My Friend and I Loved to Make Bets with Each Other as Children — My Last Win Made Me Cry

Jake and I had been best friends since childhood, constantly competing in everything. At 16, Jake suggested the ultimate bet—who would live longer. But when I started dating Laura, things changed. Jake was angry, and after a heated argument, he left town.

Years later, I received a letter from Jake, inviting me to meet him at a bar. But when I arrived, he wasn’t there. Instead, a waitress handed me a letter from Jake, revealing that he had been battling cancer and wanted to make amends before he passed. He admitted that he had ruined our friendship over pride and regret, and with his final words, he said I had won the bet.

I went to his grave to say goodbye, bringing a beer as a tribute to the friend I had lost. I forgave him long ago, but now, I finally had the closure I needed.