Jake and I had been making bets since we were kids. Who could run faster? Who could climb higher? Who could take the biggest risk? It was our thing. But years later, when I won our final bet, there was no celebration—only heartbreak I never saw coming.
Our moms loved telling the story of how we met. Two toddlers, barely able to walk, fighting over a toy truck at daycare. They thought it was hilarious, but looking back, I think it set the tone for our entire friendship. We weren’t just friends. We were rivals, always pushing each other to do better, to be braver.
If Jake dared me to do something, I did it. If I challenged him, he never backed down. It was how we were wired.
“Bet you can’t make it to the end of the block before I do,” Jake would say.
“Bet you I can,” I’d shoot back, already sprinting.
It wasn’t about winning. Not really. It was about proving something to each other. About trust. We thought nothing could break that.
Then, one night, everything changed.
We were sixteen, lying on my roof, staring at the stars. It was quiet, just the two of us, like always.
“Paul,” Jake said, his voice softer than usual. “Let’s make the ultimate bet.”
I turned my head. “Yeah? What kind of bet?”
“Who lives longer.”
I laughed. “That’s a dumb bet. How would we even know who won?”
Jake smirked. “Easy. Whoever goes first owes the other a beer.”
I shook my head, chuckling. “Fine. But you better not lose.”
Jake grinned. “I never lose.”
I believed him.
Falling for Laura
Falling for Laura wasn’t planned. It just happened.
She wasn’t like the other girls at school. She was smart, funny, and had this way of making me feel like I actually mattered. I tried to ignore it for weeks, but Jake caught me staring at her one day.
“You like her, don’t you?” he said, smirking.
I hesitated. “Yeah. I do.”
His grin widened. “Then let’s make it interesting. First one to take her out wins.”
I blinked. “What?”
“A bet,” he said. “Whoever asks her out first gets her.”
For the first time in my life, I didn’t want to compete.
“She’s not a game, Jake,” I said. “She’s a person.”
He rolled his eyes. “Come on, Paul. We’ve bet on everything. What’s the difference?”
“The difference is that this actually matters.”
He laughed. “You’re acting like you’re in love with her or something.”
I clenched my fists. “Maybe I am.”
His smile disappeared. “Oh.”
I turned to leave. “I’m done with this, Jake.”
What I didn’t know was that Laura had heard everything. She caught up to me, a small smile on her lips. “You really meant that?”
I swallowed. “Yeah.”
She took my hand. “Then let’s make it official.”
Jake was furious.
He spread rumors, told people I stabbed him in the back. By graduation, he was gone. Packed up, left town, no goodbye. Just like that, my best friend became a memory.
The Letter
Years passed. Laura and I got married, had a daughter, Emily. Life was good. But some nights, I still thought about Jake.
Then, one day, a letter arrived. My name was on the envelope, written in handwriting I hadn’t seen in years.
Jake’s handwriting.
My hands shook as I opened it.
Paul,
I’m back in town. Meet me at O’Malley’s tomorrow at seven. Let’s talk.
-Jake
Laura noticed my expression. “Are you going?”
I nodded. “Yeah.”
I arrived ten minutes early. The bar hadn’t changed. I expected to see Jake at a booth, grinning like nothing had happened. But he wasn’t there.
A waitress approached. “You Paul?”
I nodded.
She handed me a folded note and placed a beer on the table. “He asked me to give you this.”
My stomach dropped. “Where is he?”
She hesitated. “Just read it.”
I unfolded the letter, my breath catching.
Paul,
If you’re reading this, I’m gone. My last wish was to be buried in my hometown.
I got sick after graduation. Skin cancer. I went into remission for a while, but it came back. Worse this time. No options left.
I didn’t write to make you feel bad. I wrote because I didn’t want to leave this world without fixing what I broke. I let my pride ruin the best thing I ever had—our friendship. You were my brother, and I threw it away over a stupid bet. I don’t expect you to forgive me. I just hope you know I never stopped missing you.
And as for that last bet… looks like you won, my friend. The beer’s on me.
-Jake
My vision blurred. I came here expecting a second chance. All I got was a goodbye I never wanted.
I stared at the beer. Just an ordinary drink, but it meant everything.
With shaky hands, I lifted the glass. “You idiot,” I whispered. Then I took a sip. It tasted bitter. Or maybe that was just the grief.
Goodbye
A week later, I stood in front of Jake’s grave. Laura and Emily gave me space. I knelt down, tracing the name carved into the stone.
“Hey, Jake.” My voice cracked. “Guess you really went through with it, huh?”
I wiped my eyes. “You know, I used to wonder if you ever thought about me. If you ever regretted what happened. Turns out, you did. And I hate that I didn’t know sooner.”
I pulled a beer from my bag, popped the cap, and set it in front of the headstone.
“You still owe me a rematch,” I muttered. “But I guess this’ll have to do.”
Silence stretched between us. The wind rustled the trees, and in the distance, Emily laughed.
I smiled. “I forgive you, Jake. I forgave you a long time ago.”
Laura took my hand. “You okay?”
I nodded. “Yeah.”
As we walked away, I glanced back one last time. The pain was still there. It probably always would be. But for the first time in years, I didn’t feel like I had lost my best friend.
I felt like I had finally said goodbye.