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Music blasted through the speakers in your apartment in Boston. You were dancing and singing as you cleaned the floor, sometimes using the tube of the vacuum as a microphone, making sure your hair didn’t get sucked in. You weren’t particularly keen on cleaning, but with some good music and a glass of wine you got yourself through it. Whether your neighbours were very happy about it…

    Probably not.

    You were so busy cleaning you didn’t even hear your doorbell. You loudly sang along with one of your favourite songs and danced through your living room, not noticing your apartment door being opened and the man that stepped inside.

    ‘What in the world are you doing?’ it sounded from behind you.

    A scream welled from your throat and you quickly turned around, slamming the tube of the vacuum against whomever had entered your apartment without permission.

    ‘Oh, no!’ you gasped, putting your hands before your mouth as you saw your best friend laying on the floor, holding his hand against his head with a painful grimace on his face. ‘I’m so sorry. Why didn’t you tell me you were coming?’

    Chris laughed softly, waving away your apology. ‘I wanted it to be a surprise. Sorry I scared you.’

    You sighed, a smile curling your lips as you offered him your hand and pulled him off your floor. ‘You know I hate surprises. How’s your head?’ You caressed the red bump on his forehead with your fingers softly, feeling Chris cringe underneath your touch.

    ‘It’s nothing. Truly. If I had known you were busy I would have called first.’

    You snorted, shaking your head. ‘I’m never too busy for you. Have a seat. Beer?’

    ‘Do you even have to ask?’

    You smiled, letting go of his face and walking towards to kitchen to get Chris a beer from the fridge and yourself another glass of wine. You turned down the volume of your music and made sure to plug the vacuum out of the socket.

    ‘Here,’ you said, putting a bottle of Bud light on the table in front of Chris and letting yourself drop next to him on the couch. You rested your head on his shoulder and sighed. ‘So, how’ve you been? How are things with [actress you don’t like].’

    ‘I’m good,’ he started. ‘Things have been good. We’re actually thinking about moving in together.’

    ‘Really? That serious, huh?’

    ‘Yes. She has a great house by the beach. You’ve been there once, right? When she threw me that birthday party?’

    You nodded, remembering the looks the people there had given you. You were just a simple grade school teacher. A nobody. Or at least, that was how [actress you don’t like] had made you feel. But it didn’t matter. Chris had to spend the rest of his life with her, not you.

    You looked up at Chris seriously, seeing the happiness in his eyes. You wanted be happy for him. You had been best friends for so long that he was practically your brother, but for some reason it felt strange to hear him talk about another woman the way he did about [actress you don’t like]. You had never thought it would ever become this serious. They just weren’t right for each other.

    ‘Anyway, she suggested I sell my house and we do some remodelling on her living room to create the space we both want.’

    ‘Sounds great,’ you smiled, pushing yourself from his shoulder to reach your glass of wine. ‘I’m really happy for you.’

    ‘Thank you,’ he replied, watching you as you nearly drank your whole glass in one sip. ‘I know you and [actress you don’t like] don’t really get along, but I appreciate that you always try to be nice to her.’

    You sighed, looking down at your glass. ‘Is it that obvious?’

    ‘Maybe not to everyone, but it is to me. I know you, [Name]. Better than anyone.’

    You nodded. ‘And I can’t believe you haven’t started running already…’

    Chris laughed, pulling you into an embrace, his strong arms closing around you. ‘Don’t say that, you meatball. You’ll always be the most important person in my life. No matter what happens. I love you. You know that right?’

    ‘I love you too, Chris,’ you smiled, burying your face into the crock of his neck, taking in his familiar scent. ‘Anv I voo…’

    ‘What?’ he frowned, slowly letting go of you.

    ‘I do,’ you repeated. ‘Know. Sometimes it’s just hard to imagine that someone like you would be friends with someone like me, you know?’

    ‘No, I don’t. Look, [Name], I might be a famous actor, but that’s just my job. That has nothing to do with who I am. We’ve been friends for a long, long time. You know I’m not that kind of guy.’

    ‘Really? What about that one time…’

    Chris laughed. ‘Now you’re just messing with me. I was ten. That doesn’t count.’

    ‘You ditched me for – what’s her face – Lisa? You bet it counts!’ You tried to keep a straight face, but soon you were both laughing so hard that your jaws and stomach hurt from the tension.

