Saturday afternoon I'm sitting in bed trying to finish my homework when I hear things start to get heated across the hall. I was already asleep by the time Gwen and Everest came home last night, but something must have happened at that party because they were both in terrible moods this morning. I thought they'd worked everything out since they've been hanging out in Gwen's room for a couple of hours, but I guess I was wrong.
Unsurprisingly, Gwen is the first to raise her voice. It was her snapping Everest's name that got my attention. I don't hear what he says in response, probably because he's actually speaking at a normal volume and trying to reason with her, but Gwen just seems to get even more riled up. She can't be reasoned with. He should know this by now.
I debate on going out there and meditating, but I don't want to intrude. I think if I tried it would only make things worse. So, I sit here. I sit and I listen to them fight.
"Do you even care?" I hear her holler.
Of course he cares. He just doesn't get worked up over every stupid thing like Gwen does. She's so petty. It's getting on my nerves. It seems like a never-ending cycle. They fight and fight and nothing ever changes.
I get fed up and decide I should leave. I don't want to sit here and listen to this anymore. I get dressed and close my bedroom door quietly, escaping downstairs and out the garage. I'll go and get myself lunch. I don't care what I eat, I'd just rather be anywhere but here.
I drive around for a bit before finding a place that sounds good. It's a pizza joint, which is fine because honestly, I could use some comfort food right now.
This whole thing with Gwen and Everest going on and on is starting to take a toll on me. Being in the house feels tense and that makes it hard to concentrate, which is the opposite of what I need during my last semester of school. I know Everest tries his best to keep things contained, but it's not working. Gwen doesn't care. If she's mad, she wants the rest of us to be miserable.
I don't like people like that.
I buy a slice and sit in a booth, eating by myself. I want them to put an end to their relationship or at least stop fighting. It's so awful having to listen to them go at it all the time. Do they even like one another? I can't tell anymore. Maybe there used to be something between them that meant something, but that's long gone now.
I keep eating and when I'm halfway through, I get a text. I open it and see that it's Everest. He's asking me to come home. Instead of blindly agreeing, I decide to ask him if he's finished fighting with Gwen. Maybe that's mean, but hopefully, he understands.
He doesn't reply right away and I take that as a no, so I decide to finish my lunch. When I'm done, I wander over to the trash and toss away a few napkins. By the time I get back to the table, I have a new notification. I pick up my phone and glance at the message.
We broke up, it reads.
I feel my stomach lurch.
Really? I type back frantically.
I sit at the table for a second, anxiously tapping my foot, but after a minute of no response, I decide to head home. I throw on my jacket and head out to my car. Jeez. I'm practically sweating. This is messed up but I'm actually...excited? It's about time they broke up! Gwen was terrible for him and I'm glad he finally realized that. The living situation might be a little uncomfortable until we sort it out, but I think it's for the best.
I drive fast, wanting to get the details. I wonder if Gwen will still be home or if she left? I hope she's gone. Maybe she'll spend the night with one of her friends or something. When I arrive, I park my car and head in. I open the door and announce my presence. Then Everest rounds a corner.
"Hey," I say.
He nods, looking miserable. It catches me off guard.
"Are you okay…?" I ask slowly.
He shakes his head and shoves his hands in his sweatshirt pockets, staring down at my feet.
"Everest," I whisper, taking a step towards him. "I got your text...what happened?"
He shrugs listlessly.
I was expecting him to be happier about this. I thought he'd be relieved. I guess I was just projecting.
Before I can coax out an answer, Gwen comes stomping down the stairs with a bag over her shoulder. I guess she really is leaving. She doesn't bother saying a word to me or Everest. She slips into her boots and then ditches. I glance at the door as it slams shut and then look back to Everest.
I take a few steps towards him and his facial expression changes. It drops, like something in him just sunk. It's a look I recognize well. Any second now, waterworks.
"Everest -" I start, but he cuts me off by letting out one loud and sudden sob.
I take a deep breath and approach him. I don't say anything else. I put an arm around him and he starts to cry these big, angry tears.
"Fuck!" he shouts.
"Hey," I say softly, giving him a squeeze.
I steer him towards the couch and when we get there he flops down, pulling me with him. He leans forward and cradles his face in his palms, letting out several more strings of sobs while I rub my hand against his back.
"Everest...bud…" I finally say, hoping for better luck this time around.
Maybe he didn't dump her. She must have dumped him. The possibility never really crossed my mind, but as each second passes it's seeming more and more likely. For a while, he keeps on crying and I don't know what to say or do. There isn't really anything I can say or do. I just need to wait until he tells me what he needs.
I sit there quietly with him for what feels like a long time. He called me back, so he clearly wants me here. I'll stay for as long as he needs. I'll sit with him for hours if that's what it takes.
Eventually, Everest props himself up and I pull my hand off his back. He slumps against the couch and stares up at the ceiling.
"I mean, what the fuck!" he exclaims, trying to sound mad but his voice cracks mid-sentence so instead he just sounds heartbroken.
"I don't know man," I say because I literally don't. I have no idea what's going on.
"Uuuugh," he groans, sinking to where he's almost horizontal with the couch.
"So, you guys broke up," I decide to say, hoping it pushes him in the right direction.
"Yeah," he admits through a clenched jaw, hands still over his face. "She dumped me."
Well, that explains it.
"Do you want to talk about it?" I offer, giving his stomach a pat. "Come on, sit up."
I don't understand why he's so sad. He acted like he didn't even like her half the time. I guess he did like her, though, especially if he's reacting like this.
