Again, But Better(27)

“Next!” the barista snaps. Get back on the ground, Shane. He has a girlfriend. I whirl around to place my order. After Pilot places his, we huddle in silence for a moment at end of the counter, waiting for our drinks.

“How goes the music making?” I ask. “Are you going to tour with this new album you’re coming out with?” Amusement dances through my words.

He looks at the ceiling and lets go of a laugh. “Well, I’m hoping to do some gigs around New York City over the summer, like open mics and stuff, try to get our name out there.”

My mouth falls open. “Really? That’s awesome.”

“Yeah, I really want to take this summer to do it because I don’t think I’ll get another chance with graduation coming and everything.”

“Are you going to invite us to your gigs?” I grin.

His cheeks flush. “I don’t know…” he answers shyly.

“What do you mean, you don’t know? I want to come!”

The barista drops our drinks on the table. Pilot smiles at his latte. “We’ll see.”

“We’ll see?” I repeat with mock frustration as I grab my own. “We’re going to come and support your musical talents,” I insist.

“What about you?” he says when we’re back outside. “How’s the book-writing plan going?”

I laugh in surprise. “I haven’t started. I have ideas but, I don’t know, none of them feel good enough. Or I guess, I’m not sure I could write them. We’ll see,” I finish slowly, staring into my drink.

“You should just go for it,” he encourages.

We cross the street, approaching the class buildings again.

“We should all plan another trip for this weekend,” Pilot suggests before we part.

“Yeah!” I call eagerly, as he strides toward the building next to mine.



* * *



This morning, Babe and I agreed to meet up for lunch. So after class, I wait for her on the corner. I wave happily as she approaches.

“Hey!” I greet her. “How was class?”

“Boring. You?” she says. We fall into step.

“Mine was excellent! We talked about structure, specifically the break between act one and two!”

She laughs. “Cool—you ready to try this burger place?” she says excitedly. Ninety percent of what Babe says is said excitedly.

We head into Byron’s, a gourmet burger place we pass on the way to class. Once we’re seated, a waiter comes to take our drink orders while we study the menu. They have milkshakes! Shakes and burgers—it feels so American! I’ve only been gone a week, but it already feels like I’ve been out of the country for ages. Weirdly, American things are starting to feel rare and special, in a way they’ve never felt before.

“So, you know that friend Chad that I was talking about the other day?” Babe starts as we peruse the menu.

I glance up at her with a knowing look. “Yeah, the one from upstairs who you hung out with that first day?”

“Okay, so, I do kind of really like him.”

I nod and raise my eyebrows slightly to show I’m listening. I expect her to get giggly about it, but she’s all business.

“Well.” She puts down her menu. “This Sunday is his birthday, and I, um, I usually plan things we do for his birthday.”

“You—plan his birthday?”

“We’ve been friends for, like, three years now, and I planned it last year and the year before, and he likes when I plan it,” she explains carefully.

“Okay…” The waiter arrives, and we both order specialty burgers and shakes. We’re quiet as he takes our menus and walks away.

She starts again, “Okay, so, I had class with Chad earlier, and he was talking about going to Paris this weekend maybe, to celebrate. And did you know we don’t have class this Friday? It’s Thursday instead. So, I think we’re gonna go! Do you want to come? Maybe Pilot will come too? It’ll be really fun…” She trails off.

I feel my forehead scrunch up. Is she suggesting a double … date … situation? I’m afraid to voice the question aloud. She knows as well as I do that Pilot has a girlfriend. But I want to go to Paris.

“Yeah, I’d love to come!” I spout.

“Really?” She relaxes back into her seat. “Oh my gosh, thank you! I didn’t want it to be just me and Chad, but I kind of want it, you know, to be just me and Chad, sometimes—you know?”

I study her carefully. “So, what’s the deal with you two, then? Have you guys had moments and stuff? Are you, like, almost a thing?”

“Well, I mean, like last year I tried to tell him once that I had feelings for him, but before I could get it out, he started talking about how he likes tiny short girls.”

“What?” I drop my milkshake back to the table, instantly annoyed with Chad. Babe’s tall and curvy. She must register the look on my face because she hurries to defend him.

“No, but he’s really nice, and we both love Disney. He’s great, you’ll see! I don’t know what was up that night. I think he was acting out and nervous about losing our friendship. I don’t know, but he’s great. I promise!”

“Okay,” I say quietly. We’ll see about this Chad.