Courtney: Congratulations on going 12-0! What a fucking game!

Kyle: Thank you. It would’ve meant more if my favorite cheerleader was actually on the sidelines.

Courtney: I am. Look over. (I even wore your jersey number in my earrings.)

* * *

 

I looked over at the sidelines, seeing Courtney wave with her phone in her hand.

I smiled and waved back.

 

* * *

 

Kyle: I take it you’ll give me an up close look at my party tonight?

Courtney: Depends. Will there be a chance for a distraction?

Kyle: More than one.

Kyle: Then

Senior Year

Pittsburgh

* * *

 

Kyle: Hope you have a good winter break planned. Do you need a ride to the airport?

Courtney: I never go home for winter break, remember? I like to enjoy walking around the campus when there aren’t that many people here.

Kyle: You should come over and enjoy parts of it with me, then. I never go home either, and I can make sure you actually *go* inside all of the best places you walk past. (Have you ever been to Mad Mex on Atwood Street?)

Courtney: I’ve been inside of plenty of places. (I interviewed a waitress who used to work there before.)

Kyle: Get dressed. I’ll pick you up in ten minutes.

Courtney: Then

Senior Year

Pittsburgh

* * *

 

A few weeks later

With Kyle as my only college friend, I felt like I was seeing the city of Pittsburgh through an entirely different lens. He showed me the parts of town that I’d neglected for years, making me see just how much I’d missed.

We visited the North Shore on Saturdays, spent weeknights in the bars at Station Square, and took late night tours inside of Heinz Stadium too many times to count. He personally introduced me to the chefs at his favorite restaurants, taught me what “pierogies” were, and laughed when I experienced my first taste of kielbasa.

For the first time in my college career, I wasn't solely focused on my future career aspirations. I wasn’t spending every free moment writing, or working on my thesis (which was pretty easy to complete considering how much I was getting to know Kyle), and I wasn’t anxiously waiting for the semester to end.

I wasn’t even excited about going to London anymore.

“You need more fries on that salad,” Kyle said, cutting through my thoughts. “You can’t have the true Eat’n Park experience if there are no French fries on top.”

“French fries on a salad?”

“It’s a Pittsburgh thing.” He tossed a handful on top of my lettuce and added shredded cheese. “It’s also fucking amazing. Trust me.”

“Can I ask you something?”

“Of course.” He covered the fries in ranch dressing.

“What are we?”

“What?” He leaned back.

“Like, you, me, this,” I said. “What are we?”

He stared at me for several seconds, smiling. “We’re friends who have long stopped working on your thesis for some strange reason.”

“I finished writing the draft weeks ago,” I said. “Apparently, I set a new senior record.”

“We’re also two people who are very attracted to each other and haven’t had sex an even odder reason.”

“Does that bother you?”

“If it did, I wouldn’t call you every day.” He clasped my hand atop the table. “Don’t think too much about this, Court. We’re just us.”

“So, you’re not sleeping with anyone else?”

“Not at all.” He looked as if he couldn’t believe it himself. Then he motioned for me to pick up my fork. “I’m not even sleeping with you.”

Kyle: Then

Senior Year

Pittsburgh

I was turning into a pussy.

I’d ignored texts from four guaranteed, consensual hookups, all in favor of hanging out with Courtney.

In years past, when we won the national championship, my first move was to get drunk and let whoever was interested come back to my room.

This year, I went to one goddamn party.

One.

And then I left early to come back to my apartment and watch fireworks on my apartment’s roof with Courtney.

“Something wrong, Kyle?” She looked up at me.

“No.” I looked up at the sky. “I’m just wondering if we can watch Rambo once we go back to my room. I don’t think I can deal with another man groveling in a rom-com this week.”

“That’s like the best part of the film.” She smiles.

“How do you figure that?”

“Because the heroine always takes the guy back, if he does a good job.”

“We’re watching Rambo, Die Hard, and Die Harder in that order.” I pulled her into my lap. “Right after I get done kissing you.”

“You’re not going to try to have sex with me?”

“I’ve been trying to have sex with you since the day we met.” I trailed my finger against her lips. “It’ll happen eventually.”

“You sure about that?”

“One-hundred-percent.”

Courtney: Then

Senior Year

Pittsburgh

* * *

 

I double-checked my contact list for the umpteenth time, letting out a deep breath before hitting send.

 

* * *

 

Subject: Pitt News Presentation

Hey everyone!

I apologize for the mass email, but I wanted you to know that I’m presenting a project downtown this Saturday and since we’ve taken a class together or spent time in a club (and I’ve shown up for you in some way), I figured you’d be interested.

I’m enclosing the details, and dinner will be at Primanti Brothers afterward!

Courtney Johnson

 

* * *

 

“Do you have plans tomorrow morning, Kyle?” I looked at him as he pulled in front of my place.

“Only one that I know of, why?”

“I’m giving a presentation downtown tomorrow for a news magazine competition, and I’m inviting everyone I’ve ever met. It starts at seven thirty, and the winners are announced in the late afternoon.”

“You really do love journalism …”

“I can’t promise that it’ll be the most entertaining time you’ll ever have, but the judges always give out tons of gift cards to Primanti Brothers at the end. Once it’s all over, I’ll give you a few of those, if you show up.”

“So, you’re saying that I have a choice between spending my Saturday in bed or getting up at the ass crack of dawn to go downtown and watch you talk about the news—which I hate, for hours?”

“I’ll give you a recap when I get back to campus.”