Brian, Annie, and Tom have been inseparable since childhood.
The three friends were thick as thieves. Wherever the boys went, Annie followed—up to the rooftop, off to fishing, she was right there with them.
They all studied in the same class at school. Brian and Annie were top students, while Tom scraped by with Cs, but this never strained their friendship.
“Three in a tank and a dog,” that’s what people called them. There really was a dog, Toby, a big white mutt with black spots.
Toby trailed the kids everywhere. If you saw a curly tail sticking out of the bushes, you knew the inseparable trio was there, either munching on raspberries or hatching some mischievous plan.
Time slipped by quietly, and before anyone noticed, the kids turned into teenagers.
Brian was shaping up to be a heartthrob. At fourteen, his blue eyes and jet-black hair already drove the girls wild.
Annie had grown too, filling out in all the right places. The loud-mouthed girl with two braids had transformed into a pretty, sweet teenage girl. She wasn’t destined to be a stunning beauty, but she was certainly charming.
Tom grew into a redheaded, big-eared, lanky teen. The three continued their tight-knit friendship, though as they got older, people started noticing that Brian spent more time with Annie. Tom, though, was never far off, hovering nearby with Toby in tow.
—Brian, quit primping already, —Tom danced impatiently in place.
“They say the guys from Riverside are coming. Last time, I saw them breakdancing. Man, I wanna learn that,” —Tom said, eyes sparkling.
—Hmm, —Brian smirked, fixing his wavy hair, —breakdancing, really?
—Yeah, —Tom nodded eagerly, —the low spins, so cool!
—Well, we’ll see, —Brian drawled. —Where’s Annie? She’s not here yet?
—Nope. Ugh, forget her, that Annie. Let’s go without her. Why’s she always tagging along? —Tom grumbled.
—You nuts? Go check if she’s coming, —Brian shot back.
Annie showed up, a little made-up.
—Swiped her mom’s makeup, —Tom spat. —All dolled up, like some princess.
Tom was a bit jealous of Brian’s closeness with Annie. Why’s she always sticking to him? They’re guys; sometimes they need to talk man-to-man, and there she is, glued to Brian like a burr.
—Mom said be home by midnight, —Annie said.
—Ha, —Tom laughed, —that’s when the fun’s just starting!
—Tom, your mom said you’ve gotta be home by eleven, —Annie pointed out.
Damn it, Brian could’ve kept quiet. Tom sulked, offended.
—Come on, don’t fight. Let’s head to the club, —Brian said.
—Nobody’s fighting, —Tom snapped defiantly.
Annie’s not so bad, Tom thought, but she’s always with them, and it’s getting old. A minute later, when Annie linked arms with both boys and they strolled toward the club, Tom decided she was alright, a decent girl.
Time passed, and the kids grew up almost without notice. Tom could see Brian spending more time with Annie. He probably should’ve stepped back, but he didn’t seem to notice, still hanging around them.
People started teasing Tom.
One day, Brian was blunt.
—Don’t come to the bench tonight, Tom.
—What do you mean, don’t come? —Tom asked, confused.
—Man, Tom… I wanna sit with Annie, just the two of us. Get it? —Brian explained.
—Nah, what’s that about? You’re gonna sit with her, listen to music, and ditch your best friend? —Tom protested.
—Tom, why’re you making this hard? I’m telling you plain and simple: I want to be alone with Annie. What’s not to get? —Brian said, frustrated.
—Fine, I get it, —Tom muttered.
Tom walked off, head down. Brian felt uneasy—he knew Tom was hurt—but he needed to talk to Annie.
Suddenly, Tom stopped, stood still for a moment, then turned and marched back to Brian.
—Alright, —he poked Brian’s chest, —you can sit with Annie tonight, but after, you’re sitting with me on that bench, just us, without her. Got it?
—Deal, —Brian grinned widely.
—You better keep that promise, —Tom warned.
Brian laughed.
What’s this guy thinking? Brian’s got secrets to whisper with Annie now? Go kiss your precious Annie, Tom thought, then stopped short.
What? Are they… ugh, gross! How could they? Tom wanted to run back, yell at them, call them traitors, disgusting.
But then, to his own surprise, Tom started crying. A sixteen-year-old guy, walking and sobbing, not even sure why.
He got home, locked himself in his room, and lay face-down on his pillow. He wanted to die. Let them come and find him, lying there, looking all handsome. His mom would probably buy him a new shirt. They’d all cry—Brian too, and that… Annie, bawling her eyes out. And he’d just lie there, young and beautiful.
His mom would cry, his little sister, his dad, his grandparents. Poor parents, and his sister, Natalie. Who’d stick up for her now?
Tom cried again, pitying himself. I’ll die, let them suffer, he thought. Eventually, he fell asleep.
The next morning, Tom was in front of the mirror, taming his unruly curls.
—Mom!
—What?
—Mom, cut my hair.
—You don’t look overgrown yet.
—Mom, can you cut it cool?
—Cool how?
—I don’t know, I’m tired of this style.
—Go to Jake, he’ll cut it.
—Can he even do it right?
—Men go to him, so he must know how.
—Nah, Mom, can you give me money? I’ll go to the salon.
—The salon? Aren’t you a bit young for that?
—Come on, Mom…
—Fine…
—Mom…
—What now?
—Am I good-looking?
—Pfft, what are you, a girl?
