, a blow to the ego there.

“It takes two to tango” I mumble. Beth looked at me, trying to figure me and I hoped it wasn’t obvious on how much I doted her.

“Can we just forget about it?” Beth asks and I nod eagerly, although inside I felt like dying.

“So, how about we just remain good friends like before and have fun in London like Jack told us too” I say, brightly.

Beth giggles “Sounds like a plan Finn” she says and I couldn’t stop smiling. After that, things went back to normal and it wasn’t long before we arrived in England, London. Heathrow airport.

This was going to be one hell of a trip.