To My Future Cheating Husband

XXVII. A Friend

Mina swallowed, and the tears streamed down.

"Woah. Woah. Woah," I said. I got off the desk. "Why are you crying?"

"A-Ava. I-I don't know what to do or w-w-who to talk to, and I don't want to do it."

I couldn't embrace her. It was still too awkward for me. So, instead, I settled with a back pat. "Hey. It'll be okay." The classic line shouldn't hurt...right?

Mina buried her face in her hands. Suddenly, thirty minutes of lunch seems too long.

"I'm-"

"What?" I couldn't hear her.

"I'm mo-"

"What?"

Mina looks up, "I'm moving."

Sometimes, things are meant to happen, and nothing you can do will ever change it. You can't control the weather. You can't control nature. And you certainly can't control the people around you.

You make decisions, and so do they.

There's a part of me that's relieved that Mina was going to move. The selfish part of me that believes how it wasn't my previous actions that push her to leave. It was bound to happen.

But, then the conflicts arrive.

Unlike before, she seems reluctant to leave.

"I-I know we aren't close," Mina said. "But, can you please lend me an ear?" Mina had always been like that. So courtesy.

"Sure."

Once Mina cooled down, she told me about her situation. Over the break, her mom came back several times and, above all, drunk. Her parents got into a few nasty fights, and her mom ends up in prison for the night for trespassing.

Her dad said he couldn't do it anymore and put their house up for sale.

He wants to move far away from her mom. Move somewhere where she couldn't find them.

It wasn't the fact that her mom showed up drunk that made his final decision. It was the fact that her mom pushed her down for telling her to leave before her dad returns. As if the situation isn't bad enough. Mina fell on top of a pot plant, and it tore her leg open. Daddy dearest came back right on time to witness the whole situation.

Mina got hospitalized over winter break.

With her portion of information, it finally made sense. Trevon had been moping over winter break, saying how Mina left town, and they couldn't meet.

Now, everything makes sense.

While I watch Mina drown in sorrow, I know I had done something passed awful. I didn't know she was going through a rough time while putting up with me.

And nothing could ever justify my actions.

The more demanding the reparations my subconscious required, the worse I felt.

I want to throw up.

But, I know that sitting there wouldn't do anything - the grounded guilt inside my mind wasn't doing anything to anyone.

Steadily, my arms wrapped around Mina. Her cries halt momentarily before she digs her head deep into my shoulder, and her arms firmly around my waist.

"Why? Why is this happening to me? What did I do wrong?"

I ran my fingers through her hair, "You didn't do anything wrong. None of this is your fault. So, don't do this to yourself." I wish I could tell myself the same lines, but I couldn't.

The warning bell made its appearance, and Mina removed herself. She wipes off the tears with her forearm then takes the tissue in my hand. "I don't know what to do, Ava. I don't know how to tell Trev." She pouted, "I don't want to leave." The tears made its appearance again. "I don't want to leave everyone."

I grab another tissue and dab her eyes, "Look. All because you're moving doesn't change anything. We're all still here. We're all still your friends."

"We?" She took a few blinks, "Does that mean we are friends?"

Then, it dawns on me. Of course, Mina doesn't think I'm her friend. Even I don't believe that. I smile, "Yeah. We. As in, everyone and me."

Mina's face burst into a bright smile, "We're friends." More tears. "I'm friends with Ava Makee." Immediately, Mina embraced me with all her strength. "Thank you."

With each grateful response, the uncomfortable sensation inside my stomach only increases.

After Mina's cried and sadly left some mucus on my shirt, she calmed down. I exhale softly as Mina continues to mope about how to break the bad news.

I'm not going to do it for her.

That's for sure.

Her oddly large red eyes look at me.

I'm a bit creeped out.

"Maybe, I can be there with you when you break the-"

Mina hugs me, "Thank you. Thank you. Thank you!"

I pat her back, "Hm."

I mean, what's the worst thing that can happen?