His eyes widen and he flashes me a smile. “Oh, are you? Have you heard from Audrey?”
I frown. I know she’s texted Connor a few times since she left. “Technically, no. But I’ve been taken by your sister: body, mind, and soul … since I was five.”
“You should text her,” he replies, matter-of-factly, nudging my shoulder.
“I told her to take time for herself, I don’t want to reach out if she’s not ready, or dating other people,” I reply, hoping it’s not true.
“Trust me, she’s not dating anyone, and you know as well as I do that she won’t.”
Hearing my best friend say that eases some of the anxiety in my head, so I relax.
“You should dare her to come to our next game. Or, ya know, dare her to move here.”
I chuckle, shaking my head. “Don’t tempt me. You know I'd love that. She’d be a far better roommate than you.”
“Ouch. How dare you?!”
“What? You know she’s the better Mendez, through and through.”
“You only stayed friends with me because of my sister, didn’t you?” Connor fake gasps, clutching his heart.
“Sometimes I think so …” I joke. “And your mom’s cooking.”
“You’re a shit best friend,” Connor snorts out.
“You too,” I smirk, clinking my bottle against his as a memory passes through my head.
“GET THE FUCK OUT CONNOR, I DON’T NEED YOU!” I shout, banging my fist on the wall beside me.
“It seems like you do, Noah,” he states slowly, testing the waters.
My nostrils flare. “Go home to your perfect little family. Go hug your dad since you still fucking have one … and he fucking loves you.”
Connor leans against the door frame, crossing his arms. “Say whatever you need to say Noah, get it all out. I’m not moving. I’m not leaving.”
His lack of reaction frustrates me, so I keep unloading the anger that is very much meant for my dad. I don’t stop pacing the room until my swearing and annoyance blossoms into sadness.
He doesn’t move from his place, unphased by my words. When I finally start to calm down, he asks, “Are you done?”
Ilook up at the ceiling as tears escape my eyes. I've never cried in front of anyone but my mom and dad. Connor moves towards me, tightly hugging me while my emotions pour out of me.
When I finish crying, I whisper, “You’re a shit best friend, but I love you.”
He responds with a quiet, “I love you too, Noah. No matter what you say or do, I’m still here and I’m not going anywhere.”
From that day on, “You’re a shit best friend,” became our weird way of communicating “I love you.”
We sit silently, watchingFast & Furiousplay out on screen until Connor’s phone lights up with a text.
A smile consumes his face.
“What are you smiling about?”
He looks at me with a secretive smile. “Oh, nothing that concerns you.”
I shrug, knowing that even if it’s Audrey he won’t tell me.
“So you’re signing papers for the house tomorrow morning?” He changes the subject.
