A six letter word I'll never forget

1

"Ughhh, when's he gonna get here?" Henry whined. "School ended 10 minutes ago, where's our boy?"

"He wasn't in class," Liam pointed out. "Maybe he went home early?"

"I doubt it," Henry rolled his eyes. "He would've told us first."

Drew didn't say anything. Jake was probably with those Music Fr- er... the Music Club. Drew still didn't understand why Jake spent so much time with them. They were just using him for the competition. Not only that, but Jake already had a friend group. He didn't need a second. Drew sighed. Whatever, he was going to leave after the competition on Friday anyway.

Another 15 minutes or so passed when the trio spotted Jake making his way out of the school.

"HAHA! Look who's finally here," Henry announced.

"Yeah, it only took him half an hour. Zoey and Lia left 20 minutes ago!"

Drew rolled his eyes at the two, "he's here now, let's just ask him why he was so late."

As Jake began to approach the group, Drew noticed the sour look on his face. His eyes were red, his head was down, and he did not look happy.

Drew lifted his arm to wave hello to his friend, "Jake! You're finally here, what ha-" Drew was cut off by Jake grabbing his arm with his left hand. He lifted his face to look at Drew.

"Was it you?" He rasped. His tone was quiet and mournful, but demanding and harsh.

"Was what me?" Drew questioned, slightly worried.

"Did you send the audio to Hailey?" Jake demanded, his grip on Drew's arm tightening and his voice rising.

Drew's eyes widened. The recording Zoey had. She'd already sent it to Hailey.

"I- '' Drew bit his words, not sure what to say. "I... yes. Well, yes and no. I told Zoey to record it. I wante-"

Timed seemed to slow as Jake raised his right hand and brought it to Drew's face. A sharp pain throbbed in his cheek as Jake brought his hand down on Drew's other side. Drew brought his hand up to meet his left cheek. Jake dropped the grasp he had on Drew's arm. When the cloud of shock had cleared, Drew managed to see Jake's face. He was pissed. Tears were streaming down his face. His breathing was heavy, his eyes glaring into Drew's soul. Drew felt his own eyes water.

"I..." Jake struggled to speak through tears and sobs. "I cannot believe you did that. What the HELL, Drew?! I'm allowed to have other friends! I'm allowed to have my own goddamn interests! I'm allowed to do whatever the fuck I want! You don't control my life! I don't have to have your permission to do everything! Sometimes, just maybe, I'm allowed to live on my own?!" Jake paused, trying to catch his breath. "... You're a bad friend, Drew. You're toxic, and controlling, and obsessive. I... I loved them, Drew. They were like a family to me. And you took that from me. You took my passion from me. And I'm done." Jake looked Drew dead in the eyes; anger, sorrow, greif, pain, and regret clouding his vision. "I'm done with you. Don't contact me."

"W-wait-" Drew tried to reach out to him, he tried to explain himself. But the words just wouldn't come. Jake ran past him, Drew's head and eyes following him the whole way, his heart being pulled apart. Drew reached out to him, about to follow when Liam stopped him.

"Give him time," Liam muttered. Drew, for the first time in years, felt water running down his face. His cheek didn't even hurt anymore. No physical pain compared to the gaping hole in his chest.

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Drew fell onto his bed, having run out of homework to do. For the past 5 hours, he'd been distracting himself by doing schoolwork. He'd gotten so far ahead in his classes that there was no longer work for him to busy himself with. He was tired, but he didn't want to think about what had happened early that day. In the back of his mind, he'd been hoping Jake would text him. But every time he checked his phone he just got more disappointed. He refused to listen to his rational side, saying that the friendship was over. He didn't want to admit it. He didn't want to lose his best friend.