Friends

Chapter 4

Jasmine's POV:

"So let me get this straight," I manage to choke out, struggling to contain the surge of emotions threatening to spill over. "You like my best friend, Juliette. You came here for closure, to say 'Goodbye' or whatever, which literally was just us fucking, and now you're asking if we can still be friends."

"We're in the same friend group," Kendrick replies calmly, but his words feel like salt in an open wound, stinging with a bitter truth. "It'd be weird if we weren't cordial."

"Why are you even here?" My voice rises involuntarily, the effort to hold back tears becoming almost unbearable.

"What do you mean, why am I here?" Kendrick's confusion only adds to my anguish. "You're my best friend. I've known you for four years. I've known you way longer than I've known Juliette. As my best friend, I thought you'd be happy for me."

"You thought I'd be okay with you dating my best friend, knowing that I've loved you and wanted to get back together for the last four years?" I snap, frustration breaking through as tears finally escape, betraying my struggle to maintain composure.

"Why are you making this about you?" Kendrick's voice wavers, his own emotions starting to surface. "You don't think this is tough for me? Knowing that I might lose my best friend of four years? Giving up on the best sex I've ever had? Do you think I want to do this? Not to mention what this could do to our friend group if they found out that we've been fucking."

"Wait, so our friend group knows about you and Juliette, but you've been keeping me a secret all this time?"

"Why are you making this all about you?" Kendrick's tone sharpens, hurt evident in his words. "I thought you'd be happy I'm being honest with you about this. Last time, I lied about getting into a relationship and you were mad, and now that I'm telling you about it, you're still mad! Like, what do you want?"

"I want you not to date my best friend," I whisper, the weight of my words echoing in the tense air between us, mingling with unshed tears and a sense of betrayal that cuts deep.

"You're a terrible best friend," he accuses, his voice laced with frustration and disappointment. "You should be happy that I found someone who makes me happy, but here you are, making it all about you. Why are we even friends if this is how you're gonna treat me?"

His words stung, and I struggled to find my voice. "I'm sorry," I managed, my tone pleading. "I want to be happy for you, but..."

"But nothing," Kendrick cut in sharply, his tone accusing. "When you started dating that other guy, I was nothing but supportive. I even encouraged it."

My heart sank at his words. "Encouraged?" I exclaimed, disbelief coloring my voice. "If by encouraged you mean you said it was okay for me to talk to him as long as we still fucked..."

"You're trying to blame me for your actions while dating another guy?" Kendrick's accusation cut through me like a knife. The anger in his eyes mirrored the turmoil in my heart.

"No, that's not what I'm doing," I protested, my voice trembling with emotion.

His frustration was palpable as he continued, "No one told you to do that. You're an adult! You make your own decisions and you're sitting here like I had a gun to your head. All I did was ask if you wanted to fuck."

Each word stung, carrying the weight of his disappointment. I struggled to find my voice, overwhelmed by guilt and the intensity of the moment. Tears fill my eyes as I try to explain, "You told me you missed me."

"Is that all it takes to get you to drop someone you're interested in?" Kendrick's voice rose with disbelief. "Someone saying 'I miss you'? This is exactly why I could never date you. Everything is everyone else's fault except yours."

His words hit me like a tidal wave, washing over me with their painful truth. Panic gripped my chest as he turned away, ready to walk out of my life. "No, please don't leave," I pleaded desperately, my voice cracking with sorrow. "I'm sorry."