AUTHOR’S POV
“Tim, it absolutely isn’t what you think it is” Rick called out, banging at the door of Tim's place. Tim had very obviously left Melinda’s place and returned to his own place.
Just by the door were two luggages that definitely contained Melinda’s things.
“Tim, I know you can hear me. Please open the door, let’s at least talk this out. I was wrong, okay? But I really would never do such a thing to…” The door opened and a swollen faced Tim stood in front of Rick. Tim looked all shades of sad and he looked like he had wiped off his tears several times before stepping out to open the door.
Rick felt his heart breaking at the sight. He had known Tim for quite a long time now but this was the very first time he was seeing Tim in this state. Tim had always been the happiest of their little friend circle. He was always all over Melinda, rarely got sad and was certainly very optimistic and easygoing.
‘Fuck’ Rick cursed in his head. Why had he drank so much last night? Why had he lost his senses and slept with Melinda?
“You are going to come in and stand a chance of me killing you or you are going to run away like you should now that you still have the chance to do so?” Tim asked and Rick took a step forward.
“I will die happily if I at least explain myself to you” He replied and Tim made way for Rick to step into his home.
Rick stepped into the home and Tim shut the door behind him.
“And now? Did you come in here because you think I don’t dare kill you? Or did you come in here because you have an explanation?” Tim asked as the both men stopped in the living room.
“Because I have an explanation” Rick responded.
“Listen, I know this might sound shitty but I was crazy drunk last night and Melinda came visiting…”
“And you thought she looked nice and beautiful so you slept with her? With my fiancé?!” Tim raged, anger in his eyes.
“No, Tim. No, I don’t even recall what happened last night but I know I didn’t initiate it. I would never. You know how crazy I am over Rosaline. I would not go for Melinda if I were in my right senses. Believe me...”
“Well…” Tim sat on his sofa and remained silent for the next few seconds before looking up at Rick with a sad smile.
“Melinda has had her eyes on you for a while, right?” He let out.
“You… You know about that?” Rick asked, surprised.
“I know, at least I should have known" Tim started, the sad smile still on his face.
"I was just a fool. The first time Mel cheated on me was with a guy named Dan and few days before I caught her with Dan, she had been slipping his name on a few occasions." The sad smile dropped and a look of pain crossed his face.
"She would… She would suddenly call me Dan and that would even happen when we were being intimate but fuck! I was being way too trusting until I caught her with Dan. Dan told me she was the one who seduced him but Melinda denied it. She… Melinda promised she would never do it again. She promised me it would be just us, she would never cheat on me but she did again and like the fool I was, I forgave her again." Tim looked up at Rick.
"I am really a fool" He forced out the sad smile again, tears gathering in his eyes.
"I should have suspected when she… when she started calling me by your name but she claimed she was only making a mistake because she missed us hanging out all together. I know I am a fool but yes, I badly wanted to believe that this time Melinda would not cheat on me again. I even had a talk with her about this and she got mad that I was suggesting she was sleeping with you. She… she pointed out to the fact that you were in love with Rosaline and you would never look at another woman and I believed her. I didn’t… want her to get too mad at me for near accusing her of cheating so I let go of the topic but… it’s obvious that Melinda would never change for me. She… I have tried everything to be the man she wants me to be but nothing is working. Nothing is ever going to work…” Tim shook his head and lowered his gaze as a tear rolled down his cheek.
“I am really sorry, Tim. Melinda has hurt you a lot but I want you to know that I would never betray you that way if I wasn’t drunk. I… I am not that kind of friend. I am not the kind of friend who betrays his friend” Rick felt his heart hurt as he finished those words.
It felt wrong for him to claim to be a friend who doesn’t betray when he could still remember vividly that it had only been 24 hours since he revealed his best friend’s secret to someone he knew would use it against her.
“It doesn’t matter, does it? Drunk or not, you did it” Tim shook his head.
In Rick’s ears, the words sounded more like “Hurt or not, you did it”.
He had been hurt by the fact that Rosaline didn’t choose him and instead chose Russo El Massimo but hurt or not, he had done it, he had betrayed Rosaline. He hated Russo, yes he did, but he could have found another way to hurt Russo in a way that would not hurt Rosaline. In a way that would not hurt his friend whom he had loved for years.
“You should leave, Rick. I… Even if Melinda seduced the drunk you into bed… wait, no… drunk people can’t be seduced. Even if Melinda made you do it, I… just can’t get it out of my head that you, my best friend fucked my woman… ex woman to be precise now. I am never taking her back. And If I am ever going to let you back in my life, Rick, it’s going to be after I have healed from this. You should leave now” Tim got up to his feet.
“Right. I totally should leave right away but Tim, I really didn’t want this. I should probably have told you about it the first time Melinda approached me. I am sorry I didn’t and I… I am sorry I let you down.” Rick apologized and walked out of the room, his steps quick and brisk.
He had to be at his Uncle, Dark Caster’s place as soon as possible. Tim’s words had made him realize what he had done. A single act of betrayal could ruin a thousand good actions. With that single act of betrayal against Rosaline, everything he had done in his love for her would be rendered invalid.
Rick knew he shouldn’t have done anything that would harm Rosaline. What had he been thinking?! He loved Rosaline, how could he put her in harm’s way. How could he have settled for a probability of keeping her alive? Could he even still claim he loved her after he had willingly put her in trouble?
“Shit!” Rick cursed, pulling his car door open. He had let his pains take control of him and push him to take a really shitty decision. But like he knew… Hurt or not, A betrayal is still exactly what it was.
A betrayal.