Page 129 of Fun Together
He gives me a look like,You said you wouldn’t laugh.
I try to ignore the specter of Faye in the corner of this conversation, considering what she told me about her lack of?—
Yeah, not going to go there. “Why do you think that?”
“Because Emma told me.”
“Wow.”
He lays his head back. “Yeah.”
“What did she say exactly? Maybe this is just some kind of misunderstanding.”
“We had just . . . you know . . .”
“Had sex?”
“Yeah. And before I even had a chance to put my boxers back on, she’s telling me that we got that out of our systems, and she doesn’t think we’re compatible.”
“Okay, but not compatible doesn’t mean you’re bad at sex.”
He shakes his head. “There’s more. I asked her what she meant by that since we have so much in common. And she said, ‘Andrew, you fuck me like you’re rushing through your to-do list.’”
“Oh no, you’re kidding.”
“I wish I was.”
“That’s brutal, but don’t read too much into it. And hey, some people might be into that. A man who knows how to get things done with efficiency.”
He snorts. “It’s hard not to read into it, though.” That would be a blow to the best of us, but someone like Andrew who hates being bad at something was probably on the way back from the Netherlands, readingShe Comes Firston the plane.
“Look on the bright side. You won’t have to have a long-distance relationship.”
He scoffs. “I think I might put a pause on any kind of relationship for a bit.” He stands up and brushes off the back of his pants and ending the conversation. “I really do hope things work out with you and Faye.”
43
Faye
I needto get out of this apartment.
I’ve holed myself up inside, using up two weeks of my well-earned PTO hours. Instead of the usual comfort I feel at being in the safety of my own space, I feel like I need to claw my way out of my enclosure.
I’m aimlessly scrolling on my phone and see a post from a local movie theater that they’re showing a screening ofDeath Becomes Herfor a Meryl Streep Appreciation Week.
Before I can talk myself out of it, I splash some cold water on my face and slide on my scuffed-up pair of Birkenstocks. I don’t bother changing out of my sweatpants and baggy T-shirt, because there’s no way I’ll get out of this apartment if I have to wear real pants.
As I drive to the theater, I have a torturous, but hopeful thought. Maybe tonight the fates will intervene with my current heartbreak problem. If Eli and I are meant to be together then he’ll be at this movie tonight, too. He’ll be walking down the street and stop at the theater to see the movie’s name written on the marquee, and he’ll think,Faye probably likes this movie. I should go see it. Then, I’ll walk up the sidewalk and see him standing there, waiting in line to buy his ticket. Like the final scene of a film, he’ll turn and see me coming and we’ll both break out into a run as we sprint to meet each other.
But life isn’t a movie and when I arrive at the theater, there are a few people standing outside, but none of them are Eli.
I buy my ticket, a large Diet Coke, and a pack of Skittles before heading inside to find a seat. It’s more crowded than I anticipated, but I’m able to grab a spot in the back row. The movie starts, and I welcome the couple of hours of distraction it provides. I should look on the bright side—maybe I ruined the one chance I’d ever have to be happy with someone, but at least I didn’tdrink an elixir that promises eternal youth, only to find that it will eventually make my body melt away like a wax figure in the noonday sun.
The movie ends and I fall in line with the crowd as we head out.
“Everyone gets what they deserve in the end, huh?”It’s the woman standing behind me and as I turn around, I’m shocked at who it is.
“Alexis?”
