The Final Step

My eyes burned, and for a moment, I could barely speak.

I had lost a friendship that truly mattered because of someone who had never deserved that kind of loyalty from me.

For Samantha, I had thrown away my dignity again and again, sinking lower each time just to hold on to a relationship that had been destroying me from the inside out.

I had realized it late, but at least I still had a chance to make things right.

I put an arm around my friend's shoulders and told him I was leaving the country soon.

He looked upset when he heard it, but in the end, he supported my decision. He knew better than anyone that if I made the same mistake again, then whatever happened next would be on me.

…

After Samantha left the bar, she lost all interest in the rest of the night.

Ryan tried the same old trick again. He pulled off his tie and leaned closer, deliberately flirting with her. "Samantha, stop drinking by yourself. You haven't looked happy since we got here. Did Caleb get under your skin?"

Then he moved even closer, lowering his voice. "Come on. You said we were going to have fun tonight."

He tried hard to charm her, but Samantha shoved him away in disgust.

"Enough," she snapped. "I was only putting on a show for Caleb's friend earlier. Caleb still hasn't come to me after all these days, so what else was I supposed to do? I had to push him somehow."

As she spoke, she reached into her pocket, retrieved the necklace, and studied it closely in her palm.

Ryan's eyes widened.

"Wait, you didn't actually throw that thing away?" he asked, startled. "I thought it got stepped on and crushed by now."

Out of habit, he reached for the necklace.

Samantha quickly slapped his hand away. "Don't touch it. This is the promise necklace Caleb gave me, and it's the only thing his mother left him. When I said I was giving it to you, I was only trying to provoke him. Did you actually think I'd give you something this important?"

Ryan's face darkened with frustration and anger.

"What the hell does that mean?" he demanded. "A few days ago, you had me act with you and make those sounds on purpose so Caleb would hear us. You skipped the engagement party ten times. Wasn't that because you hated him and didn't want to marry him?"

Samantha looked down and sighed deeply, holding the necklace firmly.

"It was a test," she explained. "I needed to know Caleb wouldn't give up on me, no matter what. If he could make it through all ten times, then I could finally trust him enough to marry him."

Her voice softened. "He kept his promise to me. I won't put him through that anymore."

After saying that, Samantha stood up from the couch.

Ryan tried to stop her, but she ignored him and walked out of the party without looking back.

Outside, the busy street was bright and crowded. As Samantha walked through the noise and lights, the tension on her face gradually faded.

A small smile touched her lips as she murmured to herself, "You've already taken ninety-nine steps toward me, Caleb. I'll make the last one."

When she passed a bakery, she went inside and carefully picked out several boxes of my favorite pastries.

Then she called me.

"Caleb, where are you?" she asked softly. "I know I went too far before, and I'm on my way home now. Have you eaten yet? I bought you some pastries you like."

However, my voice never came through the line.

All she heard was a cold, automated message. "The person you have dialed is not available. Please try again later."

Samantha had no idea that I had already blocked her number.