My Best Friend Cheated Me

"What are you talking about?" smiled Sheila uneasily, but the look in her eyes betrayed her.

"Don't lie to me!" I shouted, making everyone in the gang turn around. "Look at this: 'I love you... Don't worry, will find a way to tell Xiaoyan... see you at 8pm.' All these messages are from Alex! Don’t tell me they are from the wrong person. Don’t tell me that your boyfriend is also called Alex and that he has a girlfriend too, whom by the way, he is trying to shake off, called Xiaoyan!"

I was sixteen when this incident happened. The incident that will leave a scar forever. I had a group of best friends whom I hang out with; Shen Riyang, Xia Yunli, Fang Sijia, Yu Sijie, Chin Xiaoli, Chen Kexin (Xiaoxin), Julia Yen, Ronald Chen and Sheila Quek.

I had been dating Alex for three months now and everybody says that we’re the perfect couple, the ones that ought to bring joy to the world. And that’s when the trouble begins.

Everyone in the gang loves ice skating and rollerblading and it is one of those Saturdays that we all gathered at the Kallang Ice-Skating Gallery to practice our ice-skating antics.

After being on the ice for about two hours, my feet started to feel numb and I made my way slowly and painfully back to the benches where our bags are.

Feeling rather bored as I just sat there waiting for the numbness from my feet to fade, I simply picked up my cellphone and played the games on it. It was then that my cellphone rang. It was Alex and I answered it.

The line went dead again. I paused and checked the phone. There was a small scratch at the left corner and a keychain hanging from the phone. It was Sheila’s phone.

I smelt a rat then and something tells me that something very funny was going on. Immediately, I checked the inbox…

I nearly had a heart attack when I read the six messages sent to Sheila from Alex. Sometimes the truth can never be hidden. But I guess I would never have found out the truth if I did not pick up Sheila’s phone by mistake. By sheer coincidence, both Sheila and I bought the same model and colour. All thanks to that. Or else, I would never have made that “mistake” and discovered the truth.

The gang and I were the best of friends. We knew each other since kindergarten and were also neighbours living in the same block for ages. The whole gang and I were in the same class all the way up to primary school. Asides from Xiaoli, the rest of us went to the same secondary school. I felt really lucky having my best friends living so close by. After school, the gang would either study or play basketball together.

For the next few days, I refused to pick up calls from either Alex or Sheila. The rest of the gang cut off ties from Alex and Sheila and stood on my side. They stayed overnight at my place for the next few days and comforted me. Riyang, the leader of our group was the one who delivered a personal letter personally to me in school a week later and informed me that it was Sheila who requested for him to deliver it to me.

"She told me that she doesn’t care if you don’t want her as a friend," said Riyang. "She just wants you to read this letter…"

I hesitated as I stare at the letter and wondered if I should tear it or read it. Finally, I decided to tear open the envelope.

I know that you are angry with me. I'm so sorry. I didn't want that to happen either. I got to know Alex before you did. He was in the same enrichment course as me in school. I had a crush on him since then. But later, I found out from Sijie that you liked him. With the help of the gang, you made your move and he became your boyfriend.

I was bitter and wanted to tell you the truth. But I got drunk at Julia’s birthday party and confessed to Alex that I was in love with him all along. He said that he was in love with me too… I know it was a mistake, that I shouldn’t cheat on you, but I can’t stop myself from loving him. In fact, I do not mind sharing him with you… please forgive me.

I tried to get him, but he has been avoiding my calls and hasn’t called me since that day. I thought that you guys might be back together again.

I really hope that things are fine between the two of you now… I just want to let you know that you are still my best friend, my most trusted friend… always someone dear in my heart.

Once again, I’m sorry… Sorry for betraying your trust. Please forgive me…

I grabbed the letter tightly. Why didn’t Sheila tell me that she likes him? Then none of this would have happened. Sheila betrayed me, but I could not bring myself to hate her. As for Alex, he’s a jerk. Trying to have the best of both worlds? In fact, he hadn’t called me either.

"What a coward! Since he dare to do it, why didn’t he dare to face up to it? Trying to run away?" I thought furiously, so that I didn’t even notice that I was making blots all across my Biology book.

I still meet Sheila in school as she was in the same class as me and the rest of the gang. But we just gave each other a weak smile. Our relationship has changed. It has been three months since the incident happened. Right now, I do not hate her. But I can’t just pretend that nothing has happened. The fact is that something did happen between us. Perhaps I may bring myself to talk to her again one day.

The gang is now smaller without Sheila in it. The rest of the gang, like me, couldn’t forget it and decided to sever all ties with her.

I should have known that something is going on between Sheila and Alex sooner. Every time I asked Alex out, he would say that he has to give tuition. And when I ask Sheila, she will say that she is not free. How can the two of them not be free at the same time? It is too much of a coincidence.

I am slowly getting over the incident. And the gang is helping me a lot too. But a word of warning to other girls out there: do not assume that all is well between your boyfriend and you. Check for any telltale signs and look beneath the surface. Otherwise, you might lose a trusted friend, like I did…