Thread by @actionheroteach

1/ An East London Tale 2
***Names, dates & locations have been changed to protect the identities of people in the story***

Off the theme of friendship, when I was growing up in the ‘Endz’ there was a dude I knew called ‘Fred.’ Fred was a friend on a friend so we weren’t tight

2/ like that but we still chill together sometimes. Fred’s best friend’s name was ‘Jamie.’ Fred was a good looking guy, decent at school & was an aspiring singer.

Jamie was a bit closer to the streets & wasn’t academic - he was a bit more ‘Road’ & had the gift of the gab

3/ These guys went primary school together & were super tight. Then in the mix was a girl around the way called Sarah.

Sarah was a bit of a tomboy but as we all grew older, she started to blossom into a beautiful young woman. Around Year 10, Fred asked Sarah out & they

4/ became an item. Jamie was always doing his thing but we always saw the 3 of them in the bits.

As they grew up Fred & Sarah decided to go to Uni while Jamie went straight into work.

The plan was that they would et their degrees, get jobs & get married. Despite Jamie working

5/ He would often go to their uni to see them. Despite them being a couple, Fred & Sarah lived in 2 different places in the same student complex, opposite each other.

Fred noticed that Sarah was becoming a bit more distant, she was zone out when they spoke about the future

6/ & he was concerned. Fred would tell the boys his problems & he was convinced there was someone else. Although we had our suspicions, Jamie told him that they were just getting used to Uni & he shouldn’t give up on the relationship. Jamie was supporting him & was there for him

7/ so Fred counted on him & asked him to mediate between Sarah & him. Things seemed to improve between the 2 of them...

Usually every weekend Fred & Sarah would drive down to the Ends to see their parents & get their washing done.

Fred worked in a popular trainer shop but he

8/ felt a bit a rough with a horrible cough (Pre-COVID 😂) so he went back to the dorm. He took a half day.

He wanted to go see Sarah & rest there.

When he went to the dorm, he noticed Jamie’s car parked in the sideroad near the uni. It was strange as would park in the complex

9/ when he rang Sarah & asked where she was, she said that she already left for East London.

His spider-sense was tingling.

He rang Jamie asking him to come to the uni & pick him up but he said he was at work!

Fred didn’t let on he saw his car.

10/ Fred turned out the lights in his room & told Sarah he would meet her in East.

He waited & watched the entrance of the uni. Around 8pm he saw Sarah & Jamie holding hands & kissing near the entrance of the dorm! He was absolutely crushed.

11/ My boy met up with me when I came back from Uni telling me that Fred was going mad in his Mum’s house because of what happened. The other guys had to go there & calm him down.

My guy said there would be a meeting with all of them to try to settle it peacefully

12/ the next day my boy told me they meet up at their usual spot & Fred was blind with rage. The boys had to physically hold him back from fighting Jamie.

When the other guys asked Jamie why he did it, apparently he was laughing & very relaxed about the situation

13/ my friend told me Jamie said “You (Fred) always thought you were better than me. You always joked about what I was doing & treated me like I was your number 2. Well, things didn’t go to plan isn’t it?”

When Jamie was pressed even more, he said that Sarah was tired of him

14/ & when he started to mediate for them, they started to fall for each other. Sarah didn’t want to break his heart & was going to tell him but it was Jamie that convinced her to keep it a secret saying it would best to come from him. He finally hurt Fred like Jamie hurt him.

15/ to cut a v. long story short, Fred broke up with Sarah, Jamie & Sarah eventually got married & had children.

Fred was utterly heartbroken. Dropped out of uni & went soul searching. He found new love & has moved to the coast away from the area & is living his best life

16/ there is more but it would be a book!

When I talked to my Mum about it she said to me that “your best friends often can become your worst enemies. Someone you see on the street can never hurt you as much as someone that knows your deepest secrets.”

17/ Although that never happened to me, I know that betrayal can be the worst pain that anyone can experience.

Keep your friends close & your enemies far away.

Fin.

Fred never made contact with Jamie or Sarah again.