TRUTH AND FRIENDSHIP

The phone was ringing. It was 2:45 in the morning. Caller ID let Phil know that it was his friend Dylan calling from his cell phone. It could only be one of two things: Something really bad, or something really dumb. Maybe Dylan just needed to have his drunk ass driven home. Phil knew it probably wasn’t that easy.
“Hello, Dylan.”
“Dude, I got some bad news.”
“What’s up?”
Dylan sounded really upset. “Listen, you sitting down, man?”
“I’m in bed and want to be asleep!”
“Shit, dude. I feel bad being the one to tell you.”
“Just tell me what it is, Dylan.”
“I’m at this party. “I’m walking around the house and I pass this room and hear moans and laughter coming from three different people. So I peek into the room.”
“Dylan, couldn’t you wait to tell me about your sexual escapades until tomorrow?”
“Dude, I told you this was bad news. Me in the middle of a menage a trois would be good news.”
“Continue.”
“It’s your girl, Phil. She’s on a couch in the middle of two guys. No clothes have come off yet but everyone is playing all touchy-feely and shit.”
Phil felt his stomach lurch. Dylan had absolutely no reason to be making this up. “You sure it’s her?”
“The lights are still on.”
Phil’s stomach twisted further. He wanted to hit something. He wanted to wail out in sadness and pain. He wanted to no longer exist. So he took a deep breath and felt air fill his chest. He felt the air return to the atmosphere of his bedroom. He was calm. In control. He would do the right thing. He would be better. He would be right.
“Dylan, has she seen you yet?”
“No. The three of them are pretty oblivious to the world around them.”
“I want you to confront her. Let her know that what she is doing is hurting your friend. Let her know by the look on your face that I already know what she’s doing.”
There was silence for a moment.
“Phil, this is going to be rough.”
“I know. Please, help me do this.”
“Okay.”
Phil could hear as the words he wanted said were spoken. Then he heard the phone being handed over. When Phil knew the phone was at her ear, he spoke.
“Tell me that Dylan, my best friend in the world, is lying to me.”
“I’ve been drinking. It’s not like you think--”
“Tell me he’s a liar. Look up into his eyes and tell me that Dylan is a liar.”
There was silence for a minute. Phil could hear her sobbing softly and asked that Dylan be put back on the phone.
“You okay, Phil?”
“No. But thanks anyway. You’re a true friend.”
“She’s bawling now, man. What did you say to her?”
“I asked her to tell me you were a liar.”
“What if she’d said I was?”
“Then I’d be out a best friend and have a cheating whore for a girlfriend. Goodnight, Dylan.”
“Yeah,.. ‘night, dude.”