When The Ball Drops

Maybe I saw wrong, maybe I misunderstood the situation. I had to have. There’s no way they would do this; not to me or to Carmen. Eve is way too nice, and Michael’s like a brother. They’re not like that.

Right?

Outside the four walls of Michael’s apartment, I could tell the party was brimming with excitement. The party was loud enough to hear from a couple blocks down, but it was only when I stood in front of the door that my mind began to replay the images I wasn’t supposed to see. The talk my friends had with me nights before; I chose not to believe them. To cast the doubts aside, but now.

Well, Eve wasn’t answering my text. Nor was Michael. When I asked Carmen about it, she played the innocent girlfriend; saying Michael was probably busy. She hadn’t even heard of the party from Michael. All of this, yet no confirmation from either of them.

“Calm down Glenn,” I said, forcibly stopping my right hand which had begun to shake uncontrollably. Standing outside with my hand near the door, I took a deep breath. “Michael wouldn’t invite me to the party if that was the case,” I said. Half reassuring and stating blatantly to myself. I knocked on the door.

Not a moment passed before someone opened the door. At first, I expected Michael to be there; but when I looked inside, it was someone else entirely. “Oh hello,” my tone matched my surprise. I had no idea who this was. Was it someone Michael knew from work? Who was here?

Inside the home were vivid decorations, bright lights, and loud music. There was very little room to move around inside. And the smell. It reeked of perfume, and yet the stench of alcohol also loomed over the entire party.

The girl smiled before pulling me inside. “Hey, Glenn’s here!”

Out of the corner of my eye, I could see Michael and Eve shift around. Michael had his hand on Eve’s shoulder, but quickly she shook it off. While Eve’s smile grew tenfold, Michael’s smile softened, into a smirk. It would’ve been a grimace if he hadn’t caught himself in time.

“Baby!” She yelled over the booming sound of drums and nearly knocked me over.

She jumped on me, just as she had so many times before, but this time I wasn’t quick to catch her. Instead, I let her feet plant gently onto the floor. “Hey Eve.”

Her scent flooded my brain, flooding my mind with nothing but the sweet memories of all the years we spent together. Looking over to Michael made me remember our memories too. I hadn’t known him for that long, and yet he became an integral part of Eve’s life, and therefore mine. They worked together at the same store, so of course, they talked. But there wasn’t a night that passed where I hadn’t heard his name escape Eve’s lips.

“I was texting you for a while, but you never answered,” I said. My hands gripped loosely around her arms. A stern look fell onto my face while peering into her loving eyes.

Eve gave me a signature head tilt. It was incredibly cute, and it may have fooled me before. After being with her for so long now, I knew what a head tilt meant. She was being cute to hide something. Meaning something was off, and I didn’t need to be a detective to get the hint. Still, I had to believe I was just reading too much into this.

Please tell me I was. The last thing I wanted was to accuse my girlfriend and her best friend of cheating. Especially when they both have significant others.

“I’m sorry, I was busy helping Michael with the decorations for the party.” She looked over to Michael. She was quick, taking no moment to look back at me. It was perfect.

Michael seemed to stand a little taller at the sight of Eve talking to me. Almost as though he were sizing me up. While I hadn’t known Michael for that long, he was known for being a great guy. Horrible liar, amazing guy. Maybe I was overthinking things.

“I wanted to walk with you to the party.” I looked down to my feet.

“I’m sorry about that Glenn. I really needed her help,” Michael said walking up to us.

On instinct, I pulled Eve closer to me. She stiffened up at my touch, at the mere sight of Michael walking to us. “That’s fine. I was a little worried is all,” I said. Expertly, I planted a kiss on Eve’s cheek. “I’m just glad to know she’s safe.”

Every part of me wanted to believe that I was overthinking things. That maybe I hadn’t seen the texts I did. Maybe my friends were lying. So many maybes and yet so many actions screamed louder than my beliefs. Actions like ignoring my messages. The slight twitch on Michael’s lips when I kissed Eve. The way they stood next to each other before I arrived.

“Come on let’s go have fun!” Michael pulled Eve along.  

The party went on without me, but I couldn’t help but entertain the feeling of cold that shivered through the room. All bad things happen in the cold. Why was that the one thing that stayed in my mind?

Time passed and Eve left to go use the restroom, leaving me and Michael to talk. A sudden urge to rip off this giant weight on my chest coursed through every pore of my skin, but I ignored it. I still didn’t want to believe it.

