This Is Primetime

"Why did it take you so long to tell me?" Markie spat throught the phoneline in accusation. "Last time I talked to you, you were pretty happy with Matt. Now all of a sudden you're with Josh? How did this happen?"

I sighed, not wanting to get into the story yet again. I'd just finished breaking the news to my mother. Needless to say, she wasn't very happy that I was going back to the boy that had left me so broken. Not to mention the fact that I was no longer dating her picture perfect vision of a boyfriend for me.

"It's not really important how it happened. All that you need to know is that Matt and I are still really close, and Josh and I are back together. But we're taking things slow. I hardly get to see him at all right now, so mostly we just communicate through texts and phone calls. It sucks."

"But it was bound to happen. So, here's the real question, can I go for Matt now?"

I laughed. "He's still off-limits. He's a pretty busy guy these days. And you live in a different province."

"For someone who only thinks of him as a friend, you seem pretty set against me hooking up with him."

"Okay, really, that's getting old. I am not in love with Matt! That's why we didn't work out, remember?"

Markie giggled. "It's not even a challenge to get you worked up these days. Maybe you're stressed out."

"You're really good at understating the obvious, you know that?"

"Yeah, I'm good at what I do. But I really do need to know something, Becky," her voice shifted, and she was suddenly serious. "You really feel nothing for Matt, even after all of that?"

I pulled my feet up onto the couch beside me as I thought out my answer. "I can't say that I feel nothing for him. I think I care about Matt more than any friend should. But I would be so incredibly happy for him if he found the right kind of love with someone else. Obviously that's the same way that he feels about me, since he practically pushed me at Josh."

"But what if he just did that because he's selfless? I mean really, Becky, the entire time that I've known you, you've had Josh up on a pedestal. I don't see what makes him so special. In my opinion, it's Matt that deserves some praise here."

"I spend more time with Matt than anyone else," I argued. "He's easily the best thing that's ever happened to me. He's just not compatible with me romantically. Josh is. It's not that Josh is some miracle that nothing else can touch, it's just that he makes me feel special. He showed me sides of myself that I didn't know existed."

"Then I wish you all the luck in the world."

"You still can't have Matt."

"Aw, come on!" She shrieked. "You can't have both, you selfish jerk!"

"You don't even live here! Find a guy that shares the same area code as you; that would be a good start," I told her. There was a dull beep in my ear. "I've got to go, Markie. That's my call waiting."

"Yeah, I need to go clean up my kitchen anyways. Talk to you soon. You'd better call me if you get another new boyfriend," she teased. There was an underlying threat in her tone, however. She hated being left out of anything.

"Bye," I said before punching the right button on the phone and pressing it to my ear again. "Hello?"

"Hey, Becky," Josh sounded tired. "How's your day off going?"

"It's alright, I guess. I've pretty much just been on the phone all day. I was planning on making supper right away, but I have no idea what time Matt will be home. I guess I could just make him up a plate and leave it in the fridge. How are things in the studio? Weren't you guys working on September today?"

"Yeah, Mike's trying to work out something with his bass right now. Other than that, it's been a pretty good day. I think we might get out pretty early tonight."

I could hear the hint in his voice. "What time are you thinking? Maybe we should catch a movie or something."

"That sounds awesome. I'll come over with Matt when we're done here, okay? We can talk for a little bit before we go."

I smiled. "Great. I'll make you some dinner, too."

"Perfect. Excpect us around eight, alright?"

My stomach flipped over on itself as I hung up. I hadn't really spent much time alone with Josh since we'd agreed to get back together. I was excited, of course, but I felt surprisingly nervous. I dug through the freezer for some chicken breasts and threw them into the microwave to thaw. I focused all of my thoughts on each step of my cooking. By the time the door opened, I was just finishing preparing the food.

"Holy crap, it smells delicious in here!" Matt called out. "What did you make for me?"

"Chicken," I informed him as he walked into the kitchen.

"And what did you make for me?" Josh asked as he followed Matt into the room.

"Lobster," I retorted in a mocking tone.

Josh grimaced. "I don't eat seafood."

"Good thing I was lying then, huh?"

We all sat down to eat, and I was exstatic to find that things weren't awkward at all. It was like in high school, when Matt had hung out with Josh and I all the time. They both started telling me stories from that day in the studio, and I listened intently. The whole process was so intriguing to me. When we finished our meal, Matt and I cleaned up quickly. He was soon stretched out in front of the television, his eyelids half-closed.

I sat down with Josh at the table once more. "So what's new?"

He looked over at me, his eyes wide and intent. "I need to tell you about something that happened the other day when you were out shopping with Matt."

