Better Off Friends

I shook my head at her. “For the record, I don’t think you’d have a problem finding a date. I just imagine every guy will pale in comparison to me and never live up to your clearly heightened expectations.”

She looked at me flatly. “The only thing heightened around here is your ego.”

“Fine, fine. I’ll go stag, then.” I dropped my head.

“Okay, fine. If neither of us has a date, we should do things like homecoming together. Why not? Everybody thinks we’re a couple anyway.”

“Why not? I guess I’ll take that as a yes. Sound good?” I held out my hand.

She shook it. “Sounds perfect.”

It was kinda perfect. And you didn’t seem that horrified when I took you to homecoming freshman year.

That was fun. Freshman year was really great, actually. Pretty easy transition. We both made some new friends. No emotional trauma that wasn’t solved with a Buggy and Floyd marathon.

And then you had to get a boyfriend.

It was only a matter of time before I was snatched up, especially when you can bake a brownie like I do.

Oh, is that what the kids are calling it these days? Baking brownies?

Gross. But don’t forget that you got a girlfriend at the start of sophomore year.

Yes, I did.

But did the questions stop about whether or not we were a couple?

No, they did not.

If I could’ve talked to my eighth-grade self, I would’ve told her she had nothing to worry about. Freshman year was easy. Admittedly, having a boyfriend who’d already spent a year there helped a lot.

“Are you cold?” Ian put his arm around me.

“Why do I have a feeling that was just an excuse to get closer to me?” I leaned into him.

He gave me a little squeeze as we sat in the bleachers during the JV football game at the begi

I got it. I really did. But that still didn’t mean I was going to stop spending time with my best friend.

I guess Ian figured it out because he asked me on a date the Saturday after Thanksgiving. By the time the JV game came along, we’d been together for ten months, and not once had he ever complained about Levi to me. Sure, he’d tease me, but I knew I deserved most of it.

“Have I ever told you that you’re too good a friend?” Ian laughed.

“There’s always a chance that he’ll get in.” I hoped the universe heard me on that one.

We were at the football game to support Levi, even though he’d never made it to the field. Ever. Not as a freshman, not during the first two games of sophomore year. It wasn’t the ru

So Levi sat on the bench. But he was a part of a team.

And Levi was a part of my life, which is why I was also sitting on a bench.

“Do I need to remind you that I come to all your track meets in the spring?” I nudged Ian.

“Do I need to remind you that Levi’s also competing? So let’s not pretend you’re there just for me.”

I opened my mouth in shock. “Exactly what are you implying?”

He shook his head. “Nothing. I’m certainly not questioning your allegiances. I know I’d lose that battle. Plus, you know I like him … except for the fact that he’s getting close to beating my times.”

I hid my face. I was grateful that the only time my boyfriend and best friend got competitive was during track. The varsity track coach, Mr. Scharfenberg, had already told Levi he was pretty much a shoo-in to be on the varsity team this year.

Ian and I sat through the entire game. I tried to pretend to be interested in what was going on, but honestly, if Levi wasn’t playing or the players weren’t wearing green and gold, I couldn’t have cared less.

I did spend a significant amount of time avoiding eye contact with the cheerleaders. Emily performed like she didn’t have a care in the world, and she probably didn’t. She’d dated Troy for a bit, followed by Keith, then James, then Mark, then Dave. Despite all her concerns, she never struggled to fit in. She had an even bigger circle of friends now.

Danielle had gone with me “in the divorce,” which was good, because I’d really needed her dry sense of humor to help me after the breakup. Whenever Emily and I had class together, we’d sit and chat, but as soon as the bell rang, she’d go to her new friends. But I had new friends of my own, which made it easier not to have hard feelings.

After the game was over, Ian and I waited by the locker room for Levi.

He exited the building with a gray hoodie pulled low over his head. His entire posture showed defeat.

“Hi!” I tried to be enthusiastic for him, but not too enthusiastic.

“Hey, guys.” Levi continued to look down at the floor.

“I told your mom we’d give you a ride home. But first maybe some custard? On Ian?”

“Hey!” Ian grabbed me by the waist.

I swatted his hands away. “Ever the gentleman.”

Levi wasn’t amused. “Nah, I’m okay.” He wouldn’t even look at us.

There were two words for a moment like this: awk-ward.

We got into Ian’s car. I could practically feel Levi’s eyes roll into the back of his head when a rap song came blasting from the stereo. I turned the music down.

“So, Levi.” Ian glanced in the rearview mirror. “I heard you’re dating Carrie Pope?”

I didn’t think you could technically call one coffee and one movie dating. But Levi nodded.

“Isn’t she a freshman?” Ian’s interest in Levi’s dating life was making me anxious.

“Hey, pot, are you calling this kettle black?” Levi said with a laugh. I was relieved that he still had his sense of humor.

“No,” Ian stammered. “I’m just saying she’s cute.”

“Hey!” I playfully hit his arm.

“That’s not what I meant. She’s not my type.”

“Oh, so cute isn’t your type?” I countered.

“Sounded like that to me,” Levi a

“You know, you guys are no fun,” Ian sulked. “Nobody can ever win anything with the two of you ganging up on poor, poor souls.”

“Oh, please.” I turned around and gave Levi a high five just to a

“Blimey if we can help it,” Levi said in a British accent.

“Ack!” Ian protested. “Enough with that blimey stuff. You guys are too much.”

“I believe he means too much awesome,” I clarified.

“Clearly,” Levi agreed. “Can’t imagine what else it would be.”

“Unless it’s amazing.”

“That’s another word people often use to describe us.”

“And fabulous,” I reminded him.

“Inspiring.”

“Extraordinary.”

“Stop!” Ian cried out like he was in physical pain. “Oh, I’ve got plenty of words to describe you two. Believe me.”

He pulled over in front of Levi’s house. “So, Levi, how about we even the playing field and go on a double date. Then maybe Carrie and I can gang up on you two for a change.”

An odd silence took over the car. Levi and I were no longer joking around. I don’t know why we were both reacting so strangely. It wasn’t as if Levi didn’t hang out with us, but now we were adding a fourth. Would it be uncomfortable?

“Was it something I said?” Ian asked, to lighten the mood.