"I don't even know where it came from..."
"Well... you guys fought a lot," I mention with caution.
"Yeah, but she was always the one who started those fights," he insists and he's right. It's almost like she wanted to fight. She wanted to see him get riled up. Maybe she equated it to some twisted form of passion in her mind. I wouldn't put it past her.
"Maybe she got sick of it," I say.
"I don't know," he sniffles and sighs. "I feel crummy."
"I'm sorry."
No one likes to be dumped, no matter how doomed the relationship may be.
"It didn't even start as a big deal, but it escalated into this whole thing!" Everest explains, pulling down his sleeve and wiping his eyes. "We went to that party and she was hassling me about how I didn't try hard enough to get dressed up. As if anyone gets dressed up for that sort of shit around here!"
That sounds exactly like Gwen.
"We went outside to talk it out and ran into some guy named Cameron that she follows on Instagram and is obsessed with," he says with a shaky voice. "Guess I didn't make her look good enough in front of him or something."
Ugh. That's so weird. She's always practically falling in love with people from the internet that she's never met and it honestly creeps me out.
"Do you think she was hitting on him?" I ask.
"Nah," Everest grumbles, probably knowing exactly why I'd ask that question. "He's gay. He posts tons of pics of himself and the guys he's with."
"Oh," I feel my stomach twist a little. "That's good then I guess."
"Whatever. I don't really know what she's doing mooning all over him."
"Yeah… I don't know, man," I murmur.
"All she cares about is her image," he continues bitterly. "She probably wants him to invite her into his crowd or whatever."
"Think he will?"
Everest shrugs. "He didn't seem to think much of us, so I don't really know."
"Oh," I say, unsure what to make of any of this. "I'm sorry."
"Same," he grits out. "God, this is such shit… How am I going to live with her?"
He looks at me like he's searching for answers, but I don't really have any.
"I don't know," I admit sadly. "I think you both just need time. Things won't be like this forever."
"I'm so pissed," he grumbles
"Yeah… you have every right to be… but you'll find another girlfriend… someone better and nicer than Gwen."
"Yeah…" he grimaces.
"Yeah?" I raise an eyebrow.
Everest stares down at his hands. "I don't know," he mumbles. "I mean, Gwen was really the only person that I felt comfortable with. I don't think that most people are really that interested in dating me."
I make a face at that. "Everest -" I try to reason.
He shrugs but doesn't say anything else. It makes me feel bad that he thinks that way. He's seriously awesome and could get someone way better than Gwen. He's nice, interesting, handsome….and Gwen is a jerk.
"Come on," I say. "You'll find another girlfriend. I know you will."
"I don't know," he replies. "I mean… I might not. Girls, especially girls like Gwen, don't really go for me."
"Well, maybe that isn't a bad thing because Gwen is foul," I mutter.
He chuckles, but it sounds forced. "I guess."
"I promise you'll find someone else," I say. "Things always happen when you least expect them to."
"I guess. This just… it sucks."
"I know," I sympathize.
He'll be okay. I know he will be. He's way better off without her. She was only dragging him down and now she can't anymore.
"You really hated her, huh?" Everest glances at me out of the corner of his eye.
The question catches me off guard and I'm not sure how to respond. I mean, yeah. I did. I'd never admitted that though. I've never said that to Everest directly. It's surprising he could tell.
When I don't respond, he lets out a terse laugh. "Yeah, I thought so," he says.
He doesn't sound upset though like I was keeping some big secret from him. It must have been obvious all along.
"Want me to ask her to move out?" I decide to offer.
"It's fine. She'll probably want to leave when the lease is up anyway."
He's probably right, but I'm worried about how she'll act in the meantime. I hope she doesn't keep trying to pull reactions out of him. She's never going to get the ones she wants. Hopefully, this just marks the end of all that petty behavior.
"Maybe," I consider. "Do you want her to?"
"I don't know what I want right now. I can't really think rationally. Ask me in a week."
I smile wearily. "All right. What do you want to do tonight? We can do whatever."
I just want him to feel better, even if it's only a little.
Everest pauses, looking thoughtful. "Let's go out," he says finally.
"Like, just you and me?"
"Well, not with Gwen," he scoffs.
I can't help but smirk at that. I can't even remember the last time we went somewhere without Gwen. It's messed up, but I'm so glad they're over. Now everything can go back to normal.
"I want to like," he sinks lower into the couch. "I don't know, get trashed."
"Not too trashed," I chuckle.
"Yes, too trashed."
I give him a sympathetic smile. I guess if that's what he needs then we'll make it happen.
"Well all right," I agree since I know it's pointless to try and argue.
"And I'm not drinking alone," he adds. "We can take an Uber, okay? Promise you'll drink with me. It's no fun when you just sit back and watch."
"Okay," I agree once more. "I'll drink with you."
He gives a nod of finality, looking satisfied. He sniffles a bit more, wiping his face on his sleeve. At least he stopped crying.
"All right, let's eat something first," he decides. "Want me to make something, or should we go out?"
"Up to you," I say. "Whatever you feel like doing."
"I don't want to cook," he replies. "Let's get food at whatever bar we end up going to."
"Sounds good, man."
So, that's the plan. We laze around together on the couch for the rest of the evening watching tv, and every once in a while Everest makes a snappy quip about Gwen and how crummy she is.
Even though I know he's just feeling hurt and bitter, every time he does it I can't help but laugh. I'm so relieved to finally be hearing this.