Hope’s red car was parked along the street, and a black truck I didn’t recognize was in her designated carport. I found a space a few spots ahead of her car.
I popped a mint into my mouth. The package promised three hours of fresh breath. If things went the way I planned, I’d only need it to last effectively for the first hour.
I tossed the mint tin on the passenger seat and stole a quick glance at myself in the rearview. Then Hope appeared in the frame. She was walking some guy out of her condo. Something stopped me from exiting my car. Instead, I watched from the rearview mirror.
She slipped her hand in his, then leaned up on her tiptoes, the way she did with me, and kissed him. It wasn’t a peck on the cheek; it was an open-mouthed kiss on the lips. It was the kind of kiss she gave me before I left.
What? It felt like someone had sucker punched me. All the air left my lungs and sank to the pit of my stomach that was hollow with hurt.
Why would she do this to me?
He wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her in to him. He was about my height, only fitter. He wasn’t on meds that made him look like a melting marshmallow.
Who is he?
When he brushed her hair off her face and she smiled, my eyes stung.
Hope. I thought we were in love.
I loved her the way she loved on him. No matter how badly it hurt, I couldn’t look away. The more I watched, the greater the divide grew between my heart and my head until I couldn’t think straight.
I pushed open the door to my car and walked toward them. The dude saw me first. He took a measured step away from Hope, whose fair face grew fainter.
“Branson.”
“Hey,” I said inches away from them. Their body language shifted, no longer all cuddly and close. The guy started to flex his height against me when I shut that shit down.
“I’m Branson.” I extended my hand to him.
“Jake.” His handshake wasn’t impressive.
“What are you doing here?” Hope’s voice teetered on the edge of hysterical, and yet I found mine perfectly calm.
“Thought I’d surprise you,” I said without looking at her. “Guess the joke’s on me.”
“Hey, I don’t want any trouble.” Jake held up his hands.
I slowly nodded. “No trouble. Just wanted to meet Hope’s family friend.”
“Branson, it’s not like that,” Hope said, and I laughed.
“Pretty sure it is.” I nodded toward her condo. “Could you just get my Mario Kart game?”
“But—”
“Yeah, it’s not a parting gift. I need my game back.”
She glanced at Jake and then back at me. Neither of us said anything. When it came to video games, bro code was strong.
Hope disappeared into her condo, and the silence between Jake and me got weird.
“I’ve actually got to get to work,” he finally said.
I nodded. What was there to say? Good luck fucking my girlfriend? He walked toward his black truck, and Hope ran out of her condo toward him. That was when I knew. He was the one she wanted, not me.
When she reappeared, she practically threw the video game at me.
“Are you happy now?”
When I didn’t respond, she continued to spiral.
“I told you I don’t like to be alone,” she said. “This shouldn’t come as a surprise.”
But it did. I thought we were in love. I was. I was in love with you. The words remained stuck somewhere between the Hope I’d had and the despair I now felt.
So I did the only thing I knew to do to stop from hurting.
I walked away.