Music To My Ears | 2gether Short Stories

I Prayed For You - Chapter 04

"My good gentlemen, what brings you fine folks out here this glorious evening?" said Man, spreading his arms in a welcoming gesture.

"Why the fuck are you talking like you're in a low budget reproduction of a failed Broadway musical?" snapped Wat, dodging Man's attempt to bear hug him.

"Hi Man, hi Boss" said Tine, waving cheerfully.

Wat hadn't noticed Boss till then, who stood brooding against a tree, equally blindsided by Wat's sudden appearance.

"You know them? Is this a set up of some sort?" demanded Wat, frowning at Tine.

"They're the breakfast buddies and carpool crew I told you about" explained Tine.

"Since we are alliterating, I would say we are fortunate friends. And seeing you guys here is purely coincidental" said Man, smiling. Boss stayed silent, his eyes on Wat.

Wat turned to Tine, a sudden flare of hurt clouding his eyes and his judgement.

"You never told me their names. You knew they were my friends and you never told me.

This is such bullshit. You guys have been talking about me behind my back this whole time, haven't you? Had some good laughs at my expense, I bet.

You must have been thrilled to have made a fool out of me. All this time, everything you've been doing... it was what? Out of pity? Guilt? Throwing a bone to a hungry dog and seeing if he bites?

And then what, you guys would exchange notes on who managed to get the most tricks out of me?"

Tine was too stunned to speak. This was an interpretation he had never even imagined.

"And here I was thinking... Actually, you know what, it's my fault. I wasn't thinking. I let my guard down. Well done, Tine, you could be a professional actor. You sure had me fooled" went on Wat, pacing up and down like a restless tiger, running his fingers through his hair.

"What are you talking about? You've got it all wrong" said Tine, reaching a hand out to Wat.

Wat pushed Tine's hand away harshly. "Don't. Just fucking don't."

"Wat, I don't understand..." said Tine, increasingly distressed, trying to get Wat to stop and talk, and gasped as Wat pushed him away on his chest, hard.

Wat didn't even see Boss's fist until it hit him right on his mouth. His lip split and he tasted blood. He fell to one knee from the force of the impact.

Boss trembled with rage as he shouted at Wat.

"You're a fucking asshole, Wat, but this is a new low even for you. Why are you so desperate to cling to your insane belief that no one could ever like you? Why do you have to put a negative spin on every goddamn thing? Why do you have to sabotage everything for yourself?

Tine has been nothing but kind to you. Not out of pity, or guilt or whatever the fuck you think it is.

It's for the same reason that I showed you a mirror and forced you to see what I saw, the shell of a man who was once my best friend. Even though it cost me our relationship.

It's because we think you're worth it. You're worth the kindness, the care, the friendship, the love. You deserve it all and more.

Stop projecting your senseless, fucked up complex on others and grow up, Wat. It's one thing to shit on me, but Tine is so fucking pure, I swear there's a halo around his head sometimes.

Don't fucking lose another friend just because you're too caught up in your own pity party to notice the good things in your life."

Boss breathed hard, his chest heaved with emotion, his fists were clenched and his eyes held a desperate gleam.