“A little, but that’s exactly what you need.”
“What I need?”
“To make a good impression.”
“You think I need someone to help me make a good impression?”
“I think he’s the right guy for the job.”
I think about this for a moment. I hate the idea – like I hate most ideas that come from Jake – but what choice do I have? I don’t want him to think I haven’t got over our break-up, and I don’t want to show up on my own and risk staring at him for the entire evening like an abandoned puppy, begging to be taken in.
Apparently, this is my only option.
I look back at my friend. I can tell by his face that he knows he’s won – and he’s proud of it.
“Do you think your friend will be okay with it?” I ask, not at all convinced about what I’ve just agreed to do.
“Trust me.”
2Sean
“No.”
“But I haven’t even…”
“No.”
“Could you at least…?”
“No.”
Jake sighs heavily, sinking onto my desk with no regard for the tests I’m marking, onto which he’s just disrespectfully planted his backside.
He came to see me between lessons – ‘for a quick coffee’, he’d said. But I have seen no trace of coffee yet.
“I’m just asking you for a favour.”
“Anything you want – but not this.”
“You don’t even know him!”
“And I don’t intend to.”
“You’ve never even wanted to give him a chance. If you met him, you’ll see he’s not as bad as he sounds.”
“Your useless words aren’t helping. Besides, I’m not stupid. I know what you’re up to.”
“What I’m… What?”
“You’ve been trying to set me up with your friend for years.”
Jake slides off the desk. “What am I trying to do?”
“Set me up with your friend. I know how these things work for you lot.”
“Us lot?”
“You straight people. If you have two gay friends, you immediately try to introduce them.”
