Megan didn’t have real friends, never mind a boyfriend or a date to the St. Valentine’s Day dance at school. Tonight, everyone was celebrating love with candy and flowers – even her parents, and probably kissing, she made a face; but she, like every other night, would sit at her computer playing games. Even so, she felt a little thrill of excitement as she sat down at her desk and typed in the password on her computer.

For a few weeks now, she’d been chatting with someone she had met in various gaming rooms online. At first, she thought it was weird that he, she assumed it was a he, kept showing up in whatever game she was playing, but then she started looking forward to seeing the familiar skull and bones icon pop up no matter what game she was playing. It was almost like having a friend. He seemed to want to be with her, even if it was only virtual reality. He would give her hints about how to get higher scores, or ask her how her day was and actually respond with more than, “that’s nice” or “I’m sorry.” She had started looking forward to the secret moments with SB, as she called him.

Megan stared at the computer, a little shocked, a little excited. Her normal home screen had been replaced by a black screen; in the center was a blood red heart laying on top of a white skull and bones. In the middle of the heart, in black letters it said Be My Valentine. Below the heart to the right was a button that said, “Let’s Play.” She hesitated a breath, giggled, and then placed the arrow over the button and clicked. Suddenly the screen turned a murky, swirling charcoal and gray and a hand began to emerge, covered with a shiny substance…as if the screen had melted and conformed to the new shape. Megan looked surprised but not afraid when it touched her hand. A gentle caress. But when she looked from the hand to the molten screen, a face began to form and, as terror struck, the hand reached up to cover her mouth and stifle her scream.

“I didn’t intend for her to find out that I lied, but of course, you cant always get what you want” said Coward.

Honorable, shook her head with disgust and replied;

“’Tis the lier, who fears confrontation, therefore is cowedly. ’Tis the honorable, who can face any issue, therefore is fearless!”

Coward replied, “it wasn’t all my fault, Manipulation was there too!”

Honorable, got up and walked away; knowing that Truth, would never approve.

By: Benz

Copyright © 2019

9-3-19

"I didn't intend for her to find out that I lied, but of course, you can't always get what you want." I concluded my tale of woe hoping to get some sympathy, or at least, some understanding for my motives.

I had a crush on Gabe for a long time even though I suspected that he had his eye on Liz. All the guys in my group had a thing for Liz at one time for another. I could feel the vibe between them, even, I suspect, before they did. But still, I spent a lot of time with Gabe and Liz that summer and I was beginning to fantasize about me and Gabe being together as more than friends. Was it coveting what Liz had? Maybe part of it. She was the woman who had it all, great grades, killer dance moves, athletic, and more men after her than she knew what to do with. I needed someone to confide in so I turned to Emily.

Emily was my friend who I met in the dorms that year and she, Liz, and I were planning to room together for our senior year. "So, Em," I began, "I think I have feelings for somebody but I don't know what to do." Emily looked at me eagerly, "So, who is it? I'll do whatever I can to help." I pause awkwardly. I wasn't ready to give out names because I didn't want things to be weird between her, Liz, and Gabe when the inevitable happened. I also didn't want Liz or Gabe to look at me in pity if things got out. Without thinking I blurted, "His name is, uh, Max. Max has been part of my friend group for years and I don't know if he sees me that way."

The lie grew after Gabe and Liz declared themself an official couple. I called Emily upset and heartbroken, "I was right, Max doesn't have feelings for me at all. In fact, he just declared interest in our good friend Tricia. I'm never going to find the one."

Emily was so sympathetic, that she took me out to dinner and let me cry on her shoulder. Then and there, I should have told her that my secret crush was really Gabe and although I was happy with him and Liz, I was also a little bit jealous. But I let the lie fester.

Fall semester came along, and Liz, Emily, and I moved into our apartment. We decided to divide the room situation evenly. For the first semester, I would get the single bedroom and Liz and Emily would share the double. During those first nights, Liz and Emily had long conversation and eventually from Liz's specific stories,

Emily figured out that "Tricia" and "Max" were really Liz and Gabe.

This angered Emily because she saw it as me not being completely honest with her. Instead of confronting me, however, she started giving me the cold shoulder. On one of our breaks, she invited Liz and another woman from our crowd to her family's cabin in the Upper Peninsula and she excluded me. Emily started telling everyone in our group how she felt I was a liar who could not be trusted and as she kept excluding me, others did also. Liz, who was someone I considered one of my closest friends since high school, got married a few years later (not to Gabe). She invited Emily to be in her wedding party but not me. To this day, Emily will not forget my betrayal and has turned my core group of friends against me one by one.

"So you see, Dr. Browning. It's not just anxiety as you are claiming. I really don't have true friends anymore thanks to my stupid decision and Emily's response. I never should have lied to begin with and kept my friend group but as I said, I can't always get what I want and I now have to deal with the consequences."

"I didn't intend for her to find out that I lied, but of course, you can't always get what you want."

The sun shot into my eyes as I tilted my head up to watch the sun rise into the sky shaking the night sky of like a coat.

The smell of last night's rain filled my nose and I looked down to freshly dug dirt and my muddy rubber rain boots.

My orange handled shovel lay next to the makeshift grave that I had dug with my sister Clara.

"Seriously Robert...get over it. She's dead and that means we won't go to jail. If you want to cry on someone's shoulder go to mom. If you want to get shit done come to me but I don't want to hear your shitty inner monolouges. They bring the mood down and I'm planning on having the rest of the day go well."

Clara gave me an exsperated look and picked up our dark green blood spattered duffle bag of supplies.

Her dark brown heavily lashed eyes scanned the forest for the best path to walk as she used her free hand to pull her light pink heart shaped sunglasses on.

Just as she made it about 10 feet infront of me she called back as she walked, "If your intent is to catch a ride with me I suggest you pick your shit up and start walking with me back to the car because we still have a lot of work to do."

So with my shovel and solar charged lamp in tow I followed my sister through the soggy floored forest back to the car and back to reality.

I didn't know what I was going to do...but whatever happens....at least this one night won't change my whole life.