On A School Trip, My Best Friend Asked “Who Would You Save, Your Mom Or Your GF?”
The Joke and the Secret
On a school trip, my best friend asked, “If you had to choose between your mom and girlfriend to live, who would you pick?” I responded, “Bros before hoes, but moms before all.” And everyone cracked up.
Jason didn’t smile, though. His face drained of color like I’d just confessed to murder.
He grabbed all his stuff and moved three rows up the school bus without a word.
Jason, what’s wrong?
I was just kidding. I called after him, but he wouldn’t turn around.
That’s when I heard it. Stacy, my girlfriend’s best friend, was crying her eyes out in the back row.
When I turned to look, her friend whispered urgently in her ear, and she glanced at me before crying harder.
Okay, that was definitely weird. I started to wonder whether my joke was really that offensive.
That’s when my phone buzzed. Three missed calls from dad, but there was no signal.
And at the red light, I caught the bus driver wiping his eyes in the rearview mirror.
In my 3 years of knowing him, the most emotion he’d shown was mild annoyance when kids left trash on the seats.
A cold feeling crept into my stomach. I got up to go talk to Jason, but Mrs. Fitz Harris blocked the aisle.
Sit down.
We’re moving.
I just need to sit down.
I’d never heard her voice like that.
I sat, but the second we got to the destination, I cornered Jason.
Dude, what is going on?
He backed away.
Nothing.
I just I need space, bro.
I was just kidding.
I don’t know if I’d pick my mom or my girlfriend.
Why did you have to tell everyone what I said?
Sid appeared out of nowhere and pulled me aside. Our team captain, who’d never said more than pass the ball to me, grabbed my shoulders.
Bro, if you need to talk about anything, I’m here.
About what?
I was almost shouting now.
He just squeezed my shoulder and walked away. That cold feeling in my stomach was spreading.
During the water break, Ryan shuffled over. This kid didn’t even know my name.
Yo, the blonde Kaye from volleyball thinks you’re cute.
She’s single now, too.
The words hit like a punch.
Dude, what the hell?
I flashed him my lock screen.
I have a girlfriend.
His face went white.
Just trying to help you move forward, man.
Move forward from what?
He practically ran away.
I tried calling my girlfriend Isabella on the public landline right then. Straight to voicemail. I must have called 15 times. I was losing my mind.
Everyone felt so bad for me that no one even forced me back on the field to play. As soon as lunch hit, I grabbed Jason more aggressively this time.
Tell me what’s happening.
N O W.
I can’t.
He was typing frantically in his notes app.
You can’t or you won’t.
His girlfriend Ava read over his shoulder, then slapped him hard.
How could you not tell him?
You coward?
She stormed off.
Jason, did something happen to Isabella?
He wouldn’t look at me, just kept typing. That’s when Stacy walked by.
She saw me and her face twisted with rage.
You never deserved a girl like you, Sabella.
I always told her she deserved better.
Her friend clamped a hand over her mouth and dragged her away.
My head was spinning. I stumbled to the vending machines where the coaches were arguing.
He has a right to know now.
Mrs. Griffin hissed.
There’s no point.
The decision has already been made.
Mrs. Fitz Harris shot back.
Somebody tell me what’s happening.
I shouted. They scattered like roaches.
It wasn’t until the bus ride back that Jason spoke to me again.
By that point, I was so sick of everyone’s BS that I just wanted to show him the Minecraft base I’d been working on. We were 10 minutes away from the school when I turned my phone off.
Jason, my voice was deadly calm.
What’s going on?
He started crying.
I can’t tell you right now, but don’t worry, no one’s dead or anything.
Everyone’s okay.
I believed him and went back to playing Minecraft.
As soon as I was off the bus, my dad practically shoved me into his car.
Dad, what happened?
He didn’t respond.
just started going 40 m faster. When we got to the hospital, the lobby was full of Isabella’s family dressed in black.
As soon as I locked eyes with her mom, she rushed at me, screaming, “You chose her. You chose her over my baby.”.
Her husband had to hold her back as she kept screaming, “She loved you. She trusted you.”.
I tried to stop my dad from walking.
“What the hell happened to Isabella?” But he yanked my arm and pulled me toward the ICU.
“Come on, just come with me.”
My heart dropped as I was faced with my mom in room 491, unconscious and hooked to machines, alive but barely.
There was an accident the morning before your trip.
A drunk driver hit them head-on.
Them?
Isabella was in the car with your mom and you made your decision.
I grabbed the bed rail to keep from falling.
Isabella’s gone, son.
All thanks to you.
My legs gave out and I had to grab the bed rail harder just to stay standing. The machines around Mom kept beeping and it felt like they were screaming at me.
Dad’s words kept bouncing around in my head, but nothing made sense. How could I have chosen anything when I wasn’t even there when it happened.
Dad reached for my shoulder, but I jerked away so hard I almost fell.
What do you mean?
I made a decision.
My voice cracked and I could barely get the words out.
He just stood there with his face all hard like stone, but his hands were shaking bad.
You made your choice with that joke on the bus.
His voice was flat and dead.
Everyone heard you say moms before all.
The room started spinning and I had to grab the chair to keep from falling over. A nurse in blue scrubs came in and looked between us with worried eyes.
Her name tag said Melissa Curry and she had that soft voice nurses use when something’s really wrong.
Visiting hours are ending in 10 minutes.
She looked at Dad and then at me.
There’s a family counseling service on the third floor if you need someone to talk to.
Dad just waved her away without even looking at her.
My ears were roaring so loud I could barely hear anything else. I planted myself in the chair next to mom’s bed and grabbed her hand.
I’m not leaving.
The words came out harder than I meant them to.
