Just Good Friends?

chapter 25 - Moving on?

Nate

So, life is good. I've made an awesome friend in Bex, something that I never thought could happen with me loving her so much, and I've also got a slight interest in someone else now. When I told Bex, she punched the air. I think she was happy, and then she said, 'And I thought you'd never stop loving me' she winked, and I laughed. Not sure if she actually meant it, or if it was a joke, but I played cool and it worked.

"Are you going to message her or what?" Me and Bex are watching football reruns, waiting for Mike, Joe, Harry and Cal to get here. Mike had to go and see his Mum, and Joe and Cal went to Harry's with him, to try and keep his mum calm about Harry staying here for a while. His mum isn't well, she suffers from depression, and at the moment is having a very bad time of it. His stepdad wants her to go in to hospital, but she's worried about Harry being alone, as his younger brother has gone to stay with their Aunt for a while whilst things are up in the air. Joe and Bex suggested he stay here, and hopefully that will help his mum settle.

"Ah but what if she gets all serious? I don't think I could handle that Bex. She'll want to be with me all the time, and that's s**t" I'm being a p***y, I know, but I can't help it. Bex almost chokes on the popcorn she eating, then throws some at my head just as Mike walks in.

"Lovers tiff?" He also gets popcorn thrown at him for saying that, and I laugh then.

"Bex wants me to message Anna, but I said I don't want her to get all serious and s**t" Bex moves her legs so Mike can sit down, then she pops her legs up on his lap. He idly starts stroking her legs whilst thinking.

"Hmmm yeah, I know what you mean, but I agree with Bex, you need to message her, but make it clear that it's just casual and you'll see where it goes" Bex just stares at him like he's got 2 heads. She's really not like any other girl I know.

"What the f**k are you on about?" She's genuinely puzzled by his advice.

"Bex, not all girls are like you... infact, none are like you. You're simple, you either go for things or you don't. You say it how it is, you like football, you don't get serious about things easily, s**t just doesn't bother you. You take less f*****g time to get ready for a night out than I do for f**k sake, you're a guys dream, isn't she Nate?" He looks at me and I just nod. But then I look at Bex and burst out laughing. She has no idea what Mike's on about.

"So what the f**k are other girls like? Am I missing something here?" Oh god I'm going to piss myself if I laugh much more.

"They're f*****g difficult! They take 3 f*****g hours to get ready, they ask relationship questions all the god damn time, they want to watch f*****g real housewives while the football is on, then f*****g moan at us when we go to our mates house to watch it instead!" f**k this is hilarious!

"Bex, do you really not see what girls are like? Mike's right, you're a f*****g guys dream. I really don't think I can handle the s**t that comes with other girls" I calm myself down enough to speak.

"OK, so I'm not f*****g normal, I think we worked that one out now, but still, f*****g message her you p***y!" And more popcorn is thrown my way. I get my phone out in a huff, and open up messages. What the f**k do I write?

---Nate--- Hey Anna, what's up? Nate... Bex snatches the phone off me just as I'm about to hit send.

"Seriously, that's it?" She looks at me in disgust " "I might not be a typical female, but even I know she's not going to be impressed with that pile of crap. Put a bit of effort in man!" She starts typing, then chucks me my phone back. She's sent it! Better check what she's written.

---Nate--- Hey Anna, what's up? Just wondering if you wanna catch a film with me on Saturday? x

"Really Bex? You didn't even sign my name! She's going to say f*****g yes now when she finds out who sent it to her, and I'll have to put up with girly s**t. Why couldn't i just ask her to come for a beer at Patrick's with us?" I groan and throw my phone down as it beeps straight away. "See! f*****g eager as f**k! Aarggh!" What have I done! I like Anna, and we've been having a laugh when we all meet up, and yeah, I think we could have something, but I want easy, simple, no hassle.

"Like she didn't already have your number... Well read it then!" Bex shouts at me.

"I'd read it now if I were you dude, she won't let up... that's the one female bit of her that will stay" Mike earns himself a punch in the arm then, and I'm glad she can only reach me with popcorn.

---Anna--- Hi Nate, just doing homework 😏 Yeah, I'd love to go and see a film 🎥 with you. What time will you pick me up? 😁 x

"Of course she uses f*****g emojis everywhere, of course she does. And she's doing f*****g homework!! And she doesn't do the x xx thing either" I grumble when I read it.

"You're a riot Nate. Not everyone can be brainiacs, and she doesn't even know about the x xx thing, why would she? And loads of people use emoji, we're probably the f*****g odd ones for not using them"

"Who's using f*****g emojis?" Joe says as he walks in to the den and throws himself on the sofa next to me. Harry and Cal follow behind and grab beanbags and plonk down in to them.

"Anna" Bex says sounding like she's giving up all hope.

"And I bet she doesn't even do the x xx thing does she" I laugh then

"No! She doesn't! See! Joe gets it. Look at this man" I pass my phone to Joe and he reads the messages.

"How the f**k did she know it was you? You didn't sign your name... or rather Bex didn't sign your name, she wrote that message didn't she?" And this is why he's my best mate, he just gets it.

"You two are f*****g beyond help!" Bex stands up and goes to the fridge in the kitchen. She pulls out a load of beers and passes them down the counter, and Cal grabs a few and hands them out to us. "Just put your f*****g phone away and watch the damn football" when she gets back to the den, Harry has taken her seat on the sofa, and him and Mike are looking at something on Harry's phone, so she kicks Joe off the sofa next to me, and makes him go on the beanbag, whilst she jumps on the sofa, puts a cushion on my lap and puts her head on it. She grabs the remote and turns the volume up.

Half hour later, her phone beeps. When she looks at it she laughs, then looks up at me and says "you haven't replied to Anna" she grins and I put a cushion over her face, then she laughs harder.

"This is all your god damn fault" I grumble. But I still don't text Anna back. She can wait. Bex writes something on her phone then puts it away