âIâm bored.â Dani said aloud, dragging out the âoâ in the word just to emphasize how bored she really was. Scott looked back at her. Jacob never took his eyes off the TV.
Another Friday night wasted playing video games was the last thing Dani wanted, but there she was--stuck in Jacobâs apartment, watching them mindlessly push button after button.
She kept telling herself that she wasnât supposed to be there, like some horrible song on her phone stuck on endless replay. She kept telling herself that, but it didnât make her feel any better.
âWhat? Itâs Friday--we always play video games on Friday.â Jacob said in his usual way, a lilt in his deep voice that let her know heâd been looking forward to this all week.
Truth was, she was supposed to have been on a date--Lyla, a girl from work had lined up a smart, handsome, sophisticated guy for her. Not that the sales pitch was necessary
It had been way too long since Dani had been with a man--well, letâs just say sheâd had to replace the batteries in her vibrator two times this week. As long as this guy had half a brain and didnât seem too scuzzy, sheâd let him take her back to her place and do some particularly nasty things to her.
But, then the stomach bug decided that it needed a date worse than Dani did, and Jim had called her that afternoon, apologizing profusely.
So there she was--once again, over at Jacobâs place, eating Chinese and doing the usual Friday night routine.
It wasnât that she didnât like Jacob or Scott--theyâd all been best buds since they met at the Con a few years back. Hell, she used to have a little crush on the both of them.
Wasnât her fault. Both were pretty attractive. Jacob was a Germanic dream with a well put together body heâd gotten from his addiction to Yoga. She had gotten to see it one time when she had showed up early for their Friday night and caught him fresh from the shower, only a pair of shorts on. Sheâd almost lost it over his abs. And Scott--when he wasnât playing video games or reading comics, he was working outside for his dadâs landscaping business. So he was always tan and in shape as well. Sheâd never spied him with his shirt off, but his arms wereâŠwell. She let go a sigh, thinking only of Jacobâs stomach and Sethâs arms. Dreamy. They were both dreamy.
For nerds, of course.
What was she thinking? She closed and crossed her legs. It had been too long.
Damn Jim and his stupid stomach bug.
âI got a copy of a Mothra movie today--we could watch it and totally MST3K that bitch.â Scott had been adding bitch to the end of his sentences since Jesse Pinkman entered his life. Dani just smiled.
âNo. I donât want to do that. Itâs just--we always sit here on Fridayâs playing video games. I was supposed to have a date tonight.â
âYeah, yeahâŠwe know. He got so nervous about dating you, he started puking his guts up.â Jacob laughed as he spoke.
âShove it. Iâm just saying--Iâm bored.â Dani took her glasses off and twirled them around.
âWe got that.â
Scott shook his head at Jacobâs reply.
âI donât knowâŠI mean, we can think of something else. Truth is, Iâm kind of bummed playing tonight too.â
âBut we always..â
âYes, J, we always play video games,â Dani couldnât take it anymore, âbut really, do we have to? Thatâs what Iâm asking. Three years or so, and every Friday night when I donât have a guy, Iâm sitting here with you two. Assassinâs Creed, Bioshock, Skyrim--weâve played them all.â
âYeah, so?â
âDude, three years?â Scott scratched his head. âYou mean, I havenât had a date in three years?â
âWeâre losing sight of whatâs important, Scott. We always..â
âNo, J, the important thing is we havenât had a date in three years.â
âNot true, Scott. You dated the tall girl recently. The one with the tiger tat on her left shoulder?â
Dani was always amused with their bickering. The way Jacobâs blue eyes would flash. Scott and his dark skin and eyes, the curl of his bottom lipâŠthe crease on Jacobâs head when he got seriousâŠit was almost sexy.
No, it was very sexy.
âShauna? Dude, she broke up with me before we met Dani. Thatâs why I wanted to daâŠyou know.â He shut his mouth. She could tell heâd already said too much.
âNo, what?â Dani chimed in. Scottâs face got very flush.
âOh, Scottie here used to have the biggest crush on you.â
âDude!â Jacob just smiled.
âWell, itâs true. You did. The biggest.â
âNo. I didnât.â Scott turned to Dani and smiled.
âI did have a crush on you, Dani. But it wasnât the biggest. That would have been J.â
Jacob shot straight up out of his chair, his controller falling on the floor.
âDonât say it.â
âOh yeah I am. Look, Dani--we even had a contest to see who was going to get to ask you out.â
âOh em gee.â Dani knew how much Jacob hated that. âSeriously?â
âYeah, why wouldnât we have? Youâre hot.â Scott said with a half laugh.
âWaitâŠso you two dweebs held a contest? What kind of contest?â
Scott started looking towards the ceiling, the smug look completely gone from his face. Jacob immediately went to the floor to look for his controller, taking a bit too long. And looking a bit paler than ever before. After a few more seconds of awkwardness, Dani had enough. There was no way in hell sheâd let this go.
âWhat. Kind.â
âWeâŠwellâŠweâŠsee, the thing isâŠâ Jacob started to stammer. Scott started laughing.
âWe put on some porn and started, you know, spanking. See who could go the longest.â
âOh, no.â Dani laughed until her sides ached. The thought of the two of them in the same room, dicks out, was just too funny.
And hot. It was hot too. She sat straight up, her legs uncrossed and slowly drifting apart. Suddenly, Dani started getting an idea. She looked over at the two guys.
âSo, why didnât you ask?â she said, still sizing them up.
âWell, once the contest was over, the next week you were prattling on about some guy youâd met. Didnât seem to be the right time.â Jacob said with a shrug of his shoulders.
She shouldnât be thinking it--she told herself. She kept it on repeat. She shouldnât be thinking it. She shouldnât be thinking it. She shouldnât be thinking it.
But she totally was. Itâd been six months for her. For them? Three years.
Fuck it.