Playing the Bosses

Resolving

Justin and Adrian sat on opposite ends of the couch in Caleb's living room, both switching between looking at their phones and watching the football game on the television in front of them. Neither of the men seemed able to focus on one or the other — both of them with the same thing on their mind.

Finally, Justin was the first to ask what they both had been wondering. "Eva and Caleb have been acting weird all day, haven't they? Neither of them have said much since they got back late last night."

Adrian nodded. "Yeah, I wonder what happened with the two of them. Eva didn't seem like she was offended and Caleb didn't have anything close to a frown on his face, but there was something that seemed indecipherable about the both of them."

"Exactly, so it's not like he fucked up the date, yet both of them have seemed weird since they got back. I wonder what happened. Or maybe I'm overthinking it. They did fly down there, had a full day, and came back all within twenty-four hours. They're probably exhausted."

"Probably..." replied an unconvinced Adrian. "You think either of them will ever tell us what happened yesterday?"

Justin shrugged. "As curious as I am, it's also not our business. They probably won't tell us. Maybe we don't need to know."

"Maybe you're right. To be honest, I'm surprised he didn't mess it up—"

"Who messed what up?"

As if on cue, Caleb walked into the living room and joined the men, sitting on a loveseat separate from the couch.

"Nothing," Adrian responded, hoping that Caleb wouldn't figure out they were talking about him. However, that hope was quickly diminished with his and Justin's conversation ended entirely with the arrival of Caleb.

"You guys are silent now. Shit-talking me in my own home when the two of you can just take your asses back to your janky ass apartments?"

Justin let out a deep breath and rose from his seat. "I'm not dealing with this today. I'm going home to watch the game."

"Just like that, Justin?" Caleb asked.

Already, Justin was heading to his room to get his keys. "Yeah, just like that. I'm tired of you and this asshole act. It's like living with a real-life troll. And don't get me started on this tension between you and Adrian, as if it hasn't been getting more volatile with both of you being hot and cold. So, I'm gonna go home, watch the game, and get some me time in, then I'll come back... maybe."

It wasn't long before Justin was out the door and just Caleb and Adrian were left in the room alone. Over a half hour passed with them doing the same thing Adrian and Justin had been doing — switching their attention between the television and their phones.

"How was your date with Eva?" Adrian asked, breaking the silence. "Neither of you said much when you got back home last night... and I usually at least see Eva before falling asleep each night."

"How romantic," Caleb replied mockingly. "Maybe she was too tired, too exhausted to stop by," he added, a teasing clear in his tone.

"C'mon, Caleb. You aren't tired of this fucking act already? I can't even ask you a simple question without you being a dick about it."

Caleb raised both hands defensively, his lips pursed as he scanned Adrian's face. The man was clearly exacerbated. And so was Caleb — he was tired of the tension between them. He was tired of being upset with Adrian. He was tired of making everything about their relationship — whether platonic or not — more difficult than it needed to be.

"Okay, Adrian. You're right," Caleb surrendered. "But don't act like I'm the only one who's... touchy when you and I talk. I noticed the way you said the word 'date' when you asked that question. Like it wasn't a real date. Well, Adrian, it was a real date. And Eva and I... We talked, like really talked. We got to know each other and it was intimate and shit... The last time I experienced something like that was..." He hesitated before allowing the next words to leave his mouth. "Was when you and me started talking more and getting to know each other before."