“You know, you’ve grown so much Glenn. I can’t express how proud I am.”

For the moment I ignored him. I needed to poke the beast. Get some sort of reaction. It was clear Eve wouldn’t reveal anything, not unless she slipped up. She always was good at hiding her emotions. The best bet would be to get Michael to reveal everything. He’d be the most likely to mess up.

“Yeah, I know. Eve’s been an important part of my life,” I said before taking a sip of my drink. The alcohol burned the back of my throat, but it was easy to ignore. Especially when all my attention was left to searching Michael’s face for any change.

“Oh, she’s amazing,” he said. His eyes followed Eve as she stepped out from the bathroom and back into the brimming life of the party.

I grit my teeth with every ounce of strength my body could muster. How was I supposed to react to that? What should I say? Thank you? For complementing the person who means the most to me. Thanks for ignoring me entirely and focusing on her like she’s a meal?

No, I had to be smart about this. I needed to strike where he hurts most. How can I do that? Try his girl, maybe. Maybe that could work.

“By the way, where’s Carmen?”

“She said she had work.” Michael’s tone was flat.

Bullshit. She was surprised Michael was having a party when I told her. Hell, Carmen still thought the party was someone else’s. No one was a bigger victim in this than Carmen. Victim? Why was I thinking that way? I have no evidence to show they’re doing what I think they are.

Not yet at least.

“Oh, that sucks man. I’m sorry,” I said with as much sincerity as a vulture does to its prey.

“Don’t be. I’m having a great time either way,” he said. Michael wasn’t looking at me though when he answered, and I didn’t need to follow his eyes to know what, or who he was looking at.

Eve looked at Michael, her gaze shifted from his lips to the floor, then back to me. Michael on the other hand made no effort to hide what he was thinking. He stared back intently at Eve, expecting something to happen with this game of gazes.

I wanted desperately to break up whatever was happening. To point this out and just rip the band-aid off. There was nothing worse than feeling like the third wheel in your own relationship. But another voice within me boomed.

Let this play out.

Let them think I know nothing. It was a voice I hadn’t heard in a while, not since I started dating Eve. The voice was comforting, soothing, like having a best friend reappear in my life after so long. Except, this best friend knew exactly how to hit people in their most vulnerable spots. I wouldn’t have listened to it; had I not been shown who was conspiring against me.

The person I was before Eve wasn’t the best. He might’ve tied for the worst person alive, but I had changed. Not only for Eve but for the new people in my life. That person I was before, was shut in a dark room. Far away from me. Locked away and never to return. I looked over to Michael. A horrible smile spread upon his lips. Mocking me. Ridiculing me for being oblivious to the truth. But that voice wasn’t gone was it? It slunk into the background. Waiting for the right moment. The door was ready to be open. Its lock was nothing more than decoration. Just like the decorations Eve put up for this party.

“I hope you know that whatever next year brings, I’ll always be your friend.” Michael put a hand lightly on my shoulder.

“Thanks,” I managed out without a hint of sarcasm.

“I mean it. You’re like a brother to me,” Michael said. He reassured me by patting me on the back. “And I would never mean to hurt you, Glenn.”

I met his eyes with my own. He was lying straight through his teeth, and all I was expected to do was sit here and smile.

Speaking in riddles, the glances, everything was too much. As the music droned on, I clutched my drink tighter. Its cold temperature numbed the pain I felt in my heart. Michael was speaking way too hypothetically, Eve was ignoring me, and the one thing I thought I’d beaten was coming back. Maybe this was right. Maybe I shouldn’t be the new person. It’s almost a new year, why not blend the two. Why not become something new. The voice I was trying so hard to suppress had finally won.

If they want to play that game, that’s fine. It just so happens I have a little more experience. I know exactly what to do. All I needed was a little bit of time, a couple of choice words, and a few well-shed tears. That was all it took to ruin a person’s life.

Five…four…three…two…one.

This is going to be an interesting year.

“Happy new year!” Eve kissed my cheek, taking my hands into her own. Warmth escaped from her and onto me. Every small bit of heat escaped from the room, leaving me with a cold feeling.

All the while I could see Michael out of the corner of my eye, watching, waiting for the right moment. Even without looking at him, I could feel the smugness. The same smug act a kid would pull knowing that a lie was being told. All he needed was to wait patiently. Wait for the right moment and then pull the rug out from under me.

“Yeah,” I flashed a bright smile. She had no idea, not right now at least. Neither did Michael. “Happy new year!”

Good. Let’s keep it that way.