Lost friends

Word Count: 298

         “I’m going to disappoint you. But you knew that already.”

         He looked at me, sadness in his eyes. “I knew, I just didn’t want to believe it. I’ve suspected for a long time that this relationship wouldn’t work out, Sarah.”

         His candor stunned me, as did the meaning behind the words. I looked up from where I knelt in the flowerbed. “You didn’t trust me?”

         He stood up from the porch steps and walked over next to me. Leaning against the picket fence, he seemded to choose his words carefully. “It’s just that… we’re too different, too much at odds. I was silly to think that this could work. Our engagement has been like a fairy tale. But without the happy ending.”

         I nodded in understanding as I stood up next to him. I removed my gardening gloves and leaned against the fence, regret welling up inside me. “You want to break up.” It wasn’t a question.

         He turned to face me, taking my hands in his. “It… might be best. You’re my best friend, I don’t want to lose that; and I think that if we do get married, we won’t stay friends.”

         Tears filled my eyes, but I choked them back. I knew he was right, but that only made it worse. I pulled his ring from my pants pocket where I had put it to pull weeds. I held it out to him. “Here. Take it.”

         “Sarah, I- ”

         “Just take it! Go. I… please, just go. I need some time.”

         He understood, and turned away without saying anything. He walked down the sidewalk to his car, and only when he drove around the corner did I release the tears. They rolled down my cheek, as despair filled my soul. I had lost my friend.