Page 2 of F Buddy

I hit him playfully and said, “It’s more of a case of they don't want to date me for more than two minutes. I don’t know if it’s my pale skin or what? They come, and then they go.”

Like a cat in heat, they come and go in my life. Damn! I felt sad thinking about my life. And yet, there I was: happy for other people like it was the easiest thing in the world. But if I wasn’t happy for them then that would make me a bad friend, wouldn’t it?

I sighed heavily and leaned further into Zach.

“Trust me when I say this. You’re beautiful, Scarlett. I’m sure you’d look exceptional in a wedding dress.”

I pursed my lips, just shy of pouting because I didn’t believe him. He must have noticed the petulant look on my face because he chuckled.

“Seriously, I don’t think you of all people should worry about something so silly.”

“So it’s silly to wonder if I’ll be alone for the rest of my life?” I asked, my voice tight with irritation.

He chuckled again, a little louder. “Not that, that you’re even insecure in the first place. You’re still young. You’ll find someone you want to settle down with that will want the same as you. It’s only a matter of time.”

I huffed and pulled away from his shoulder so I could look up at him with a frown. “Yeah, well, if this ‘someone’ could hurry up, I’d be really fucking grateful.”

“Do you want someone right now?”

“That’s a stupid question,” I said, arching an eyebrow. “If I had someone, why would I have come to this reception alone?” I sighed and looked away from his eyes. “I date, a lot, and that is my biggest problem. I have no shortage of partners, and the only reason I’ve dated so many people is that all my relationships don’t work out in the end.” Then I paused to glare up at him. “And besides, it’s not like you’re that much better off than I am. How many relationships have you failed at?”

If I’d had the hope of the jibe hurting him even a little, I would have been disappointed, since he just grinned back at me. I wanted to curse at him as it seemed to amuse him because his smile grew wider.

“Who wants a relationship in the first place?” he retorted. “Yeah, I came here solo just like you, but it’s not like I didn’t have someone, it’s because I didn’t want someone.”

My eyebrows shot up.

“How could you even say that,” I breathed out. “Relationships are important. How could you think that when all your friends are getting married left and right?”

“Not all of them,” he teased, winking at me.

I smacked his shoulder. “Be serious here, please!”

He rolled his eyes. “So what? Everyone’s getting married, good for them. Eventually, they’re gonna come to me looking for a drinking partner to relieve some stress. And I’ll be there to help them. You want to know why? Because I’ll be the only bachelor left.”

My shock melted into confusion and annoyance. He said it so proudly! Like he didn’t care his friends were settling down and leaving him behind. It was the opposite for me; I couldn’t help but let it bother me. When I was feeling particularly uncharitable, I wanted to shout at them all to stop for a bit and let me catch my breath.

The next person to ask me to their wedding would get a fist to the face.

I grimaced thinking about it because I knew I’d never really hit someone. I’d accept their invitation with a smile. Besides, I’d get to see an actual wedding and maybe daydream of my own, if it ever happened.

Just not a bridesmaid again, I pleaded silently.

“Why are you so hung up on relationships, then?” Zach challenged. “So this is the fifth wedding you’ve been to this year. How many boyfriends have you gone through?”

I felt my face flush, knowing it wasn’t a flattering number.

“Why aren’t you taken?” I muttered trying to think of a way to detract the conversation away from me and my relationship failures.

Zach just laughed at me.

“Relationships are a fool's game! I fuck, I move on! It’s the best recipe for life, no expectations!” he admitted.

“You’re all about the booty call!”

“Yeah, that much isn’t wrong, but it’s not so much a relationship as… Scratching an itch. I honestly don’t want to be in one, and all the women I've been with know I'm not the settling down type.”

My eyebrows jumped again, though I wondered why I was surprised at all. It was just so… Zach. He didn’t act like he wanted to be tied down, so I always wondered about his relationships. Our little group of friends met up often for vacations and day trips to unwind. Everyone had the option of bringing a significant other, and I hadn’t missed that he brought different people every time, even more than I did.