Opposite of Always(42)
FRANNY: So, who’s the other vaporizee?
ME: That’s for me to know and you NOT to know. Ever!
JILLIAN: It’s clearly Kate!!!
ME: Yep. Kate stumbled onto our plot, too. But dang! Am I really that transparent?
JILLIAN: Do you really want me to answer that??
FRANNY: Bros over hos, man! Bros over hos!
ME: No offense, Jillian^^^^
JILLIAN: None taken. I’m a bro in the spiritual sense, duh!
FRANNY: Exactly!! J’s more of a bro than you these days, Jack.
ME: I am sorry, guys. My dad sorta pointed out how douchey I’ve been lately and I’m sorry I’ve been THAT GUY.
FRANNY: Well, clearly, Kate can give you things Jillian and I can’t, sooooo . . . hahahaha JILLIAN: You have been pretty sucky lately. Like there’s no reason you can’t be with Kate and still be good to your friends. I mean you’ve blown off band practice that we’re having for YOUR parents even. Like, really??
ME: I know. You’re right. There’s no reason.
ME: I’m sorry. I’ve just felt this simultaneous push and pull, I guess. Like, where I have to find a balance between my friends and my girl, and it’s harder than I thought.
FRANNY: Oh, it’s hard all right!! LMAO that’s the prob, man! Just stop thinking with your junk and you’ll be cool.
ME: Sage advice as usual, Franny.
ME: I guess I wanna say, thanks for not hating me.
FRANNY: Sometimes you’re such a mushy idiot.
JILLIAN: Shut up, Jack! Seriously! Just stop!
ME: I love you guys, too. <3 <3
And I know you’d think that tonight would’ve been enough to jar me back into reality—disappointing my parents, letting down my friends.
Only you’d be wrong.
You’d be so gloriously wrong.
Because less than a week later . . .
TO FRANNY, JILLIAN: Hey guys, sooooo . . . it’s looking like I’m not going to be able to make practice today. Something has come up.
JILLIAN: Are you serious?! The party is six weeks away and we’re nowhere near ready, Jack! Whatever SOMETHING is, SHE can wait!
FRANNY: Bro, this is like the fifth time you’ve flaked already. Like, if this isn’t important to you anymore, just say the word. But you know, it was YOUR idea. And it is YOUR rents’ 30th.
ME: I know, I know. You guys know I wouldn’t cancel unless I had a really good reason.
FRANNY: Do you, bro.
Thirty minutes later . . .
FROM JILLIAN: Are you okay, man? Like, really, what’s going on with you these days?
ME: I’m great, actually. Like, really happy.
JILLIAN: Glad one of us is.
ME: Wait, what happened??
JILLIAN: I got a B-on my last French paper.
ME: There must be some mistake!!
JILLIAN: Nope. I got what I deserved.
ME: You deserve the best.
JILLIAN: I remember when my friend Jack used to help me practice, but lately he’s been busy doing other THINGS. LOL
ME: Nothing’s changed, J.
JILLIAN: Everything’s changing, J.
ME: How do you mean??
JILLIAN: Forget it. It’s cool.
ME: I can’t just forget it.
JILLIAN: I’m pretty sure you can.
ME: Hey, I’m sorry, J. Really.
JILLIAN: I gotta go.
JILLIAN: BTW, you should really talk to Franny, too.
ME: He okay?
JILLIAN: I think the possibility of seeing The Coupon soon is really starting to get to him. He’s just all over the place lately. Which is understandable. I worry about him, you know. He hates talking about this stuff. He could really use you, Jack.
ME: I’ll talk to him.
JILLIAN: Good luck with that.
JILLIAN: Okay, I gotta go 4 real now!
ME: Parle plus tard?
JILLIAN: Nous verrons.
5 minutes later . . .
ME to FRANNY: Hey, man, just wanted to say how sorry I am again about missing practice.
ME (after waiting to no avail for a reply): And I guess I wanted to let you know that I’m here, y’know. For you. Should you ever need to talk or not talk, or whatever, okay?
ME: I’m sorry I’ve been MIA lately. I guess this whole having a girlfriend thing is time-consuming. I finally get why you and Jillian are always so busy. LOL
ME: So, uh, yeah, I guess hit me back whenever.
ME: Love you, bro.
ME: promptly erasing that last text, swapping it for this: ME:
90 minutes after that . . .
FRANNY: I’m good, man. No worries, with your awkward, guilt-feeling ass! LOL
ME: Hey now!
FRANNY: But there is one thing you can do for me, since you asked!
ME: What’s up??
FRANNY: So, turns out Abuela invited The Coupon over for dinner tomorrow night. Know it’s last min, but you still down for the cause?
ME: I’m there, man. Save me a good seat.
And I’m happy because I know in the end, Franny and I will always be there for each other.
Kate’s face flashes on my phone.
“Hey, shouldn’t you be in class?” I ask.
“I’m running late. But I’m walking at an uncomfortably rapid pace now.”
“Ah, that explains why you sound as though you’re standing on top of a skyscraper.”
“Exactly. So, what are you doing?”