    ‘This was just what I needed,’ Chris panted, sipping from his beer, taking in a deep breath. ‘Thank you.’

    ‘Glad to be of service,’ you smiled, nesting yourself against his side. ‘Has the craziness started again?’

    ‘Not yet, although it feels like it already has. You know I’ve been working on my own stuff and with all the filming and editing I’m so busy that I hardly get any sleep. I can’t imagine how I’ll make it through the day when shooting for my next movie starts. I’m glad the Holidays are coming up.’

    ‘Don’t worry. I’m sure you’ll find some way to make it work. And if you need any help whatsoever you know all you need to do is ask.’

    Chris nodded. ‘Thank you. I’ll keep that in mind. You don’t happen to be free in April and May, are you?'

    You frowned, emptying your glass of wine. ‘Why?’

    ‘I’m still looking for a female lead for one of my projects.’

    You laughed softly, shaking your head. ‘The last time I had an acting role was in the school play. Our school play. That was ages ago.’

    ‘And you were amazing!’

    ‘Look, Chris,’ you sighed, knowing he was trying to get you to become an actress. ‘I know you want to help me, but that’s not necessary. I’m happy with my job. You love acting and I love teaching.’

    ‘You used to love acting too…’

    ‘I did… But this is my life now, Chris. Besides, I never was as good as you. Let’s talk about something else, okay? I don’t know if you already have any plans, but you should really come over for Christmas. My mom keeps asking when she’ll see you again.’

    ‘You were,’ Chris mumbled, quickly clearing his throat when you frowned at him. ‘I didn’t make any concrete plans yet, but [actress you don’t like] probably wants to spend it together.’

    You nodded. ‘I understand.’

    ‘But I might be able to convince her to stop by your house when we’re going to my mom.’

    You smiled. ‘Just let me know.’

    ‘I will.’

    You talked for an hour or two more. Reminiscing old times and telling each other about the things you had been doing for the past few weeks. When it was nearing midnight it was time for you to go to bed. It was a regular workday for you in the morning and even though you liked to spend more time with Chris – since you didn’t see him all that often due to his insane work schedule – you knew you had to crawl under the covers.

    ‘You’re welcome to stay,’ you smiled warmly, supressing a yawn. ‘You have a key and all so make yourself at home. There’s some leftover lasagne in the fridge if you want and you know the way to the spare bedroom.’

    ‘Thanks,’ Chris nodded, ‘but I think I’ll just go back to the airport and catch the first flight back to LA.’

    ‘You came here just to see me?’

    ‘No… Maybe… Yes?’

    You laughed softly, shaking your head. ‘You could have just Skyped me, you idiot.’

    ‘I could have, but we do that every week. I just wanted to see how you were doing. Really doing.’

    ‘I’m always good,’ you smiled, walking with him towards your apartment door. ‘You know that.’

    ‘I do, but you’re alone here all the time and I just wanted to make sure–’

    ‘Who says I’m alone?’ you interrupted him, winking as you opened the door.

    Chris raised an eyebrow at your words. ‘You’re not?’

    ‘Maybe.’

    ‘Why am I only hearing of this now?’ he asked as you slowly pushed him out of the door. ‘I thought you said you had sworn off dating?’

    ‘Just like you swore we would get married when we were older.’

    ‘I was ten!’

    ‘And I’m still waiting,’ you laughed. ‘Don’t you have a plane to catch?’

    ‘Who is it? Do I know him?’ Chris gasped. ‘It isn’t Derek is it?’

    ‘No,’ you said, closing the door as Chris was still throwing names at your head. ‘Goodnight.’

    ‘I thought we told each other everything!’ he cried out from behind the door, fake sounding hurt. ‘You’re not messing with me again, right? Because if you are, you should really reconsider becoming an actress!’

    ‘Goodnight, Chris…’ you repeated, locking the door behind you and shaking your head. Of course you weren’t always alone. That your male company only consisted of the neighbour’s cats that sometimes walked into your apartment was something Chris didn’t need to know. He would only be worried for you, telling you that were the first signs of becoming an old cat lady. You could even hear him say it. It brought a smile to your lips.

    You quickly put your empty glass of wine in the sink and made your way back towards your bedroom, where for the first time in years you dreamed about being together with Chris again. Something you hadn’t done for at least ten or fifteen years, when you were practically still kids.

    When you were still in love with him.

TO BE CONTINUED...