Whatever It Takes

Friends

I leaned back in my car seat, deciding to give into my self-pity and allow myself to wallow. I turned the Iron Maiden album up as loud as possible and set the back of my head against the headrest.

This was all so useless. Steve had won.

He was going to take the girl of my dreams out to dinner, and he was going to woo her, and she was going to fall in love with him, and then they would get married in a year and have babies with perfect hair. After all of the progress I had made, it would be for nothing.

I sighed – at least we were now friends. That was nice. Dovey tolerated me, and she laughed at my jokes. At the very least, I could find solace in that. Sure, I was in love with her, but I would get over it.

Eventually.

In a decade or two.

I groaned and ran my hand through my hair. I was so close to making an actual move today, too. We had been having such a good time working on the flowers – Nancy made sure to have the two of us work together, again – and we had been touchier than we had ever been before. The moment Dovey asked me what I thought of Nancy's bouquet and looked up at me with her bright eyes, I wanted to tell her how much I liked her right then. How after ten years since she burst into Hellfire, she still made my heart race like the first time I saw her.

But at least we would be friends.

I thought back to my conversation with Nancy, right before Dovey came out to get in the van.

"Ed, I promise—"

"It's over, Nance," I interrupted, feeling dejected. I turned to her, and she was frowning.

"It's not over. I've seen how you two have gotten closer, how she looks at you!" she insisted. I stuffed my hands in my pockets and shook my head.

"Nance, I appreciate you trying to make me feel better, but it's never going to happen," I retorted. "It's okay – we'll just be friends."

"No, Ed, I promise – there's something there, I can tell, I'm her best friend," Nancy doubled-down, shaking her head at me. I shrugged.

"Your best friend is going on a date with Steve Harrington – and you should be happy for her, Steve's a really great guy," I replied, almost trying to convince myself. She glared at me.

"You're going to see that I'm right," Nancy said, her tone firm and one of finality.

I punched the steering wheel, frustrated all over again. I can't believe I thought that Nancy was my secret weapon.

---

Nancy chatted with the shop owner, laughing and gushing about the wedding details. I glanced out the window, trying to get a look at Eddie in his van. I frowned when I couldn't see him through the tint of his windows.

"Okay, Dove – time to make sure the dress fits!" Nancy announced, clasping her hands together.

"Dove?" the shop owner asked. I smiled.

"Short for Dovey," I explained. She smiled kindly.

"What a pretty name," she complimented. I shrugged.

"Thank you – it's a little weird, I know. One of my friends calls me 'Birdie'," I continued.

She gestured for me to follow her to the fitting room, and I nodded. We went back to the small room, and I closed the curtain behind me. I quickly changed out of my clothes, and shimmied into the hunter green, chiffon dress that Nancy had picked out for me. I zipped it up on the side and smiled at myself in the mirror.

"I want to see!" Nancy chirped from outside the dressing room. I turned and swiped the curtain open, twirling once she saw me.

"What do you think?" I asked. She clapped her hands together, tittering with excitement.

"I think that my maid of honor is going to look beautiful!" she gushed, throwing her arms around me for a hug. She pulled back, turning me to the mirror so she could futz with my dress some more. I watched myself in the mirror, trying to have my curls lay in an attractive way over my shoulders.

"It's a pretty dress," I commented quietly. She smiled and nodded, still pulling at the dress.

"So...your 'friend' calls you Birdie?" she asked off-handedly. I looked down at her as she knelt down and folded the hem around my feet.

"He does call me Birdie!" I replied. She looked up, smiling.

"I know, you've just never called him your friend before," she answered. I felt my face flush.

"You're the one who asked me to get along with him," I retorted, messing with my curls again.

"I know, it's been nice," she said quietly. "You guys are quite the pair."

I watched her, confused as she bustled around me.

"What do you mean?" I asked. She shrugged.

"You just are. You're fantastic, Ed's wonderful – it's just a nice pair," she repeated. I shook my head.

"Wait, like, together-together?" I pushed, absolutely befuddled. She knew how much Eddie and I had fought over the last however many years, how much we disliked each other. She wouldn't look at me, simply playing with my dress.

"I don't know – does that seem so crazy?" she continued.

My head was spinning, and I kept opening and closing my mouth, trying to understand what she was saying.

"T-that's, that's absolutely insane, Nance, I h-hate him, well, I mean, I hated him, and—"

"The opposite of love is indifference, it isn't hate," Nancy said simply, looking at me in mirror and setting her hands on my shoulders.

I felt my face flush a deep red and pursed my lips.

"I don't love him," I insisted. She smiled wider.

"Do you maybe like him, though?" she asked knowingly.

---

I perked up when the girls walked out of the dress shop, and I jumped out of my seat, trotting to the other side. I opened both of the doors for them. Nancy was in a markedly better mood as they walked together, and she smiled brightly at me.

"Thanks for driving the getaway car, Ed!" she chirped before climbing into the van. I looked at Dovey, leaning against the van door.

"How's the dress, Birdie?" I asked as she walked up to me. She smiled nervously, tucking a curl behind her ear.

"It's g-great – Nancy has great taste," she replied, holding up a dress bag. I crinkled my eyes and smiled at her. My heart broke a little that I wouldn't be dancing with her at the wedding while she was wearing that dress. I helped her in the van, closing the door behind her.

I got into the van, and started back to the house. Nancy was talking animatedly, gesturing with her hands, and I kept glancing over to Dovey. She was gnawing on her thumbnail, lost in thought. I couldn't tell if she looked worried or not. I reached out, gently touching her elbow. She jumped, startled. I smiled at her.

"Are you okay?" I asked. She smiled brightly and nodded.

"Y-yeah, totally fine!" she insisted. I cleared my throat, deciding to be a good friend.

"Nervous about tonight?" I pushed. I can't believe I was asking my dream girl about her date with another guy. She watched me for a beat and then flashed a bright smile.

"Yeah. Yeah, I'm pretty nervous about tonight," she answered.