Chapter Nine: Ben:

-Back at the Activity Center-

I paced around the building. How could she do this to me? I knew that she had some problems, but we were working it out, right? I looked at my cell phone. No calls and I couldn’t reach her. Carter came over to my side and patted me on the shoulders.

“It’s okay, man,” he said in a low voice. I pushed him away.

“I love her so much,” I whimpered.

“Yeah, yeah.”

“I mean, we had some problems, but we were working them out.”

“Yes.”

I turned to Carter with big eyes. “Why would she do this to me?”

He shrugged. “Do you want sympathy or the truth?”

My eyes widened. “The truth.”

My good friend put his arm around my shoulders. “I think that she was using you.”

“What?”

Carter shook his head. “I’m so sorry, man.”

I shook my head. “No…”

“I didn’t want to tell you.”

“But… ******* do that to me!”

“I’m so sorry.”

My lower lip began quivering as tears welled up in my eyes. Carter raised an eyebrow at me.

“Are you crying?” he asked.

“No!” I whimpered.

“Your lip is quivering,” Carter said. I put my hand over my mouth and sobbed. Carter patted me on the back.

“It might not even be that,” he said, sighing. I looked at him with more tears in my eyes.

“Really?” I asked. My dear friend tried to smile.

“Maybe she had something important to do,” he said.

“Like what?”

Carter shrugged. “I don’t know. Maybe something. I’m sure she will be back.”

“You mean it?”

“Yeah, yeah. ******* will be back and you will be married.”

I perked up and hugged wildly. “I knew it! You are such a good man!”

“Yes,” Carter said in my ear. I didn’t notice how disappointed my good gay friend sounded.

Meanwhile outside…