Back in the Saddle

Fame and Misfortune

Nick's POV:

I get into Clay's car, unable to ignore the thoughts of Karl and Alex hanging out. I know it's not fair to want to be the one hanging out with Karl and not Alex, which is why I attempt to get over it, but it's really bothering me. I have no right to be jealous, especially when Clay and I are about to be interviewed for bull riding without Alex.

He knows and says he's fine with it, seeing as he plays more for the fun than because he's serious about it, but I still can't help but feel bad that we were invited without him. Clay and I talked about it afterwards and said that we weren't gonna go without him, but when we told Alex that, he called us idiots and said we were going whether we liked it or not.

"You okay, man?" Clay asks, looking away from the road for a minute to see me. "You seem distracted."

"I'm alright, just thinking about Alex."

"Why? Because you feel bad for him, or because you're jealous he gets to hang out with Karl and you don't?"

My head jolts to the side to look at him and he chuckles as he looks back to the road. "How did you... how did you know?" He gives me a shrug that basically says it was obvious. "Well, okay yeah I'm a little jealous. I know that I really shouldn't be, seeing what we're about to do, but I am. I have a pretty big crush on him and it grows every time I hang out with him."

"Trust me, I know how you feel."

I feel my heart drop. "You like Karl, too?"

"What? Oh god no, I meant George!" Clay says quickly, laughing loudly. I start to laugh too, and soon we're laughing so hard that Clay has to pull into a gas station for a minute so he doesn't crash and kill us both. "Yeah, Karl is nice but he's just not... George. I know you know this, but I've had a crush on him practically since the first day we met him."

"Trust me, Clay. Anyone with eyes can tell that you and George like each other."

"Really? You think he likes me, too?"

I chuckle dryly. "Is that even a question? I swear to god you guys are blind. You need to talk to him, maybe even ask him out. Don't let the opportunity go to waste: the next time you get the chance, just do it. Don't pussy out."

"I'll take that advice if you do." I stare at him, confused and a little surprised that he doesn't seem as opposed to the idea of asking George out as I thought he would be. "I'll ask George out first, but then you have to ask Karl out. On at least one date. If it doesn't go well, then leave it, but you'll never know if you don't try."

"You're a real hypocrite, you know. How long have you refused to ask out George? And now you're telling me to ask Karl, who I've known for all of a week, out? Now that is not fair."

"You aren't as big of a pussy as I am. Prove it, and do it. After all, if you don't, maybe Alex will."

He knows exactly what to say to get me to agree. There is no way I'm letting Alex go on a date with Karl before me. Or... at all. It's a selfish thought, but we're past that point, so I honestly don't care about trying to smother the thoughts anymore. I like Karl. I know I like Karl. Like Clay said, why not just go for it?

Before it's too late.

===

It's Sunday, two days after me and Clay's interview. We're on our way to pick up George and Karl then Alex so we can all go to dinner. We decided to go somewhere where we could all get what we wanted, which just so happened to be Chili's. Once we pick him up, Alex won't stop making the 'hi, welcome to Chili's' reference, and it's beginning to get really annoying.