Chapter 19
~ZACK~
I show up at Dakota's house looking completely wrecked, so I wouldn't be surprised if he rejected me from crashing at his house until I can book a flight back to New Jersey. Obviously, I couldn't stay at Josh's house after I beat the shit out of him. At this point, I'm pretty sure I burned that bridge. The friendship we had for twelve years is most probably lost forever and it's all my fucking fault. I knew that I messed up so bad when I saw him all banged up after I shot him that last blow to the face, but by then it was too late. He'll never forgive me. And now that I'm looking back I can't really blame him. I was in the wrong all the way, but I guess at the time my anger blinded me. Now I regret it. I regret everything.
When Dakota opens his front door he's instantly taken aback when he sees my bruised and broken appearance. "Holy shit! What happened to you?!" He exclaims.
"I got into a fight," I answer hoarsely.
"Yeah, no kidding! With who?" He asks, inviting me in.
"Josh."
"Good one, Zack, now who'd you actually get into a fight with?" He says, handing me a beer.
"I'm not joking," I say back sternly, opening up the beer can to quickly chug it. I then slam into the couch with a couple of winces here and there from the beating I sustained from Josh.
"No way!" Dakota exclaims in shock. "Of all people for you to get into a fight with, you ended up fighting Josh?! I find that hard to believe. I mean, you guys have been friends since—"
"Were friends," I say, emphasizing "were" to get it through his head that Josh and I are done.
"What happened?"
God, I dread answering that question. "Does it matter?"
"Well..."
"It's done, alright? Now can I crash here until I can catch a flight back to New Jersey?"
"You're leaving already? But summer's not over yet?"
"So what? I came here just to reunite with my best friend. And obviously, that was a mistake because we're not even friends anymore. Now, I just need to get out of here because I'm never coming back to Half Moon Bay."
"You don't mean that. Whatever happened between you guys you can probably work out."
"I don't think that's gonna happen."
"Well, who's fault was it?"
"His... and mine."
"Then just... apologize for your part in the fallout... whatever it was that you did."
"As if it were that simple. I called him all these shitty things and then I beat his ass, Dakota. That bridge is burned." I just know it is. I mean, how am I supposed to go up to Josh and just say that I'm sorry for everything? After all the shit that I did to him. I was a terrible friend and I know it. I let my stupid insecurities get the best of me and ruin the best friendship I've ever had. I'm beyond fucking stupid. The worst part of it all is, I can't take it back. This isn't like some nightmare I can just wake up from and forget all about. This is real... and now I have to live with this kind of regret for the rest of my life.
"Damn bro, you really fucked up, didn't you?" Dakota says awkwardly, failing to come up with something more meaningful to say.
"Yeah... so can I crash here or not?"
"Uh yeah, sure."
"Don't worry, I'll be outta here soon. And I sure as hell am not coming back."
YOU ARE READING
Summer Milestone
Teen Fiction[boyxboy] Eighteen-year-old Josh Crimson has been best friends with Zack Clifton ever since childhood but when Zack is forced to move away the summer before their senior year of high school, Josh feels as if he has lost something in his life. A year...
