The Sweetest Thing (gxg)

Part 23

For almost two months I didn't see Vivienne again.

And for those two months, she was constantly on my mind.

Especially times in the past I couldn't stop replaying.

For my first year of college, we stayed close as ever. We would text every day. Call each other. I visited Vivienne a few times, and she would come visit me as often as she could.

It was like we were dating, even though once again- we didn't have any kind of label on it.

But I didn't hook up with anyone else.

And neither did she.

By the end of my freshman year, I was ready for more with Vivienne. I knew I was. We had a year in college down, and if we really wanted to have explored other options, we would have.

But we didn't.

I didn't want to explore anything sexually, romantically, or emotionally with anyone else but Vivienne. She was not only my best friend- she was someone I knew I wanted to date.

It had been a little over a year and a half of not officially dating.

The summer after my freshman year, I wanted to make Vivienne mine- officially.

And then she told me she was going on a 6 week study abroad trip to Spain.

She had mentioned it to me in passing a few times, however I didn't know she was actually serious about wanting to go on the trip.

So I waited for her to come back. We talked during her trip- and when she came back, she told me she wanted to study abroad again, this time in Italy.

I remember feeling my stomach drop.

She's not thinking about having a relationship with me.

And that was one of the worst feelings.

So was knowing that I had seen her twice, like it was a little tease of having her back into my life, and now I hadn't spoken to her in 2 months.

Vivienne's birthday the day after Halloween. And when Olivia and I were invited to the townhouse for an open house party on Halloween- I thought Vivienne would probably not be there.

Even though I was secretly hoping she would be.

"What are you going to be?" Olivia asked me, regarding Halloween.

"I haven't dressed up in two years. I have no idea."

"And that two year streak won't turn into three under my watch." Olivia said, "You should ask Nick if he wants to come as well."

Nick Kardos is someone that I met during my sophomore year in college, not long after Vivienne was out of my life.

He is gay as well, and he's been a wonderful addition to my life.

Nick also lives back with his parents since we graduated, about 45 minutes from me. He works as an accountant, and he's trying to save up to move out.

"I'll ask him." I said, "And maybe I'll dress up as the Devil or something."

"I'll be an Angel!" Olivia said, "It's done. It's planned. Maybe Nick can be satan."

I laughed, "I think he would actually love that idea."

When I asked Nick if he wanted to come to the party, he said he would gladly come.

"I'll dress up as Satan. I love that." he said.

"You know I was joking, right?" I said back.

"Oh, I know. But I'm not. Satan it is." Nick said to me over the phone.