Elliot and Julia have a complicated relationship. Since they met in the seventh grade, the only heart-to-heart conversations they've had have been strictly over text. But they don't mind this lack of intimacy. If anything, they enjoy it.
Don't thi...
I hadn't seen Julie in months and had only talked her a handful of times during that period. She was ignoring me, I was sure of it.
It was all that Matt's fault. Every time I talked to her, or every time I got a long email from her, she mentioned him. Apparently they were getting "super close" and were "sort of study buddies." I knew what that meant. Julia Nichols, my oldest friend and one of the only people that I could put up with that could also put up with me, was replacing me. Me, Elliot Masters, whom she had given the nickname "Eli" and kept people from calling me my first name, the irreplaceable hero of her life (I could only assume), was being replaced by some Matt guy in Iowa. It was ridiculous. It did not bother me.
It bothered me so much.
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"Hey Julie."
"Matt! Hey."
"Could I talk to you for a second?"
"Of course! What's up?"
"I just wanted to see if..."
"Are you okay?"
"Yeah, I'm great. Just nervous."
"Nervous? Come on, Matt, we spend like ninety percent of our time together in all kinds of situations and morning breath. What could you be nervous about?"
"Do you want to go on a date? With me?"
"Oh."
"Is that a good oh or a bad one?"
"Matt..."
"It was a bad one. I can tell. Oh shit, I'm sorry for making this awkward."
"No, it's fine. It's not you-"
"It's me? I mean, you were about to say 'it's not you, it's me.'"
"Yeah. Ugh that's so lame. Let me explain."
"No, it's fine. If you don't want to, I don't want to force you. Actually, I think that's immoral and illegal on so many levels."
"It's really not you. It's just that I have this friend, a guy friend, who's sort of... Been taking up a lot of room in my head space lately. More than his fair share. And I have to figure all this out before I even think about dating anyone."
"I totally understand. Don't even worry about it."
"Are you sure? Are you okay?"
"I've been better, but I'll be okay. Don't worry."
