The Broken Road - A Zac Efron Novel (18+)

Chapter 12 - Building a Connection

"Well, do you want to talk about it?" he asked me.

I exhaled slowly, deep in thought.  I finally replied, "I don't even know where to start.  The whole situation is so fucked up.  Like epically fucked up," I said as I passed the joint back to him.  "It's been like a death.  More than anything this last week, I've grieved.  Not as much for him, but she was supposed to be my best friend.  I've known her longer than anyone in my life, except for my parents. And I had no idea."

I took the joint back from him as he asked, "Did they explain why they did it?"

"Well, that would involve actually talking to them, wouldn't it?"

"Wait, so you haven't even talked to either of them?"

"Her? No?  Him?  Well, I let him listen to me yell at him for about 15 minutes, but I wasn't about to listen to anything he had to say."

"Wow. So, you don't even want an explanation?"

"If I thought there was any possibility my friendship with her or my relationship with him could be salvaged, I would hear them out.  But I took a lot of time to think about it.  I don't need either of them in my life.  There is nothing left to salvage and if I let them explain themselves it would only serve to make them feel better – not me."

"Cut throat," he said, having another pull.

"Do you want to know the most ridiculous part?" I asked him, cocking one of my eyebrows.

"Do I?" he hesitated.  "The rest isn't brutal enough?"

"He always accused me of cheating on him.  He was constantly checking in while I was away.  Calling...texting...and if I didn't answer or didn't respond immediately, then it must have been because I was with another man..."

"Wow.  Well, I didn't know he was acting that way with you...or I would have probably suggested the same thing.  Guys who are constantly accusing their girlfriends of cheating...are usually cheating."

"Yeah.  That night we went out in London?  I didn't call him when we got back to the hotel.  He called me the next morning...furious...and then blocked my number for two weeks after," I said as I took a long drag, watching for his reaction as I exhaled and passed the joint back to him.

"Honestly, if I would have known he was going to act like that, I would have made sure we were photographed together that night," he said having another hit.

"Might have saved me a lot of aggravation."

"Did you?  Ever cheat on him, I mean?"

"Nope.  Honestly, the night you and I went out dancing...if he would have seen that...he would have been pissed.  And I would have told him to fuck off, because there were no feelings behind it.  We were just having a fun time as friends.  But other than that, I never did a single thing that could have even been considered inappropriate.  But don't worry, he was cheating enough for the both of us."

"With Megan you mean?"

"Oh no, there were, quote, 'four or five others.'  They were all one night stands though," I rolled my eyes.  "The only one he had an actual affair with was my best friend."

"Seriously, fuck him."

"I stood by him.  When everyone was saying he wasn't good enough, his feet weren't quick enough, his arm wasn't powerful enough, I was behind him telling him not only that he could, but that he would.  I lifted him up and supported him and he became a champion. And he repays me by sleeping with my best friend behind my back, pretty much from the moment he won that game."