The End of Lovesickness

12. How Love Survives When All Else is Lost 5

Sorry for the hiatus. It's getting to be that time of year when everything gets backed up. If you are a student you know what I am talking about. I have a ton of work on my desk but I couldn't drag this out any longer. I will try to update again in a few days. Until then, please enjoy!

"I hope she's hot," Tadd says watching me button up my shirt.

"Who?"

"Whoever it is you bought that shirt for," he flops down on my bed and flips through the book on my nightstand. He holds it sideways to look at it, and for a moment his eyes glaze over.

"It's English, idiot," I inform him.

"I can read English," he complains.

"Yeah, okay," I don't bother arguing with him. I have more important things on my mind. The shirt is new, but I am worried that I didn't have enough time to get a haircut. I had one not so long ago, so it's not messy yet, but it could be...I don't know...different?

"So who is she?'

"There is no she," I inform him.

"Bullshit. I might be an idiot, but I'm still a man. There's no way you are gonna get away with dragging my ass around the mall all afternoon without giving up some details. I can keep a secret. Is she a teacher or something?"

I smack him in the back of the head for his insistence.

"It's not like that," I say.

"Yeah right, and you just rested a dozen different colognes so you can go home and kiss your mom goodnight, right?"

"Its an old friend from high school. I haven't seen him in a while. We used to be close. I want to make a good impression, okay."

"Now you're talking," he sits up and claps his hands together, rubbing them back and forth like an evil villain in a Bond film. "So what is it? Does she have massive tits or what?"

SMACK!

I give him one more for being a pervert.

"What was that for?"

"I told you it wasn't a girl!"

"Oh," Tadd looks up at me, more confused now than he was when we began. "You're doing all of this for a guy?"

"We can't all walk around smelling like you and not care. I want to make a good impression. I want us to be close, the way we used to be,"' I admit. I want it more than I can express. Especially to somebody as dull and dimwitted as Tadd.

"Are you sure it's just friends?" He gives me a sly look. I groan out loud and go to smack his head once again. He sees my intention this time and ducks.

"Of all the moments for you to decide to act smart," I complain, turning my back on him and checking my reflection.

I am supposed to meet Noh in an hour at the restaurant. It's nothing fancy. Dinner and a movie as friends, or slightly more than friends but not boyfriends. I'm not so sure about our relationship status at the moment, but I am clear about one thing; he misses me too.

I waited a few days before I called him. I didn't want to seem over-eager and scare him away. He was only barely willing to see me as it is. But when I finally called he gave me an earful about stringing him along and not calling the next day. As usual, his language was coarse and very nearly left my ears bleeding. Despite his apparent anxiety, I couldn't help but smile. And he begrudgingly agreed to meet up and eat dinner with me. It was a fresh start, and I didn't want to mess it up.

"I'm just saying, what year is it now? People do all kinds of things in private. You don't have to be ashamed. I know a girl who goes both ways."

It's my turn to look confused.