When did you realize the phrase “blood isn’t thicker than water” is actually true?
The Betrayal of Trust
My roommate gave my laptop password to his leech of a best friend who stole the poem I’d spent three weeks perfecting and entered it as his own. When I asked why he betrayed me, he snorted and said, “Relax. Creative types like you never win anything big.” Anyway, I stayed silent.
That was 6 weeks ago. Yesterday, he was hauled out of class in handcuffs for academic misconduct.
When I got a new roommate in sophomore year, I was extremely grateful. Dan was everything that my last one wasn’t. Clean, quiet, respectful, the type of guy to spend his Saturday evening catching up on a romance book with a cup of hot cocoa.
But there was one flaw. One thing I truly hated about him. His best friend, Trevor.
The first time I met him, I walked in on him and Dan working on a group project together, which really just meant Trevor convincing Dan to do all the work, using the excuse that he helps Dan get girls, so he owes him. The girls in question being a girl who hugged him at a frat during orientation week.
I was about to laugh, thinking he was joking. But then Dan took his laptop and literally started doing two slideshows on two different laptops at the same time.
Well, that was back when me and Dan were tight, so I just said out loud, “Dan, what are you doing? Trevor can do his own work.” I was expecting Dan to go silent and let me argue with Trevor on his behalf, or even argue against Trevor with me.
but instead he said, “Dude, you don’t know Trevor like I do. He’s going through a lot right now. F off.” I glanced over to Trevor, who had a huge smirk on his face, and I just hoped that this truly was a once-off, but it wasn’t.
Over the next few weeks, Trevor would come over twice a week, and I would instantly know because he would always leave behind a trail of destruction, a broken charger, cigarette butts, rancid, sweaty gym socks. One time, he saw a cute girl outside and tried to impress her by smearing barbecue sauce all across our windows, three tubs of it.
And when she didn’t laugh, he asked Dan to clean up for him. He did. But I’m from the Middle Eastern, so I was raised to always be welcoming to guests.
So, I always tried my best to accommodate Trevor because at the end of the day, their friendship was their business. So, whenever I ordered food when Trevor was over, I’d order for all three of us and pay for it, too.
And when Trevor was sick, I made him homemade soup, and he was better the next day. But, it wasn’t long before he took the requests too far and started treating me like he treated Dan.
There was a poetry competition hosted by the Literary Society, and the owner of the best poem would win $1,000. So, I applied because I thought I had a chance of winning, and I wanted to replace my sister’s crappy 2012 Chromebook with a MacBook for her.
We grew up poor, and she rarely bought anything new for herself. And since my dad left when I was a newborn baby, she never had anyone to spoil her. This meant that the poem needed to be perfect.
So I waited until the day before the deadline to submit. The same day, Trevor came over.
Hey James, did you apply to that poetry thing? Was the very first thing he asked when he saw me.
I don’t know why I didn’t just lie. But I didn’t.
Yep, I said straightfaced and uninviting.
Hey, do you think I could copy?
No, Trevor, I interrupted, not wanting to entertain it. And if you even think about trying to use my poem, I will ruin your reputation by any means necessary.
Kind of cringe, I know, but his reputation meant more to him than anything. Even as I spoke those words, I could see him gulp down a ball that had formed in his throat.
And I guess I got cocky because I truly thought that was enough to steer him away. So I left and planned on submitting that evening. But when I got home, Trevor wasn’t there, and neither was my poem.
I scoured my entire laptop, every file, document, website gone. It was while I scrambled like a maniac that Dan walked in. I swear I could see a bead of sweat trickle down his forehead.
Dan, did you use my laptop today?
No, but Trevor did, he responded.
I took a deep breath and asked how he got through the password protection, trying to keep my voice calm.
Oh, I uh gave it to him. he needed.
I stopped listening after that. My mouth went completely dry, and I started zoning out. I thought about all the hours I had spent, how I had promised my little sister the laptop, how excited she had been.
This would be the first birthday gift she got that wasn’t a handme-down.
Hey, um, are you okay?
I gave Dan a huge smile. Of course, I am.
You see, I knew there was no way Dan would take my side. He had been brainwashed by a pathetic goblin hiding in the body of a 20-year-old boy.
