Contest Winner: “Dumped by a friend for a guy?”

This week, we are bringing you the winning entries from our Lonely Hearts Club Writing Contest.

Today’s entry comes from Kate, who responded to the prompt, “Tell us about a time when you got ‘dumped’ by a friend when she got a boyfriend.”

Here is Kate’s entry:

I watched Stan stick his tongue down Anna’s throat and turned away in disgust. After what seemed like a decade, Anna broke away from Stan and took the seat beside me.

“Why do you look so gloomy today, Audrey?” she asked, voice full of concern.

I chewed my macaroni and forced a smile, “Nothing, just worried about my project deadline. Just my luck to be stuck with a partner who leaves me to do all the work!”

Anna patted my back, “I’ll try to help you tomorrow, ‘kay?” Her smile left me a sense of relief.

Anna did not have plans with Stan after all. We will still have our usual Girls Only Saturday night. A routine we had for ever since seventh grade. Ever Saturday night, Anna and I would spend the whole night watching our favorite movies at either one of our houses. Anna watched Breakfast At Tiffany’s so many times that she could recite the lines from the movie. As for me, I was a big fan of The Notebook. I will never get tired of that movie.

Saturday night, I sat on my couch, bowl of caramel popcorn in one hand, a diet coke in the other. I glanced at the clock on the mantel. It read 8:00 PM. Anna is probably putting on makeup, I thought. After all, she is not a very punctual person.

I yawned, finishing the homework which was due next week. All my homework for the week was done and Anna was nowhere to be seen. The clock now read 11:53 PM. I sucked in a deep breath, trying to ignore the gnawing feeling that radiated from my guts. I checked my cell phone, no missed calls. Was it possible that Anna had forgotten about our Girls Only Saturday?

I laid on the couch, fuming. I flashbacked to the year when Anna and I were only freshmans. James, the guy sitting in front of me in Math class, turned around and looked at me with his piercing blue eyes with irresistably long eyelashes, and gave me a cocky smile. My heart palpitated wildly; butterflies danced around in my stomach and my hands felt clammy. I silently scolded myself for not taking the time to put on a fresh coat of lip gloss before class.

“Audrey?” James asked, furrowing his brow.

I realized James had just caught me staring at him with a silly experession on my face. “Yes?” I asked, hoping I did not sound too eager. In my mind, I was running through the different versions of how I would say yes when he asked me out.

“Do you have Anna’s number? I hope it won’t be too much trouble for you to give it to me?” replied James, flashing me a dazzling smile. “She’s a hot chick!”

My grin wiped off and I gave him Anna’s phone number, dismayed that my fantasy was nothing more than a fantasy. Of course, it made sense that guys would prefer Anna over me. Anna was the pretty one. I did not have gorgeous shiny bouncy curls like Anna. My hair was flat and dull. My body was like a flat board while Anna’s was curvy in the right places. As long as I was next to Anna, I would pale in comparison.

The phone rang, snapping me out of my deep thoughts. “Hello Anna,” I said, knowing that she could hear how annoyed I was.

“Audrey! I’m sorry, I did not mean to miss our Girls Only Saturday. I’ll make it up to you tomorrow, we will go shopping at the mall and check out the new Sephora outlet that opened alright?” Anna’s pleading tone made me feel guilty of being jealous of her.

“Okay,” I sighed. “I forgive you.” I knew that no matter how envious of Anna I was, jealously would not get the better of me.

Anna breathed a sigh of relief, “see you outside the mall!”

On Sunday, Anna waved to me as she stepped out of the car and embraced me in a big hug. “I’m really sorry Audrey.”

I hugged her back, letting her know that I bore no hard feelings.

“I told Stan that from now on, all Saturday nights are permanently booked for the two of us. Be reassured that he will not stand in the way of us, and that goes for every single guy out there!” Anna declared, releasing me. “I think I have made a very wise choice.”

I smiled, a very wise choice indeed.