Another Trouble Level

Best friends are a problem. You know this. They really are. They get you in trouble all the time. All kinds of trouble. Like they pass notes with you during lectures that make you giggle loudly and get sent out of class. They help you get through heartbreaks by getting you drunk at home and making videos of you while you goof around. Then they encourage your foolishness by letting you walk up to random guys and tell them they’re cute.

See? Best friends are a problem. Everyone knows this. So you know that your best friend is the last person whose opinion you should seek when you want to do something stupid. Something stupid like call up that guy who you know is All Shades of Trouble. But you’re lying in bed with so much to do and so little motivation. You think of him and what he’s doing. You haven’t spoken to him in ages.

You think of calling him but you know it’s not such a good idea. He’s all shades of trouble so if he hasn’t called you since, why should you call him now? You should focus and get your work done but somehow you’re unable to. So you call your best friend. Ergo problem. You tell her you’re thinking of calling him but you know it’s a bad idea. And as is typical of best friends, she throws all your fears and logic out the back door and insists that you call. She says something like

“What if he’s been sick and that’s why he hasn’t called? What if he’s been thinking about you but is a bit shy? What if he really thinks you don’t like him and is respecting himself by giving you space?”

She lists like a million what-ifs and before you know what’s happening, you’re hanging up and calling him. It rings for a long time and just as you’re about to hangup, he picks.

“Hey you!”

He sounds out of breath. You take a deep breath yourself and try to calm the storm that’s going on in your insides, courtesy his voice.

“Hi. How are you?”

“I’m great thanks. About leaving the gym.”

You gulp. Gym? Of course! With a body like that, the gym had to be his home.

“Err. Okay. I just called to say hi.”

Lamest thing to say ever. What happened to your conversational skills? You can talk for Africa. Everyone knows that. But somehow right now, words run a riot in your head and it’s difficult to grab even one and say something reasonable.

“Oh? Say it then.”

“Huh?”

“You called to say hi but you haven’t said it.”

“Oh. Hi.”

He laughs. The sound is unnerving.

“Hello!”

You sigh. You can almost picture him grinning.

“So, are you busy this week? I’m coming around sometime. Would be nice to have lunch. What say you?”

Hian. Lunch. With him? See gobe.

Indeed, what say you?