Michelle didn't expect one of her best friends to act this way. The two of them just sat in the living room, watching their favorite show with a paid subscription. Michelle minded her own business until, all of a sudden, Joseph began to sit a little closer on the sofa. The twenty-one-year-old woman only thought of it as a harmless gesture. It took her a few minutes, however, to fully comprehend the situation.
Joseph, who was two years younger than her, no longer had his eyes on the television screen. The blond-haired man gave her a little smile. She smiled back for a quick second before regaining her concentration on how the newest episode would end. As if it didn't give any clearer signals, Joseph moved even closer. He now sat just a few inches away from Michelle, who had been forced to ask a simple question in an innocuous manner.
"Is there something I need to know?"
Joseph laid a hand on her thigh, and she allowed it. "You never looked so wonderful tonight."
Michelle would never dare put her friendship up for demolition. As a handsome and innocent man, Joseph did the right things for her. But his slow advances only bothered her to the point where she had to grab his hand and move it away from her thigh.
"I'm sorry, but I don't think we should go there."
She could see the abrupt look of disappointment in his eyes. "What's wrong? I thought we were made for each other."
Michelle had to tell the truth. "I just don't see the two of us going the extra mile. Look, you're a good friend. But I don't think we should ruin our friendship like this."
Joseph sighed. "Those aren't the right words that I want to hear right now."
"I'm sorry, but it's true. I think it is best that we just stay this way and not spoil it with some bedroom action."
Joseph looked away and muttered something under his breath, but Michelle was still able to hear it clearly. "So she's gonna put me where I don't want to go. That's just great."
Michelle wanted to say something, but a knock on her front door prevented her from breaking the silence between her and her blond friend.
"I'll get it."
She got up from the sofa and answered the door. As soon as she opened it, her smile immediately returned. Oscar, her other best friend, had just arrived. The black-haired man was the same age as Joseph. Once more, he never expressed any aggressive intentions whenever she spent fun times with him. She led him inside and into the living room where Joseph turned off the TV screen.
Joseph waved his hand at Oscar. "If you'll excuse me, I'm gonna grab something to drink in the kitchen."
Michelle could sense the monotonous nature in Joseph's voice. He didn't look at her at all when he left the living room.
Oscar asked, "Is he going to be okay?"
Michelle sat down beside him. "He's going to be fine. He's just a little heartbroken about something."
Oscar raised an eyebrow. "What happened? Did something happen to him at work?"
"No, it's just that I told him that we shouldn't really ruin our friendship."
Oscar slowly nodded. "Oh, I see. You just see him as a friend and nothing more."
"To him, truth really hurts."
Oscar sighed. "That's too bad."
Michelle noticed her black-haired best friend edging just a little closer to her on the sofa. She looked down to see Oscar, who had his eyes on the blank TV screen, moving his hand from his pocket to her thigh.
She seized his hand and pushed it away. She chuckled. "Please don't make the same mistake that Joseph did."
Oscar appeared a little stunned by her quick thinking. "I thought we'd become the perfect match. We share the same hobbies, the same tastes in music, and the same politics. Why more would you want from a guy like me?"
Michelle tried to soften the blow. "That's the thing. I want nothing more from a guy like you. I'd say yes, but I'm not comfortable with the two of us going to the next level."
Oscar sounded confused. "So you're just going to leave me hanging like this?"
"Look, I like you a lot. But if we go into my bedroom right away, it'll feel like I'm doing it with my brother. And that's what it is. You're like a brother, and not a fiancΓ©e."
Oscar closed his eyes and shook his head. "Now I know how Joseph is feeling right now."
"Hey, I shouldn't be the only woman that you're interested in. There are plenty of them in college. Heck, there are plenty of other women here in Anaheim. You just have to find them in a grocery store or a movie theater. It's that simple."
"Yeah, but they're not as fascinating as you are. Ever since I met you, I thought we had the perfect connection. I thought we clicked."
Michelle didn't have to put it so bluntly, but she did, anyway. "Apparently, you thought wrong. I'm really sorry for ruining your chances."
At that moment, Joseph returned from the kitchen empty-handed. He looked at Oscar, and then at Michelle.
"Did you just break his heart?"
Michelle shrugged her shoulders. "He had the same feelings. I just had to refuse."
"Welcome to the club, Oscar. Feel free to grab a beer in the kitchen and drink your problems away."
Oscar stayed seated on the sofa. "I'm too depressed to drink."
Michelle didn't want her apartment to be occupied by two heartbroken men. "Joseph, have a seat. It's time we straighten things out."
Joseph sat down beside her. Michelle now sat between her two best friends, and both of them looked at her with certain curiosity.
"Now, I'm not going to change my mind. But I do feel that we should settle this once and for all."
Oscar asked, "And how to we do that?"
Michelle felt so glad that he asked that question. "I can tell that the two of you wanted something else from me. It's okay to admit it. We're grownups."
Joseph slid his fingers across his hair. "Yeah, I'll be the first to admit it."
"Well, I still believe that we should remain as good friends. But I don't want to leave you hanging. I have an idea."
"What is it?"
"You don't have to choose me to get your boners working. You can do it without me."
Oscar replied, "I don't think it'll be the same."