Page 59 of A Solid Guide to Surviving a Situationship

I stared at it confusedly, then at Andre… then back at the drink.

“What is this?” I asked.

“It’s a cocktail, James,” he answered sarcastically.

I narrowed my eyes. “Do I look like I’m weak?”

Andre smirked into his glass. “I only assumed since you like cocks.”

I rolled my eyes.

“Sorry,” I turned to the waiter, “can I get a Bacardi and Coke? I like it strong. I can take it hard.”

The waiter winked once—professional, but I could see it.

Andre, on the other hand, let out a small laugh. “I’m sure you can.”

I shot him a look. “Don’t start.”

The waiter nodded. “Right away, sir.”

As he walked off, Andre leaned back into the booth, studying me with that same amused expression.

“Rough week?” he asked.

I reached for the cocktail anyway, taking a small sip just to prove a point.

“Okay, this is actually good,” I admitted, then set it down like that wasn’t the issue. “But that’s not the point.”

Andre hummed, unconvinced. “So?”

I leaned back, exhaling through my nose, eyes drifting up to the ceiling again—fake stars, steady and unmoving, like they didn’t care what kind of week anyone was having under them.

“I hooked up with someone,” I said finally.

Andre didn’t react. Just took a sip of his drink like that was the least surprising thing I could’ve said.

“We were talking for a bit on Instagram,” I continued. “Late nights. Jokes. Flirting. I mean, you know the drill.”

He nodded once.

“It was good,” I said. “Like… actually good. Not just ‘I needed that’ good, but—” I gestured vaguely. “—convincing.”

“Convincing how?”

“Like it could’ve been something, you know?” I said. “Or at least, it felt like it was heading there.”

Andre tilted his head slightly. “And now?”

I picked up the cocktail again.

“Now we don’t talk.”

A beat.

“That fast, huh?”

I let out a quiet scoff. “Standard procedure of gay dating.”