"Did you want to see the picture from Old Navy?" I asked excitedly, beginning to stand up so that I could grab my camera.

"No, that's not what I was referring to," Josh reached out to catch me before I raced off.

Sensing his urgency, I stopped what I was doing and sat back down. I felt a strong sense of caution creeping through me, and I stared at him warily. I couldn't shake the feeling that he was about to deliver some bad news.

"Stacey showed up at my house that day."

My mouth went dry. I tried to swallow, but it was a futile attempt. "And?" I asked slowly.

"Nothing happened, Becky, calm down. I just didn't want to have any secrets this time. She told me that you tried to talk her out of breaking up with me, and that she felt that she made a mistake," he explained quickly, trying to keep ahead of whatever reaction I was going to have.

"She was trying to get you back?" I felt stunned. I had felt so guilty about their breakup before, but now I was grateful for it. To top it all off, she came back because of something that I had said to her. "What did you say?"

"I told her that she was right all along," there was a cute smile playing upon his lips. "I wasn't over you. And then I told her that we got back together. Then she left, and I called you. But you were so happy hanging out with Matt that I couldn't bring myself to tell you right then. Don't worry, she won't be back."

"You didn't even consider it for a second?"

His smile widened. "Of course not. I've got you now; what more could I need? Want to go and catch that movie now?"

I nodded. "Just hang on one second." I walked into the living room and leaned over the back rest on the couch. "We're going to a movie, Matt. Do you want to come?"

Matt looked up at me, blinking slowly. "I'm almost falling asleep right now. So, I'm going to have to say no this time. Thanks, though. You guys have fun."

"Okay, sleep tight." I turned and walked out of the apartment with Josh. As soon as we were in the hallway, he took my hand in his. I waited expectantly for the butterflies to return to my stomach, but they didn't. I was totally comfortable with Josh.

I drove us to the nearest theatre and we got our tickets. The movie didn't start for another half hour, so we got good seats in the back and got another chance to talk. I couldn't explain how happy I felt that Stacey no longer held any appeal for him. He kept his hand in mine the for the entire duration of the movie, though I could tell halfway through that his fatigue was setting in. He was continuously closing his eyes for longer than any blink should last. I finally leaned over to whisper in his ear.

"It might be a waste of the twelve dollars it cost to get in here, but I won't be mad if you need a power nap."

He seemed to work to keep his eyes open. "I can sleep later. When I'm not with you."

His alert attitude was labored at best when the credits finally began to roll across the screen. I took his arm and wrapped it around my shoulders, preparing to haul his weight out to the car.

"I'm fine, Becky, just a little sleepy," he argued, though he didn't remove his arm.

"You know, I'm just not sure that it's a good idea for you to drive home from my place. Our couch is always open," I offered.

Josh frowned. "Your couch? That sounds a little cold."

"Yeah, it does, but I just can't imagine Matt being happy to see you walking out of my bedroom in the morning."

He sighed in a melodramatic way, heaving his whole body against my side. "What was I getting myself into when I got back together with you?"

"Right, because you're such a catch," I joked.

"I'll have you know that I'm very in-fashion this season. All the girls are going to want me."

"That has nothing to do with you as a person. It's the hair."

"I knew that already. That's why I dyed it this way. You thought it was a coincidence that you saw me right after I had it done?" He scoffed. "It was all planned, Becky. I'm a mastermind."

"I'll bet you are," I giggled. "But you're nuts if you believe that I didn't plan it all out too. I played you like a fiddle."

"I would actually really like to see you play a fiddle. I get the impression that it would be very entertaining."

"Well excuse me for not being able to play a hundred different instruments," I unlocked my car and slid inside. "Not all of us were child prodigies."

He grinned at me as he joined me in the car. "Don't pretend you're not jealous."

"You caught me. I just don't deserve someone as talented as you," there was still the joking note in my voice.

"You're probably right. But that's besides the point. I'm okay with dating down."

I smacked him as I began to drive away.

"Aw, you know I'm only kidding," he leaned in close and rested his chin on the edge of my shoulder. He was giving me the puppy-dog look, and I avoided looking at him. I knew I wouldn't be able to see him without melting. "Are you sure you don't want to have a sleepover?" He asked in a childish voice. "We can go to my house if you don't want Matt around."

"Right, because having your mom see me do the walk of shame would be so much better."

"Who said anything about the walk of shame? We're taking it slow, Becky. When I said 'sleep', I meant it."

For some odd reason, that struck me as the sweetest thing I'd heard in a long time. "In that case, it's a date."