F*CK FRIEND ZONE

AN ACCIDENTAL REUNION AND A LOT OF WINE

FROM SAM'S POV

"To Uncle K" says Sam as he raises his glass.

"TO UNCLE K" says everyone else as they raise their glasses and toast in his memory.

It's been 5 years and since they all last met and Uncle K is still binding them together.

Everyone had a home away from home thanks to Sam's uncle and they all were well fed every weekend, well protected everytime someone was in trouble and well taken care of  after every heartache.

Uncle K was as big a part of their college life as Sam so it only made sense that everyone came over to Hawaii where Uncle K asked Sam to scatter his ashes.

And it was a non-negotiable instruction to celebrate his life instead of crying over his departure.

"You remember when Uncle K hid us from that stupid jock who kept chasing us everywhere until he beat us black and blue?" says a guy still shaking the last drop of his drink from the glass into his mouth. He seems drunk already but Sam knows he is busy a little goofy that way.

"Yeah that was on me. I just had to piss him off." says Sam as he pours everyone another round.

"I met him just a couple of times but he seemed like family we all wish to have." Jim is still sad but Hector wraps him in a one arm hug and boops their heads together.

"How the f*ck did you two start getting along? The last time I heard you had beaten up this lil one into the concrete floor outside the Cafe." Sam and his friends are curious how they started getting along so well. He only heard that they started acting more civilized with each other but he had no idea they became THIS CLOSE.

"Long story short, he cried I cried and we hugged the troubles away, in a platonic way of course." says Jim.

"Until it was not so platonic" jokes one of their friends but Hector says "no no we are very very platonic, trust me, we tried".

Sam still can't wrap his brain around the idea of Jim and Hector getting along enough to try non platonic things but it's still better than Hector wanting to smash Jim everytime he say him.

"Uncle K made me bags of freshly frozen ravioli for whenever I went back home. He loved me the most." says a half drunk friend while everyone screams "HE MADE THOSE FOR EVERYONE".

"He always took care of us just the way we needed. I miss him." Sam tears up and his friends wrap him into a group hug. The other patrons at the restaurant are endeared at first but soon get over the clingy bromance.

"What should we do now?" says someone squished between two elbows and a thigh.

"We drink, we cry and then maybe we get laid?" says Hector.

"Can you for once not think about f*cking someone?" asks Jim with an annoyed pout in his face.

"You're just jealous that I never f*cked you" jokes Hector to which Jim says "huh! You wish.".

Sam is happy that everyone is getting along. He even met a couple of high-school friends earlier today and the day seems to be helping him heal. Being surrounded by people his loves and people who love him back is a blessing, he thinks and thanks his uncle for giving him the opportunity to experience these moments.