As far back as middle school, Will had always remained positive in the public eye. He was a nive guy. Never smoked or been drunk. His love life was practically non-existent, though he’d broken many hearts. He had black hair combed to the sides with bright, blue eyes.

It was his senior graduation. The cap toss was done, now friends were congratulating each other, parents were crying, so on and so forth. Will was standing on his high school football field, the scene of his graduation with his two best friends.

Steven had been his partner in crime since age six. They had done everything together- parties, sports, science projects. He was a natural blonde. He was in and out of many relationships- most break-ups were his own fault, usually because he was cheating. He was a heavy smoker and was usually hung over almost every weekend.

Jen was perfect in every way to Will. Tall and gorgeous with dark brown eyes and long black hair, usually pulled back. Will had known here since they were four, which was when she took up an interest in acting. Broadway, not movies. She was a brilliant actress with an amazing singing voice. She’d managed to stay out of relationships all of her life. She was one of the few girls at their school who had never been involved in some act of drug use or drinking.

Will’s eyes were glued to her tonight. Under blue gown she wore a tight, low cut black dress that hugged her perfect body and barely hung to her knees, revealing her amazing legs. He’d be lying if he said he hadn’t loved her since he was old enough to know what love was. He was going to tell her tonight. He’d had it all planned out.

Steven put his hands around her waist. Will began to shake.

Steven said three words to her: “I love you.” They kissed each other long and passionately. Will turned and walked away.



Will didn’t see much of them the rest of that summer. The night before Jen left for college she called them all together.

There were a lot of things that made Will mad. Third-wheeling was one of them. He sat on the couch in her basement while Steven and Jen held each other, intimately whispering and kissing each other.

He felt sick. He began shaking. His mind was a mess. That should be me, he thought. He choked back tears.

Steven got up and walked out of the room.

Will stared at his feet as he felt Jen’s eyes land on him. There was a long silence.

“I wanted you to kiss me that night at graduation,” she told him.

Under most circumstances, he would’ve been happy about this turn of events. Instead he stood up and left.



He hadn’t heard from or spoken to either of them in six years. Now he was a suit working from a cubicle. His desk was one of the few in his office that was undecorated. A flat panel computer monitor dominated one corner, his keyboard, mouse and clock conquered the center, and his phone and a picture had the other side.

The picture was an old picture from high school. He, Steven and Jen stood in their caps and gowns with their arms around each other. He put the picture up to make his desk seem a bit more homely. He knew he needed to, but he couldn’t let go of them. He still couldn’t accept what had happened that night, six years ago.

Will sifted through a stack of papers. A sealed envelope slid out of the stack and onto the floor. He bent over, picked it up and opened it. It was a wedding invitation. To Steven and Jen’s.



At the wedding, they didn’t talk to each other, though they acknowledged each others presence with waves and looks. No words were exchanged. He was basically out of their lives now, and he knew it. They had all grown away form him, stretching their friendship as long as it would stretch before it snapped, leaving him on his own.

He kept thinking about that night in high school. He kept thinking of how alone he was now. He would be celebrating his 30th birthday alone. They would celebrate theirs together. He would pass them on the street. They would be together. He would be alone on his deathbed, while somewhere they’d be dying together. He would be buried alone, in a remote part of a desolate graveyard, while they’d be buried together in a well-kept cemetery in a beautiful part of the country.

It hurt him to think this but he knew it was true. He knew he couldn’t maintain his positive outlook.



Rumor was spreading around the office was that Michelle, the new intern, was showing an interest in Will (which was more of a fact), who would admit to have an interest in her, as wel.

She knocked on his office door (he’d been promoted nearly a year ago after that wedding).

He motioned her in.

“Good morning Mr. Travis. Here’s your mail.”

“Yes, it is a good morning. And please, call me Will.” She placed his mail on his desk. She turned to leave.

“Hey, do you want to do something after work?”

She turned to him. “Sure. I’d like that.”



A few months later, she became Mrs. Michelle Travis.