sister’s friend. I needed to make sure I didn’t get sucked into that childhood crush again. “I look forward to it.”
Betrayal
Axel
After weeks of trying, I finally got a hold of that motherfucker.
“You have some serious explaining to do.” It was the first time I called and the phone actually rang. The rest of the time it’d been off.
Hawke was quiet over the phone, taking his time before he finally responded. “I know I do.”
“Then you better get to it.” I fell onto my couch and put my feet on the coffee table. “Because last time I checked you promised me you wouldn’t hurt her.”
“I know it doesn’t seem like it, but I kept that promise.”
“What?” I blurted. “No, it doesn’t seem like you kept that promise at all.”
Hawke held his silence.
“Do you care to explain that?”
“I can’t say. But trust me when I say I did the right thing for her.”
Hawke had been my best friend for years but I still didn’t fully understand him. “What the hell are you talking about?”
“I love Francesca. I really do. But I can’t be with her.”
“Why?” I demanded. What reason could there possibly be to abandon her like that?
Hawke fell silent.
“You aren’t going to tell me why?”
“It’s between she and I.”
“I don’t think so, pal. You don’t screw with my sister and not expect to be called out for it.”
“Axel, you have every right to be mad. I don’t blame you. I never should have gotten involved with her in the first place. I thought I could make it work with her, and then I was painfully reminded that I couldn’t.” He breathed heavily on the phone. “For what it’s worth, I’m miserable. I’m going through the motions day-by-day but it’s just a blur. Without her…I don’t know who I am anymore.”
“Then come back.”
“Axel…I can’t.”
“She’s a total wreck over here. I can’t even get her to go to class. She just lays in bed all day.”
Hawke didn’t say anything but his hurt seeped through the phone. “Don’t make this worse…”
I never understood their relationship and even after all this time I still didn’t understand it. Whatever secret they shared wasn’t going to come out. Both of them refused to tell me what it was. But it must be pretty compelling because Francesca understood he wasn’t coming back. She didn’t have hopeless fantasies of him returning. She’s accepted the fate like its etched in stone.
“I know this puts us in an awkward position. But I really want to keep your friendship, Axel. You mean a lot to me, more than you know.”
Would I be an ass if I said I still wanted to be his friend? Despite what he did?
“I know you need some time to process what’s going on but I hope to hear from you…when the dust settles.”
I was actually afraid the dust would never settle. Francesca was exactly the same as she was before. She was a zombie that aimlessly walked around the apartment with no clear direction. She still wasn’t eating or going to class. She was…dead.
“Axel?”
Maybe in time I’d be able to let this go. Maybe I wouldn’t. Hawke was my closest friend but Francesca was my sister. She was my family. If I had to choose, I’d always choose her. “We’ll see.”
***
I walked in the door and saw Francesca and Marie sitting on the couch. They were watching a home improvement show, where they purchase houses, fixed them up, and then flip them.
It seemed safe.
“Hey.” I removed my jacket and set it on the chair.
Marie looked at me over the back of the couch. “Hey.”
I came closer and examined Francesca, who was tucked a under a blanket with her eyes barely open. With every passing day she became thinner and thinner, and she was beginning to look unhealthy. “How was your day?”
Francesca ignored me.
When Marie knew Francesca wasn’t going to speak she said something. “I got back a paper from my journalism class. Got an A.” She eyed Francesca, hoping that would motivate
Betrayal
Axel
After weeks of trying, I finally got a hold of that motherfucker.
“You have some serious explaining to do.” It was the first time I called and the phone actually rang. The rest of the time it’d been off.
Hawke was quiet over the phone, taking his time before he finally responded. “I know I do.”
“Then you better get to it.” I fell onto my couch and put my feet on the coffee table. “Because last time I checked you promised me you wouldn’t hurt her.”
“I know it doesn’t seem like it, but I kept that promise.”
“What?” I blurted. “No, it doesn’t seem like you kept that promise at all.”
Hawke held his silence.
“Do you care to explain that?”
“I can’t say. But trust me when I say I did the right thing for her.”
Hawke had been my best friend for years but I still didn’t fully understand him. “What the hell are you talking about?”
“I love Francesca. I really do. But I can’t be with her.”
“Why?” I demanded. What reason could there possibly be to abandon her like that?
Hawke fell silent.
“You aren’t going to tell me why?”
“It’s between she and I.”
“I don’t think so, pal. You don’t screw with my sister and not expect to be called out for it.”
“Axel, you have every right to be mad. I don’t blame you. I never should have gotten involved with her in the first place. I thought I could make it work with her, and then I was painfully reminded that I couldn’t.” He breathed heavily on the phone. “For what it’s worth, I’m miserable. I’m going through the motions day-by-day but it’s just a blur. Without her…I don’t know who I am anymore.”
“Then come back.”
“Axel…I can’t.”
“She’s a total wreck over here. I can’t even get her to go to class. She just lays in bed all day.”
Hawke didn’t say anything but his hurt seeped through the phone. “Don’t make this worse…”
I never understood their relationship and even after all this time I still didn’t understand it. Whatever secret they shared wasn’t going to come out. Both of them refused to tell me what it was. But it must be pretty compelling because Francesca understood he wasn’t coming back. She didn’t have hopeless fantasies of him returning. She’s accepted the fate like its etched in stone.
“I know this puts us in an awkward position. But I really want to keep your friendship, Axel. You mean a lot to me, more than you know.”
Would I be an ass if I said I still wanted to be his friend? Despite what he did?
“I know you need some time to process what’s going on but I hope to hear from you…when the dust settles.”
I was actually afraid the dust would never settle. Francesca was exactly the same as she was before. She was a zombie that aimlessly walked around the apartment with no clear direction. She still wasn’t eating or going to class. She was…dead.
“Axel?”
Maybe in time I’d be able to let this go. Maybe I wouldn’t. Hawke was my closest friend but Francesca was my sister. She was my family. If I had to choose, I’d always choose her. “We’ll see.”
***
I walked in the door and saw Francesca and Marie sitting on the couch. They were watching a home improvement show, where they purchase houses, fixed them up, and then flip them.
It seemed safe.
“Hey.” I removed my jacket and set it on the chair.
Marie looked at me over the back of the couch. “Hey.”
I came closer and examined Francesca, who was tucked a under a blanket with her eyes barely open. With every passing day she became thinner and thinner, and she was beginning to look unhealthy. “How was your day?”
Francesca ignored me.
When Marie knew Francesca wasn’t going to speak she said something. “I got back a paper from my journalism class. Got an A.” She eyed Francesca, hoping that would motivate
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