“You pretty much have to start fromscratch,” Kyle informs me, a dead serious expression on his face. “You’re fucked.”
“Thanks for the very insightful feedback, asshole.”
I came to his house for some advice, and, deep down, I was really hoping he’d tell me that everything will be okay. Instead, he gives me this.
Sighing, I lean back against the couch, with both hands resting behind my head. I stare at the ceiling for a few moments as I try to think. The problem is that I am all out of ideas. I am at a complete loss as far as what else I can do to win Mona back.
“I told you that fake account shit was a bad idea,” Kyle mutters. “And it’s really a miracle that she didn’t recognize you in that picture,” he continues. “I don’t get how she actually agreed to meet with you under false pretenses.”
“She didn’t meet with me under false pretenses, dumbass,” I counter. “Imet with her under false pretenses.”
He stares at me for the longest time. “Same thing.”
I throw my arms out. “How is it the same thing?Itrickedher, not the other way around.”
“Yeah, but still,” he huffs. “Does she not have working eyeballs in her head? You made some changes to that picture, but it was obvious that it was you.”
He’s really hung up on that picture, and I’m not sure what he’s trying to imply here, but any attack on Mona, I will take it personally.
“It doesn’t fucking matter,” I say. “The only thing that matters is that I had her back, and now I lost her again.”
“Well…” Kyle blows a long puff of air. “Not to be a dick, but at least you know for sure that she’s not pregnant. So you don’t have to lose your mind over that.”
My mind automatically goes back to the night we spent together at Ray’s house. We had sex all night, and I did not use protection once. It’s almost like I was trying to ruin my life.
I swallow hard, wondering how bad it would be if I had a baby with Mona. That would bring her back into my life forever, that’s for sure. It would be an unbreakable bond.
“Dude, you’re scaring me right now,” Kyle interrupts my thoughts. “I thought that was always your biggest fear, and now you’re not saying anything at all. What the hell!”
I shrug. “I’ve been thinking about… things. I wouldn’t mind have a kid with Mona. Nobody else but her.”
When Kyle doesn’t say anything, I turn my head to look at him. He is gawking back, his mouth agape, unable to formulate words.
“Are we in a parallel universe?” he asks. “How did I miss us crossing over?”
“I guess you should pay attention from now on,” I deadpan.
He’s right, though. It is weird that I am not freaking out at the mere thought of a pregnancy. Having Mona forever would be the perfect missing piece in my life.
“Are you on drugs?”
I don’t have time to answer that when Kyle’s front door opens, and in walks Zara, the girl whose romance with my best friend I almost ruined.
“Hey, Alex.” She smiles at me, taking me by surprise, then walks over to Kyle and kisses him on the lips. The move is natural and everything I want with Mona.
“I’m sorry for intruding into your time together,” I tell them. “I just…” I run my hands through my hair. “I couldn’t stand being alone in my apartment in the city.”
Zara comes and sits in the chair across from me. “I go into the city about once a month,” she says. “I don’t know if I could live there. But I do love to visit.”
I nod in understanding but otherwise remain quiet. Making small talk with Zara was not on my to-do list for the day. When I don’t say anything, she just stares at me in expectation.
“It’s a busy place,” I finally say. “It takes some time to get used to.”
Zara clears her throat a few times. “I got a new client at work who plays for the Sliders. I told Kyle we should spend the night in the city once and go to one of their games.”
I nod again, but seriously, I don’t know why she’s telling me all this. The New York Sliders are our home state professional hockey team. I don’t follow them much, so I can’t discuss anything related to them.
“Anyway.” She starts playing with the hem of the button-down shirt she is wearing. “I texted Mona.”
