One AM

Inspired by the song "In Too Deep" by Sum 41

Driving at one in the morning is not what Amanda wanted to be doing. She’d rather be asleep, but of course her cousin Asher had gotten into trouble again. She drove as fast as she could to a house she vaguely remembered. When she pulled up to the house she felt a pang of grief and anger that had nothing to do with Asher. She could hear the loud music and people shouting inside and also began to feel sick to her stomach. Anxiously, she walked up to the door.
A familiar face opened the screen door and stared at her in shock. “Amanda? What are you doing here?”
She ignored him, tilting her head so she could see into the living room. There were about twenty drunken college kids inside playing stupid games and making out with one another. She spotted Asher on the couch with a beer bottle in one hand and his other draped around some girl’s shoulder. He must have sensed her staring at him because he met her gaze seconds later. For a minute he just sat there staring at her, but then he got up and shouted, “Hey it’s my awesome cousin! Coming to join the party?”
Amanda just kept glaring at him as he took another sip of his beer and another step towards her. To the drunken mass it might have seemed as if Amanda and Asher were telepathic because they just stood there staring at each other for a good minute. Finally Asher sighed and said, “Guess it’s time for me to go and I will see you later,” pointing at the girl on the couch. He pulled his car keys out of his back pocket, but Amanda snatched them away.
“Give those back!” Asher shouted, clumsily reaching for the keys. “I have to drive or else mom and dad are gonna wonder where my car is in the morning!”
Amanda, still not saying one word, backed away from him holding the keys tight. Asher’s eyes widened as he realized that she was walking towards her car with his keys. In a burst of drunken anger he rushed after her.
“Give me those!” Asher shouted. His fists flew and hit her right in the mouth. Once she was on the ground he grabbed for the keys.
“Hey!” the familiar boy at the door shouted, but before he could move, Amanda slid her feet under Asher’s causing him to fall on his back on the hard concrete. In one swift motion she stepped on his arm, grabbed the keys, and said, “I will come back for your car as soon as I get you home.” She glared at him so intensely that he gave in.
Amanda quickly drove him home, got him into bed without waking anyone, and called her friend Ella to come pick her up. Ella drove her back to the house and dropped her off by the beat up Chevy and left. The familiar boy must have seen her come back because he was walking across the street towards her.
“Amanda! Are you okay?”
“Fine,” Amanda said, opening the car door.
“Your lip is bleeding,” he gasped, “I can’t believe he punched you.”
“I’m used to it.” She said shrugging the comment off. He just stared at her in shock. She sighed and began to explain, “Asher has been going out for a week now, getting drunk. Every night I would go out and try to find him so he won’t get into any trouble. He is going through a rough time right now so I don’t mind taking care of him and covering for him. He is kind of an aggressive drunk as you have seen. The first time he hit me I was shocked, but then I learned from it which is how I was able to tackle him down so fast. He doesn’t mean to hit me, he really has no idea what he is doing. It’s okay.”
“I just don’t like to see my friends get hurt.” He said looking sorry for her.
“Excuse me? Since when?” Amanda said.
“What?” he said confused.
“Since when have I been your friend, Bentley?”
“What are you talking about?”
“Well first off you let my cousin into your house to get wasted!”
“Hold on a second! I didn’t know he was your cousin.” Bentley retaliated.
“See it’s things like that. You know nothing about me and don’t pretend you care about me. I don’t need your fake pity.” Amanda said angrily and started to get into the car, but Bentley stopped her.
“What the heck is wrong with you? I am your friend!” he shouted.
“No, see that is where you are wrong. A friendship can’t be one sided.” Amanda said glaring at him now, trying to wrench his hand off hers so she could get into the car.
“What are you talking about?” he said, tightening his grip.
“Look, you have always been one of my closest friends. I have trusted you, talked to you all the time, and I care about you and your problems, but I was never one of your friends. You never call me up to hang out or if I’m upset you never try and help. I have always been there for you, but you have never been there for me. I can’t believe it took me this long to figure it out, but I have. You may not want to admit it, but you could care less about me.” Amanda explained as she finally freed her hand and got into the car.
“That’s not true!” Bentley protested, “You are my friend and I do know plenty about you and care about you!”
“Okay, here is a simple question for you then. When is my birthday?” Amanda asked not sure if she was trying to prove a point or give him a second chance. He just stared blankly at her, biting his lip. Amanda just shook her head and said, “It was yesterday. I even sent you an invitation to the party.”
“Amanda I’m so sorry. I must hav-“ Bentley began, but Amanda cut him off.
“You have been doing stuff like this for years, Bentley. I’m tired of trying my hardest to be your friend and you not trying one bit to be mine.” Amanda said solemnly.
“Amanda,” he began, his eyes growing wide, “That’s not true!”
“I wish it weren’t, but unfortunately it is.” Amanda said starting the car.
“But-“
“Goodbye Bentley.” Amanda said with a look in her eyes that meant this goodbye would be the last. She drove away, not looking in the rearview mirror once. Tears welled up in her eyes. She had just lost a close friend, but she couldn’t concentrate on that now. She had to go take care of Asher who was probably asleep on the bathroom floor. She wanted to believe that Bentley was standing in the middle of the road, upset, and maybe even come after her, but she knew better. He would just shrug off her comment, go back into the house and drink with his friends. Though Asher was going through a rough patch and had hit her numerous times this week, he was always there for her when she was going through bad times, so now it was her turn because that is what friends are for.