Page 65 of The Nicest Thing
Wyatt Wasserman shook his head.
"What?" I said.
"Nothing," he replied.
But I knew there was something.
The look he gave me was one of pity, and honestly, it was starting to get on my nerves.
"Just say what you have to say, Wasserman."
"Fine," he said."I think you should go and just be yourself."
The other guys stared.
So did I.
Wasserman was known for his blistering fastball, his good looks, his bluntness that bordered on rudeness, his ability to attract women with nothing but a look.One thing he wasn't good at?Being tactful.
After a second, I said, "Okay…what's the catch?"
"There isn't one."Wasserman shrugged."You're soft, O'Brien.Your best bet is to play that up. Show the bro-cousins and parental units they've got nothing to worry about withyou.Chances are Rose will dump you anyway and end up with someone way worse."
"Seriously," Reyes said, shaking his head.
"Dude," Graves said.
"What?"Realizing he'd put his foot in it, Wyatt turned to me and quickly added, "No offense, man."
"Oh, there is," I grumbled."I take offense to everything you just said."
"I just meant you're non-threatening.A real girl's guy. You know, a gentleman."
Wyatt frowned.
"It's a good thing, right?"
"I guess," I said.
A grunt sounded from the far corner, and I turned to see Arnold sitting on a weight bench.As usual, his nose was buried in a book.
"You have something to add?" I asked.
Arnold glanced up."You want my honest opinion?"
Holding out my hands to the room, I gave a nod."Why not? I got everyone else's."
Closing the book, holding his place with a finger, my roommate said, "It doesn't matter what you do.It doesn't even matter what her family thinks of you."
He paused.
"You should go in there with no expectations.Wasserman cocked it up, but he's right. Be you.Show them how much you care for Rose. That's what will win them over—or not.You've got to roll with whatever comes."
Slowly, I nodded, taking in his words."Got it.Thanks, Arnold."
The guy just shrugged like he hadn't put into words something that kept me up for three sleepless nights, leading me to call this pseudo-meeting, hoping to get some nuggetsfrom guys who I knew had far more experience on the dating scene.Well, except for Arnold. I had no idea what he'd been like before college, but unlike the other three, he'd been single for as long as I'd known him.Ironic how he was the one who made the most sense.
"You’re smart," Graves observed.
