The Collapse

The Collapse: Flight Postponed

"I want to apologize." Jake starts. His entire body was shaking. He could barely keep a firm grip on his cellphone.

"...Are you serious, Jake?" Albert replies, vitriol seeping through his voice.

Jake swallowed thickly, nodding, as if Albert could see that. "Yes. I thought about it. And... seriously, man... It was messed up of me to do that."

"...I don't even care anymore, dude. Just... just leave me alone." His voice was muffled on the other end.

"Albert... Please, listen to me. I mean it. I, I really did think about it... It's tragic, I know that now–"

"Can you shut up already?! I don't need your empty words! You only care about yourself, your happiness, your 5 seconds of laughter, before you move on and sit on your ass all day!"

Jake was stunned. None of that was true. He wanted so badly, so, so badly to correct Albert. To tell him how wrong he was, how he genuinely cared for the victims. But for a moment, he was quiet. That was the wrong decision.

"You can't even admit it, huh. You've got too much pride for that, I guess. I shouldn't have ever trusted you."

"Albert." he squeaks out. "Please. Please, listen to me." he said, voice quivering. "Believe me. I really thought about it. I can't believe I'd disregard all those victims, their families, their lives... I wouldn't lie to you about this. I don't want to lose you over this."

Now it was Albert's turn to go quiet. "Jake..." he breathes out.

"We should talk about this in person, I think," he concludes.

"Yeah, we should." Jake agrees.

Albert's POV

Since meeting up for coffee felt inappropriate, the two decided to meet up at Albert's place. He twiddled his thumbs in both dread and anticipation, debating how to even broach the topic. Albert hadn't mentioned his girlfriend's criminal affairs. Literally. He whipped his head towards the front door anytime a car passed by in the hopes that Jake would be inside. They've known each other for so long, and yet Albert finds himself unable to completely trust his so-called best friend. Hearing faint footsteps approaching his door, Albert intuitively knows who it is. Somewhere along the way, they'd grown to memorize each other's patterns.

Perhaps out of habit, Jake invites himself in. "Hi," is all he can muster up.

"Hey," Albert can't bear to look him in the eyes.

Jake takes a seat next to him, and Albert has to ignore the knee-jerk reaction of moving away. The man sat next to him felt like a complete stranger; an impostor posing as the one closest to him.

"I don't know how to prove this to you, but I promise..." he trails off. Jake can't seem to find the words needed to articulate a proper apology. He leans over, trying to get a glimpse of Albert's face, trying to gauge a morsel of what he's feeling right now - if Jake could just understand him, he might be able to know how to navigate their current predicament.

"What if I did get on that plane, huh? What then, would you have still been throwing a parade over it?" Albert lashes out, anger coating every word. He looked at Jake, brow furrowed in disgust. "You can't treat everything like a joke, Jake. One of these days, you're gonna have to learn that." He tears his hateful gaze away.

Jake grumbles, frustrated. "That's what I'm trying to tell you, man!" he bites at him. "I... I can't stand the thought of losing you! I thought about all those victims, their families, their loved ones... I could have been one of those people, mourning you." his voice grows soft. "I don't want that... I'm so sorry... I should've been more empathetic..." he pauses.

"I... I lo... I care about you."

Albert's shocked into silence. "Jake..." Albert's already lost his girlfriend to Osama bin Laden, he can't afford to lose his best friend, too. "I... I forgive you."

Their hands inch together, fingers locking after a moment of hesitance. Jake's palm is damp with sweat. Despite that, they share a nice, quiet moment. Just like that, looking into each other's eyes. As the streets of New York City are being cleared of smoke and firefighters dig through piles of rubble, the two manage to find solace in one another.

Lana's POV

"So? Did you call him?" Lana questions loudly. Osama looks up at her from where he's sitting. "Well, I tried. He didn't answer." The girl sighs, frustrated. "What are you so upset about? We did everything right, it was Alexander's fault that he didn't get on the plane in time."

"That's not the POINT, Osama... I mean, it kind of was, but I really wanted Albert out of my hair. Break ups are messy. Domestic terrorism is just easier. I don't have to break any hearts, or whatever..." She grumbles.

"Who cares about Alan... What's done is done, you're worrying too much. I do wonder what that other guy is so busy with, tho..."

"His NAME is ALBERT, damn it! Gah... I need to cool off..." She sits down on the bed next to them. "Those guys... so irresponsible." She mutters before turning on the TV.

The sight before her is a mournful news reporter rattling off information about the hijacked flights, mountains of rubble settling behind her. Lana pictures a paled Albert crawling out from underneath, covered head to toe in dust and debris. She briefly smiles before being awoken from her reverie.

"We should have picked better people to help us... just because he has connections to your little boy-toy doesn't mean he's qualified..." He sighs, and for what feels like the 50th time today, Lana does as well.

"We'll get his ass eventually..." She says through gritted teeth.

Albert's POV

Albert mopes on his couch as Jake leaves to retrieve something from the kitchen. He returns with two white, rectangular wrappers. He slides one into his friend's hands before settling next to him. Albert opens the plastic wrapping in one fell swoop to reveal an ice cream sandwich, its coldness radiating throughout his fingers. Its shape reminds him of... Nevermind. Real sensitive, Jake.

His primary, well, secondary concern has been weighing him down the entire day, and Albert can't hold back much longer. "Lana's cheating on me." He deadpans, vacant eyes glued to the ground.

Jake's eyes widen, and he pauses mid-chew. "What!? Do you know who she's cheating with?"

Albert briefly considers being truthful, then hesitates. He doubts Jake would believe him, he'd start treating everything like a joke again. "Um. No," he says half-heartedly.

Jake sighs, and there's almost a sense of relief to it. "I'm sorry that happened to you, man. That's fucked up."

"It's fine. I never really saw her anyway..."

Their conversation is interrupted by Jake's blaring ringtone. Jake glances at the caller ID, then quickly mumbles, "I gotta take this, sorry," before rushing off in agitation.

TO BE CONTINUED...