"Just Friends"

8

(1955 words)
I slammed the door, having just gotten home from the horrific date. It was only a lunch but it felt like it was days long of sitting and smiling quietly while listening to her explain every trait of every zodiac sign. I wanted someone smart and funny with lots of interests and a hunger for knowledge, not... April. I didn't wish her ill will but I'd walk into the ocean before I went out with her again.

"Hey, how was the date?" A voice called from the kitchen.

"Brandon?" I yelled back. "What are you doing in our apartment you stalker?"

He laughed in response, and I could hear a faint "I'm unloved." from him.
I walked into the kitchen to find Brandon with his chair parked in front of the open fridge, rummaging through our snacks. Ally and Jake were nowhere to be seen which meant he had let himself in to steal food, this was not the first time this happened, and would certainly not be the last.

"Dude, I've GOT to tell you about the date I just had." With as much drama as I could muster, my body slumped into one of the stools at the counter. "I'm a Cancer, she's a fuckin-whatever-Aries-or-something, our love is forbidden, we could never be."

Brandon grin reached his molars. "Tell me Ally didn't set you up with an astrology girl."

"I wish I could, Brando. I genuinely wish I could." I sighed. My friend did nothing to stifle his laughter, partially laughing with me, partially at me. "It's all she talked about. She made me make a chart with her for half the date and spent the rest of it just talking about every minute detail. AND! And! She called it astronomy."

"There's no way that's true! You're lying." He stared at me open mouthed with an expression of pure glee.

"It sucked. I don't know what Ally was thinking. You can't speak two words to April without knowing we'd be a bad match. I think Ally just wanted me out of the house." I said.

Brandon shrugged. "In all fairness to her, you've barely left your room." he spoke through some residual giggles, with the occasional aftershock of more laughter.

"I've been tired. I'm missing Tennessee, I guess." I lied.

"You sure you've been okay? I haven't heard that iconic laugh in a while." He was still snickering a little but his tone was much more caring.

"No one's made a good enough attempt to be funny lately." I teased.

"Normally Cal is really good at making you laugh." He pursed his lips. Ah, of course. It didn't take a master of observation to notice the tension between me and Calvin, but it was stupid of me to not assume Brandon and Ally had a nightly meeting about it or something along those lines.

"Somethings been up with him lately, he seems really dead. Probably the amount he's been streaming. Hey, speaking of dates, did you end up calling that guy back?" I asked, not subtly changing the subject.

"No, he thought astrology was astronomy and I knew he wasn't good enough for me." He rolled his eyes.

"Oh god, stop, blame Ally. That lunch was purgatory, I'm convinced it was punishment to atone for my sins."

"Maybe going out for drinks with your best friend could help?" Brandon smiled.

"I don't think Ally is free tonight." I said.

"Okay, first of all, ouch. I'm serious, let's do something tonight, we haven't been out in forever."
We made plans to go to a local place Brandon liked and maybe find ourselves better dates than my previous one. I invited Ally and Jake because they'd been working themselves thin but I was sure they'd be too busy to go.