My Ex's New Girlfriend (gxg)

Part 9

I've always been grateful for the friends that I have made working at the restaurant.

I commuted to college, so I didn't have the opportunity to make many friends. I had acquaintances that I would see on campus, but I never spent time with them after class.

In high school I was very quiet, and didn't have many friends. I was very close with one girl, Joanna Smith, but that friendship didn't last throughout college.

Meeting my co-workers, many who have become friends, has been a really great experience for me. I consider Devin to be my best friend, and I wouldn't have that if it weren't for work.

I'm even grateful that I met Tristan through work, even if my life has become a whole lot more complicated because of him. Still, I spent almost every single day with him for 14 months. That counts for something.

That's something that I've had to get very used to in the past 4 months.

The loneliness of a breakup.

That's why I had been saying "yes" to spending time with my co-workers outside of our shifts. I didn't want to just drown in the loneliness.

Brandon's 22nd birthday was on June 10th, and he had told everyone from work that he was going to throw a "banger" for it.

I didn't have work the day of his bash, which was a Saturday.

I spent the morning getting breakfast with Tyler and Erika, which is always a nice time, and Devin and I decided that we would grab a quick bite to eat that night before Brandon's party, which we knew would consist mostly of alcohol.

It was originally supposed to be a pool party, but it was a very rainy Summer night- so the party was going to be held in the massive basement of the Rossi house.

By grabbing dinner, for Devin and I that meant getting drive-thru fast food and eating it in the parking lot.

We got Wendy's, and I got a very nutritious dinner of fries and a frosty.

I noticed that Devin kept checking his phone as we sat in the car together.

"Is everything okay?" I asked him, "You keep checking your phone."

"Oh, yeah. Sorry," Devin looked at me, "Everything is fine. More than fine, actually. Remember that bartender from Hammerheads that I thought was hot?"

"Yes, I remember. He had a similar vibe to you. You were going to try and talk to him, but he looked too busy."

"That's the one. I actually matched with him on Grindr. I knew that my gaydar was right. His name is Callum, we've been talking for the past few days."

I smiled at Devin, "That's exciting! Have you and him been texting a lot?"

"We have been, actually. I told him in the least creepy way possible that I saw him bartending a little bit ago, and he thought that was actually pretty cute."

"Who knows, Dev. Maybe this could turn into something real for you."

"Or it could be yet again, another hookup. We'll have to see. At least now that I have my own place, it is much easier to invite guys over."

Devin moved out of his parents house 6 months ago into his own apartment, and since then he has been noticeably happier.

Living in a house with his religious parents was not fun for Devin, to say the least. They already hated how he dressed, his piercings, and his tattoos. If they knew he was gay, it would have pushed them over the edge.

After we finished our food, we headed over to Brandon's.

"I'm relieved that it isn't another pool party," I said to Devin as he drove us, "I don't have to see everyone in their swimsuits and feel weird for not wearing one."