Love is a Laserquest

I sat cross legged on my couch with my laptop and recorder in front of me trying to focus on typing up the interviews. Images of Kris' smiling face kept flashing in my mind every time my fingers touched the keys.

“Fuck it. It's not due 'til tomorrow anyway.” I thought closing my laptop shut and setting it on the table. I leaned back and tried to rub the stress out of my eyes. Or at least the visions of Versteeg...

Seeing him had made me feel better at the time, but now I felt more confused than before. I knew just being friends with him was a bigger task than it appeared. I wasn't ready for that, but I also wasn't ready to be without him either.

“Note to self: Download 'With or Without You' later.”

What more did I want from him, anyway? He had apologized countless times. What else could he give me?

“An explanation.”

Why was I good enough now but not before? I hadn't changed at all so what was so different?

My phone rang, disrupting my train of thought. I snatched it off the coffee table expecting to see Kris' name.

“Eric.” I sighed. “Shit.”

I paused struggling to find a valid reason to pick up. The ringing seemed to intensify in my mind, making me feel guiltier with each echoing chime. Pursing my lips and rolling my eyes, I exhaled sharply and answered.

“Hey.” I tried to put as much faked enthusiasm in my voice as I could manage.

“Hey! I was starting to wonder if something happened. I haven't heard from you all day.”

“Something definitely did happen...”

“No, nothing happened. I just got sidetracked by work. I had a bunch of interviews this morning and afternoon. Sorry.”

“It's alright, babe.” His term of endearment made me flinch with discomfort. Maybe it wasn't him personally though. I had never been great with affection. Well...in most cases anyway. “So I kind of have a surprise for you.”

As selfish and awful it was of me, those words peaked my interest. “Really? What is it?”

“Well I can't tell you yet. You'll get it in a few days though.”

“I hate surprises. Can you please just tell me what it is?” I heard the front door opened and turned around to see Sara shuffling in. She grinned widely and gave me a thumbs up and a wink. I glared at her and shook my head.

“No way. I'm pretty sure you're going to love it though.” I could hear his excitement in his words. I wished I could muster up the same feelings.

“Alright. Awesome. Hey, I'm really sorry, but Sara just got home with dinner so I'm gonna go. I'll talk to you later.” I made it a point to not say “tomorrow” so I wouldn't be held to upholding a promise.

“Okay, tell her I said hi.”
“Will do.”
“Bye, babe.”

I cringed slightly again and said bye once more before finally hanging up. I practically jumped off the couch and rushed towards my roommate.

“You!” I yelled pointing at her accusingly. She began laughing uncontrollably while reaching into her pocket and pulling out my phone.

“Here you go. Calm down tiger. How did it go?”
“It went well but that's not the point, Sara!”

“Ah! See?! I knew if I could get you two in a room together things would fall back into place!” She clapped her hands together excitedly.

“You didn't know that for sure. You could have made things a lot worse, Sara.” I told her looking at her seriously.

“But I didn't so stop being mad at me and tell me what happened.” She walked around the counter, perched herself atop a stool, and folded her hands under her chin angelically. “So, did you stare dreamily into his eyes?” She asked in an overly dramatic voice.

“No.” I answered flatly. She stared at me not accepting my response. “A little from time to time.” I couldn't help the grin that formed on my face as Sara nodded her head knowingly. “We just caught up mostly. We didn't go into everything that happened, believe it or not.” I told her choosing to leave out Kris and I's brief moment of acknowledgment before being interrupted by our waiter.

“It's a start. I guess you'll ease into it. So, I take it things are on their way to going back to normal?”

“I suppose. I don't know, Sara.” I said hesitantly.

“You're holding back, I can tell. What is it?”

“I'm just afraid of spending too much time with him. I don't think I want things to go back to the way they were before. I'm with Eric. I can't exactly harbor a secret love for someone else. It wouldn't be right.”

“No offense, Lex, but you've been doing that for the entire duration of your relationship with him thus far.” I opened my mouth to argue before realizing I had no legitimate defense. “You don't have to do it now, but I think you've known for a while that inevitably you're going to have to make a choice.”

I sighed in annoyance before waving my hands dismissively at her words. “Yeah, yeah. Anyway, Eric's sending some sort of surprise so keep an eye out for a package, I guess, in the next couple of days.”

“Okay, I will. Any idea what it is?”

I shook my head. “He wouldn't tell me anything. Just that I'd love it which narrows it down to...”

She interrupted my attempt at a sarcastic joke and inserted her own with a mock gasp. “Maybe he got you Kris Versteeg!”

I imitated her gasp and said “Oh my god, you think?” I stuck my middle finger up at her and turned around to start fishing my food out of the takeout bag.

“So, when are you going to talk to Kris again?”

“I don't know.” I turned around to grab a plate from the dishwasher and shrugged. “Maybe tomorrow? I kind of invited him over to check out our apartment sometime, so that might happen soon.”

“How exciting.” She said slickly raising her eyebrow suggestively at me.

“Yeah, we'll see.” I replied sarcastically wondering deep down inside if maybe she was right.