—Tell me! —Tom insisted.
—Alright, you’re decent.
—That’s it?
—What’s the problem?
—I wanted to be handsome, —Tom said, inspecting his sunburned, peeling nose.
—Go round up the geese, you “handsome” boy.
By the end of high school, everyone knew Brian and Annie were a couple. Tom came to terms with it but still hung out with them. He’d tactfully stand aside while the two whispered to each other.
After graduation, Annie went to college, Tom enrolled in a local trade school, and Brian decided to join the army first, planning to attend college later, though he could’ve gotten in without issue.
Tom wanted to join the army too. He even went to the recruitment office, but they turned him down for health reasons. He was devastated.
At Brian’s army send-off, he pulled Tom aside and asked him to look after Annie.
—Who needs your Annie, —Tom wanted to laugh but held back and promised to keep an eye on her.
Annie clung to Brian all evening, barely letting Tom say goodbye to his friend. Always hanging on him…
Brian wrote letters to his mom, Annie, Tom, and Ms. Linda, their homeroom teacher.
He wrote about army life, telling his mom not to worry—he was eating well and staying safe with weapons. To Ms. Linda, who taught biology and geography, he described the plants and animals he encountered. To Tom, he shared funny army stories. As for Annie’s letters, well, we don’t know what was in those.
Annie was always glowing after reading them.
Brian didn’t come home on leave, saying it would shorten his service by a month.
But with Brian almost done with his service, ugly rumors started swirling about Annie.
—Daughter, people are talking nonsense, saying you’re pregnant. And you have put on weight lately, —her mother said.
Annie said nothing, just lowered her head and slipped into her room.
The gossip didn’t stop. It even reached Brian’s mother.
—Stop lying! —she snapped. —Leave the girl alone, or your tongues will rot.
Then trouble hit. It was summer break, and Annie barely left her room, looking pale and sick, unable to eat without nausea.
One evening, Tom showed up with his mother, who marched him in, furious. Tom stood staring at the floor.
—Go, you scoundrel, —his mother scolded, —go fix this!
—Ma, I told you, I’m not against it. She’s the one who doesn’t want to, —Tom mumbled.
Annie’s mother, Clara, watched, confused.
—What’s going on, Sarah? —she asked Tom’s mother.
—What’s going on, Clara? We’re gonna have a grandkid soon. Can’t you see your girl’s about to pop? Ugh, you rascal, —Sarah swung at Tom.
Clara sank onto a chair. Annie emerged from her room, pale, head down.
—Annie, —her mother stared wide-eyed, —is it true? —she asked, voice hoarse.
Annie nodded, eyes fixed on the floor.
—I’m not against it, Aunt Clara, —Tom said. —I told her we should get married, but she’s stubborn, says she’s waiting for Brian…
—Brian? —Clara couldn’t process it. —Brian? Annie, you think Brian will… want you like this? Oh, God, why me? —she wailed, collapsing in tears. —What shame, how will I face people?
Annie silently retreated to her room. Tom and his mother lingered awkwardly before leaving, saying they wouldn’t abandon the child.
Sarah, Tom’s mother, told everyone her son had gotten Clara’s daughter pregnant. When did they even find the time? But Annie refused to marry Tom, waiting for Brian. What a mess…
Brian’s mother ordered everyone to shut up. The women feared her sharp tongue, and she warned Sarah to watch her mouth.
—Mind your own business, I’m telling you nicely, —she said. —And tell your families not to dare write to Brian in the army. They’ll sort it out themselves. Stay out of it.
Three months later, Brian returned home. He spoke at length with his parents. The next morning, he went to Annie’s house, knocked, and walked in. Annie stood by the table, cradling her large belly, a faint smile on her lips.
Her mother gasped.
—Hello, —Brian said.
—Hello, Brian, —Clara replied.
—Annie, pack up. I’m here for you, —Brian said.
—What? —Clara panicked. —Where are you taking her, Brian? Don’t ruin her, don’t take this sin on your soul, son. —She fell to her knees. —Blame me, I didn’t watch her. Don’t hurt my girl…
—Aunt Clara, what are you talking about? I’m here for Annie. We’re family now, Aunt Clara. Come on, let’s sit together like family. You’re my mom now, —Brian said warmly.
Two weeks later, Annie gave birth to a daughter, Nina, named after Brian’s mother. She was a pretty baby, looking a lot like Annie. Two years later, Annie gave Brian a son, Peter, a strong little boy.
Brian never spoke a word to Tom again, as if their lifelong friendship had vanished, as if Tom was nothing.
Tom married a year later, bringing home a kind, cheerful girl from a nearby town. She gave him a daughter, Tanya. Nina and Tanya grew up looking so alike, no one could tell them apart.
One day, Nina was walking home from school when Tom called out.
—Tanya, wait up! We’ll hit the store, get a gift for your mom’s birthday.
—I’m Nina, Uncle Tom, —she corrected.
—Oh, crap, my bad… Sorry, Nina, sorry, kid, —Tom stammered.
—For what? —She laughed and ran off.
Brian and Annie lived their whole lives together, and he never once reproached her for anything. It’s clear he truly loved his Annie.
He never spoke to Tom again.
People gossiped for a while, then forgot. That’s what people do—talk.
But Brian’s mother adored her daughter-in-law and her granddaughter, Nina. No one knows exactly what happened back then, and why dig up the past now?
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