Page 18 of XOXO

“Did you see Vi?” he asked, looking around like she might appear.

“She snuck out,” I said, watching his smile disappear.

“Oh, did she say if she would be back?” he asked hopefully.

“No, but she stole a croissant,” I sneered.

“Oh, I told her these were the best,” he said, grabbing one and biting into it, moaning.

Not just a simple moan, an exaggerated one that made me think bad thoughts I shouldn’t be having about another man, much less my best friend. What the fuck? Where the hell had that come from?

“I bought them for you,” I said, flinching from how childish I sounded.

“Well, she can have my half of the croissants,” he shrugged. “Thanks, man.”

Levi ate his croissant as he walked back to his room, leaving me in the kitchen. Man? When the hell has he ever called me man? Have I been reduced to just “man” now? I sighed at the urge to go to his room and force him to talk to me, but I didn't. I just wanted to ask what had happened to us?

6. Levi

Living in deluluville and it wasn’t because of my blond hair.

The last few days at work felt like the longest days I’d ever worked. My date with Vi was one of the best dates I had had...maybe ever? While I was planning it, I was afraid she would have thought it was cheesy or stupid except she was just as enamored with the library as I had been when I had first seen it.

Our conversation never lagged. She was funny, witty and fucking gorgeous. On my way to her, I braced for a shitty date, but here I was a few days later already looking forward to seeing her again. I opened Rendezvous, clicked on our chat again like I had so many times, wondering if it was too soon to ask her on another date. I finally got the nerve to message her and she agreed to see me again.

My excitement was barely containable as I got ready in something a little dressier than the last time. I pulled on some grey slacks, a white button-down and a grey vest.

“Hey, Levi, pizza or steak frites?” Matteo yelled from his room.

A little guilt rose in me at not telling him about my date, but I took a deep breath telling myself that this was necessary. Besides, it wasn’t like he hadn’t done the same to me before.

“Sorry, I have a date,” I yelled, putting a tie up to my neck, trying to decide if I really needed it.

“Another date? I thought we said we were staying in tonight?”

I jumped at Matteo’s voice. “Bloody hell, dude. Scared the crap out of me.”

“I didn’t mean to,” he scowled.

He had been scowling a lot more over the past few days, upset over the tiniest things. It was almost like he might have been mad at me for dating.

“Yeah, sorry, another date,” I said, looking back at my ties. “Can I get a raincheck?”

“Same girl or another one?”

“Same girl. I like Vi,” I said, feeling like I had to defend her.

“Black, too much grey,” he said, walking towards my closet.

He came back out lifting my collar and helping me with my tie. I was never good at it, always doing the basic knot, but Matteo was a master at ties. He knew all the best ones and always elevated my look.

“You know sometimes people on Rendezvous are looking for fun for the night,” he said, as I lost track of how he was tying the tie.

“I know. I see what it’s used for. I’m not naïve,” I said, biting back the retort I really wanted to say.

Matteo always thought I was so innocent and handled me with kid gloves, like I didn’t know the cruelty of today’s world.

“She left without saying goodbye last time,” he said, straightening my collar, smoothing out my vest.