It Wasn't Meant to Be Like This

“Okay, the plan is that you were coming over to see Jack and we happened to arrive back at the same time.” I say simply, as we were walking up the stairs, as the elevator was never going to be fixed.

“Okay.” Beth confirms. We arrived at our floor, and I quickly dropped my bags, checking the coast was clear, and kissed Beth softly.

“Love you” she whispers. I hug her tightly.

“Love you too” I whisper back, we slowly depart and I picked up my things and went to the door, unlocking it and letting us in.

“Hey Jack! Look who I bumped into on the way up!” I call, throwing my keys on it’s usual spot, dumping my bags out on the armchair that was closest to the door and let Beth in, before closing it behind me.

You know that feeling? The feeling of a gut instinct, to run and never loo back. The feeling of dread and sickness, the feeling where you know that any moment, you’re life is going to change?

I just got that feeling, my stomach dropped as their was no reply from Jack. I glanced at Beth, who shrugged with a concerned look.

“Jack?” I call again, hoping for him to appear suddenly out of the kitchen. I tentatively walked to the kitchen, Beth closely behind and I stopped suddenly, loitering by the door as I saw my best friend, sitting at the breakfast bar, his head leaned against his crossed arms on the counter, and the phone was beside him.

“Jack?” I repeat worriedly, walking closer. Jack instantly popped up, and something was wrong. So terribly wrong and I should have seen it coming.

The glazed, distant look worried me, his fists clenched and the sense of anger was in the air.

“Jack, what’s wrong?” I ask innocently, I’m such a twat.

“Bright City Hotel called…they have your wallet.” Jack states coldly, and that’s when I knew, it was over…

Beth shifted nervously, the atmosphere got tenser… “They hoped that you and Miss. Carlton had a pleasant stay…Finn” Jack finishes.

I could have said so many different things, I could have done so many different things but all my useless brain could come up with was.

“Jack, I can explain-” I begin, but his glare silenced me as he abruptly got up, the scrap of the chair echoed in the silent kitchen.

“You fucking asshole, you fucking…ASSHOLE!” Jack spits, screaming at me, and it all connects in his brain. He knew, he knew…

He knew everything.

“Jack-” Beth attempted, Jack swivelled his body towards her.

“And you!! You lying whore! With my fucking best friend-”

“Don’t talk to her like that!” I jump into defence with Beth, completely forgetting about my own well being.

“SHUT THE HELL UP!” Jack bellows, his face redder, fumes might as well been out fo his ears.

I was scared. I truly was.

“You’ve been lying to me, cheating on me…with HIM!” Jack hisses, pointing an accusing finger in my direction, I wanted to push it away in disgust.

“I can explain okay!” Beth snaps suddenly, her anger flaring now.

“I would love to hear it, how you’ve been cheating on me! I should have seen this coming, I should have known this would happen!” Jack screams, and before any of us could speak, Jack picked up the wooden stool and threw it against the wall, smashing it in pieces.

I instantly pulled Beth away from his area, standing in front, as lousy protection. Jack could take me down any day.

“It just happened…” Beth whispered faintly, as a panting Jack continued to cuss.

“I CAN’T FUCKING BELIEVE IT.” he screams, to us, to himself, to the whole entire world.

I wanted to say something, to make him believe it. To make everything right again, but I new I couldn’t, because I had fucked his girl, I was in love with his girl and I was going to have his girl and there nothing he could do, nor could I anymore.

“How long? How long have you been fucking her behind my back!” Jack rants, and I sigh, trying to keep calm as my own anger was beginning to get to me,

“Don’t say it like that Jack, it’s not just the sex okay? I liked her, I liked her for ages and eventually…I-” I couldn’t finish my sentence, I couldn’t admit to my best friend that I loved her.

“WHAT FINN! THAT YOU EVENTUALLY WHAT!” Jack screams, furiously and shoves me slightly.

Strike One.

“I-” I begin, but Jack’s patience was thin and shoved me again.

Strike Two.

“I started-” I try again but Jack glared and shoved me again.

“JACK, I FELL IN LOVE WITH HER!” I shout, shoving him away from me.

Strike Three, and I'm out...

Actions speak louder than words.

A wise person, who I’ll never know created this. And boy, they were right. Jack didn’t reply, but he was practically shaking with anger, and before I could defend myself, he punched me right across the face, knocking me to the ground.

“Finn!” Beth shouts worriedly, rushing down beside me.

I’ve never been punched properly before. Sure, I’ve been attempted by many people, but it was Jack that always stuck up for me. It was Jack that punched them before they could punch me. It was always Jack.

But there was no saviour for me now, because Jack was the one punching me.

I laid on the floor, my brain gone fuzzy, my left side face was in surreal amount of pain, as the swelling kicked in and the blood, from where my teeth clashed against my cheek dripped out my mouth.

My best friend…had punched me across the face and I fucking deserved it.

“You’re meant to be my best friend, you’ve been my brother Finn…how could you do this!” Jack shouts, but it was no longer anger. It was hurt, and emotion struck in his throat.

Now, the guilt, the pain and everything I should have felt the first time I kissed Beth kicked in, as I realized what I had done. I had fallen in love with a girl I shouldn’t have and I have risked my friendship with the person who’s been my guide, my friend through everything.

Jack was my best friend, he always has been.

He may not be the best, of best friends, he may say the wrong things and he nags me no end and brags too much. But overall, he was my best friend.

I couldn’t speak, as the pain in my face was too much, a numb feeling taking over as Beth held my head in her lap, reassuring me that I’ll be okay, and that I needed medical help. Jack stood in front of me, in my view, his body tense, his fists clenched and his eyes narrowed.

“You backstabber.” he hisses. I groan with pain as I slowly get up, with Beth’s assistance. I shrugged her off, and stood somewhat tall.

“I never meant to hurt you Jack, I couldn’t help it…..it just happened” I state calmly, wincing as every time I spoke, it killed like a bitch.

“You’re unbelievable, lying to me and fucking MY girlfriend isn’t hurting me?” Jack retorts. I wince at his words, and my pain.

“I’m sorry Jack.” Beth whispers softly, looking down at the floor. Jack scoffs, obviously still hurting.

“Yeah, me too. For believing that I could have a decent relationship, and that my best friend wasn’t a fucking prick and ruin it. I’m sorry too.” he spits.

We stayed silent, unknowing what we could say to make things better.

But we realized, we couldn’t make it better.

“You disgust me, the pair of you!” Jack hisses, watching us with malice. I kept Beth close, afraid he might suddenly lunge at her.

“I hope you burn in the hell for what you’ve done…” Jack says, that emotion of hurt and pain showing through. He backs away, glaring at us and turned away, storming out, and the door slammed finalizing the fact that…

I had lost my best friend, most likely for good.

Beth and I looked at each other, not knowing what to do anymore. Our plan had failed, our whole unit had failed.

“I’ve got to go…” Beth says suddenly backing away, tears in her eyes.

“No, Beth wait..” I call, as Beth backs away, I rush to her and surround her in my arms, hugging her so tightly as she sobbed into my chest.

“We’re horrible people….look what we did!” she cries.

I couldn’t reply, I couldn’t reassure her because I didn’t know anymore, I had no idea what to say or do. Beth was right, we were horrible people…we had hurt someone that didn’t deserve to be hurt.

Jack shouldn’t have got hurt.

But either way, even if he hadn’t. I would have been and I would have lost…so either way, we all fucking lose.