Drive Me Crazy

Falling Out

Howie opened his eyes as he felt the gleaming sun peaking through the curtains. He squinted looking at the clock, it was already late in the afternoon. His head throbbed like he'd been clobbered by a hammer the night before. Frankly all he wanted was to lay there and drown in his pain. He didn't want to see AJ, he felt so angry if he saw him, he would punch him.

There was a knock at his door and the door opened before he could even say anything. "Hey there...how are you doing?" Kevin asked as he took a seat next to him.

"I blew it twice. With Leigh and now with Millie...I'm a failure" he sighed, taking a pillow and putting it over his head.

"I know you Howie and I'm hoping you did it because you felt something for her. I know you're a good guy cause...come on you waited a whole year to marry Leigh. Just give her time to cool down." Kevin patted his friend on the leg "I hate to do this but, she gave me this..." he reached in his pocket and took out the locket.

Howie sat back up and extended his hand as a warm current ran through his body at the sight of the locket "I bought it for her in San Antonio, because the mugger took the one her mother had given her." his eyes swelled up, he wanted to be a man and not cry. But he had been fighting the tears back ever since she had asked him 'why she was hurting so much' "Fucking AJ" he suddenly got up and stormed downstairs.

AJ laid back on the sofa watching Nick play Xbox 360, he had a bag of ice over his head. His leg was propped on the coffee table and he groaned at the pain emerging from his temples.

"You screwed up royally this time. I mean most of the women you've been with have hurt you, but Millie is one of your closest friends, you've known her forever. You hurt her on purpose...and Howie in the process." Nick's eyebrows scrunched together as he rolled his eyes and continued to play. "Right little man..." he got a huge squeal followed by a smile, by the green eyed child in his jumper "See even Mason agrees."

AJ huffed "Whatever" he groaned, when he felt a shadow over him he just retorted "What the fuck?" he was startled by Howie standing over him. "What do you want?" he snapped.

"You should have just told her. I mean why make the poor girl come all the way out here...why put us through this?" Howie threw his arms in the air, his face red with anger. "You didn't call her...the whole trip! The morning she did call you, you were short and ready to do someone else, then you just hung up on her. I could see the hurt in her eyes...you're an ass!"

AJ yelled back "I didn't really think that you were going to go and fuck my fiancé." he stood up to Howie. "Don't pretend to be the victim...why didn't you just tell her then? The whole time you knew what I was going to do and instead of just coming out and telling her. You went and fucked her, after that you couldn't say anything. You knew damn well if she found out you would be the bad guy. You're not that innocent...ya know!"

Howie looked at him, placing one hand on his side "AJ, I'm not going to lie to you at first I was going to do it because you asked...because I was your friend and I was willing to do something so stupid to help you. Then somehow the more time I spent with her, I fell for her and I did it...because it felt right. I'm an idiot! I've always been such a pushover with everyone." he shot the others an accusing glance and began to walk away.

"Howie you can't be mad at me, cause you got a taste of her...and now she left you..." AJ began.

"Yeah I can, cause you were a fucking coward" Howie poked at AJ's chest "You couldn't be man enough to just tell her..." another poke. "That...you didn't want to marry her." Poke again.

"That's what you were supposed to do for me. I'm your best friend, remember? Not her...ME!!" he raised his eyebrows.

Howie placed his hands on his side "I don't think this has anything to do with me not telling her, this is all about me sleeping with her. The thought that someone else got to be with her other than you, is killing you. I don't understand...you always whine that you don't have someone special in your life, that you want to settle down and right when you find someone...all you do is push them away."