ACQUAINTANCE (Book #3 - EMAILS TO DAN)

20 October 2022

"Dan, are you fucking kidding me?"

"No, PJ, I'm not shitting you one bit."

"Well, fuck."

"Listen, nothing can go wrong, okay? The worst that can happen is him getting mad at me again and I'll lose him forever," I took a sip of my tea. "Besides, I'm going to try to make it up to him."

"And if it doesn't work out."

I hesitated and shifted in my chair. "I don't know." I heard PJ sigh from the other side of the phone.

Thank God he doesn't remember.

"Just don't fuck up, okay? I don't want my mate to be upset," he paused. "Again!"

"I know. And I won't!" I sighed. "I'll talk to you soon."

"Bye, Dan." I hung up and looked at the time. 10:45 AM.

I went through my contacts until the name Phil showed. I tapped on it and began to compose a message.

Hey, Phil. It's Dan. Just wondering when you want to go out for coffee - the one by the eye.

I pressed sent and stood up, taking my mug and putting it in the dish washer, along with other dishes. Usually Phil would remind me to when I procrastinated, but over the years without him in sight, I've procrastinated even more.

My phone buzzed on the counter as I finished putting in the last plate. Closing the dish washer, I washed my hands and picked up my phone.

Phil:
Hi Dan. Would noon be okay?

Definitely. See you soon.

                                         • • •

You tell yourself a million times, Dan.

Don't fuck up.

I walked into the coffee shop right at noon. The cold breeze sworn in as the door closed. Taking a deep breath, I proceeded to a table a tall man with black hair was sitting at.

"Hey, Phil," I approached.

"Hi, Dan," he smiled making me smile in return. I sat across from him - the one I was going to make things up to. I looked at him and his features. Nose, hair style, eye color, smile, everything the exact same way from when I left.

"Are you okay?" Phil asked.

"Yes, I'm fine," I smiled. "I get to see you." He looked down and smiled again.

"That's so cheesy."

"Let me be, Phil." Breaking the silence I knew was about to form, I stood up. "Do you want anything?"

"It's fine, I'll pay for my own."

"I insist. It's the least I can do right now to make it up to you."

He pressed his lips together, thinking of what he wanted while looking down. Phil looked back up at me with a curious face. "The usual?"

"I remember it." Another smile appeared on his face before I walked to the counter, ordering Phil's iced coffee with whipped cream - they make that - and regular black coffee for me. I ended up having to wait a few minutes for them to make it and put it in my possession. I brought the drinks back to Phil after I payed and sat down where I was earlier.

"So, Phil. How's everything been lately?" I took a sip of my coffee.

"Nothing interesting, really. I work part time for BBC now and they have me travel to interview." I nodded. "I guess the most interesting thing that has happened was you knocking on my door."

"Took you by surprise?"

"A lot." I gave a small smile and took another skip of my coffee and he put the straw that was provided in-between his lips and did the same. "What about you?" Phil asked.

"Unemployed. Nothing personal, just can't find a job I like. Studying law did not give out any interest to me when I went back."

"Did you get a room with someone?"

"Yeah, a newbie. Sharing a room with an eighteen year old with me being ten years older didn't work out. He was messy, I wasn't. He brought his girlfriend over a lot while I was disgusted and played Mario Kart."

"You still play Mario Kart?"

"Don't be surprised, Phil. I'm still a loser," I said, having him give out a little laugh. "To be honest, nothing has changed."

"Doesn't seem like it."

"I was trying to get my life together," I sighed. "It was during the time you were emailing me and I was being a little shit. I needed to take my mind off you, you know? It didn't help, obviously."

"Why did you think ignoring me was a good idea?"

"You needed to move on with your life without me in it."

"And I still missed you."

"And I greatly did, too, Phil. You have no idea how much I missed you. When Jake was with Ariana, all I thought about was-" I caught myself off before I said anything I regretted.

Don't fuck up, Dan.

"Think about what?" Phil asked, waiting for me to continue what I was going to say. Though, I wasn't going to finish.

"Nothing," I muttered. "Never mind." He didn't ask again. Instead, he shrugged it off and I was thanking the world he did so.

Don't fuck up.