Surprises

Prompt: “How did you know?” I asked, not sure I wanted the answer. I thought I had been careful. I thought she…

...was none the wiser. I thought that I had been meticulously inconspicuous. I never got all the things I needed at once. I spaced it out over weeks, careful to raise no suspension. My hope was sinking like a stone as her eyes held me pinned to the spot.

“How could I not know,” she said, “I’ve known you for years, did you think I wasn’t paying attention to you?”

I shrugged off the pitiful excuse. Of course I thought she didn't pay attention anymore. I could feel her pulling away from me ever since he came into the picture. The only thing keeping us tied together at this point was the damn house. I wanted to change that, I wanted to give her a reason to stay.

“I just wanted to surprise you,” I said, “You used to love surprises.”

With creases in her brow I took this as a sign of resistance, here came the assault I knew too well these days.

“This is childish,” she huffed, “surprises are for kids, you should have just been open about it from the beginning. This is why I am moving out Camry. I can't take the childishness anymore.”

She's become so condescending, nothing like the sweet girl I grew to adore in high school. All I could do now was try to slow the anger I felt rising to the surface.

“Well maybe you could use some child-like fun, or are you too pompous for that anymore,” I sang out of my clenched teeth.

“Don’t start this again,” she glared.

I really hated when we fought. It never left me with a good taste in my mouth. She had the attitude of a real narcissist and I had the anger of a bull. My mother used to say I plowed through that anger without thinking of the consequences. Maybe she was right, I guess I don’t think things through.

“Why don't you just leave now, go early for all I care!”

“Camry, don’t make this be a choice between him or you. You know I’ll still call and swing by when I can,” she said softly as she inched towards me. She looked at me as if I was a child in need of soothing.

It made me sick. Gone were the days in which she viewed me as an equal, she only pities me now. Thinks that she is so mighty and mature when in reality she couldn’t even buy alcohol or cigarettes yet. The only reason she’s stayed so long is that I don’t charge her rent. This is my house after all, a gift from my dying uncle. He raised me in this house after my mother left so naturally I wanted to stay once he passed. I needed a rock, I couldn't fight off the memories alone without her so she moved in with me. It was great at first, I couldn’t afford college so I worked while she went to the community college in town full time. We shared meals, laughs, and movies for two years before she met him.

I was excited at first, who wouldn’t be? She was in love and happy, who doesn’t want that for their friend. Except that he didn't like me. Said I was wasting my life working at the café, not like I had many other options. She began to change for him. She spent her nights at his apartment while I sat alone until eventually she dropped the bomb that she was moving in with him.

“Camry, will you please listen for once. God this is why we don’t work well anymore Camry. You are stuck, you aren’t growing as a person,” she turned as the last words slipped her mouth.

I didn’t even have to look. I knew when she slammed the door that this was over. The birthday decorations look ridiculous now without her here to celebrate. I just wanted to do something for her to show her how much I still care. I guess I just ended up wasting both the decorations and my time.