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Mike grins and waves as he sees me walk through the door, as does Sam and the rest of the bartenders. I'm almost tempted to go up and ask them if they need a hand, but they seem to have it under control from what I can see. Besides, Kara would be pissed at me for skipping out on girls' night when she had to ‘tear herself away from Gary’. Kara's words, not mine.
Kara points over at Tori and Danni, who've once again beaten us here.
“I don't know. Depends on the friend. Once a week. Once a month. Once a day...”
“Dylan is calling me every night.”
Kara stops walking. “He is?”
“Yeah.”
I told Kara about Sunday's conversation with Dylan, but I haven't had the chance to catch up with Kara since then. It's a little difficult when I'm on the phone to Dylan every night until late. Of course, what's late for me is even later for him. New Zealand is two hours ahead of Melbourne, which means he can't be getting to sleep any earlier than two in the morning.
“Well, that's interesting.” Kara's reaction is as sceptical as mine was when Dylan first suggested it.
“Do you think it means anything?”
“You know what you're doing is dangerous, right? Being friends with him when you should be getting over him is just insane. And now you're talking every night and wondering if he's going to call you? This has heartbreak written all over it.”
“I'm already heartbroken.”
Kara gives me a pointed look before she starts walking again. “Exactly.”
“It's not like I can fall anymorein love with him, or get my heart broken any further.”
My friend's headshake is not encouraging.
“Uh oh,” Tori says as soon as Kara and I get to the table. “What's wrong?”
“Claire's convinced that talking to Dylan every night on the phone is a good idea.”
“That's a terrible idea,” Danni says.
Danni and Tori know how I feel about Dylan because Kara told them. Though Kara says she only confirmed the girls' suspicions. Because the only person who didn't know I was in love with Dylan was me.
“It's fine,” I assure them.
Actually, I'm not at all sure it's fine. I've never been friends with Dylan James. I've gone from trying to convince myself I hated him, to admitting I was in love with him, and now I'm trying to be friends with the man.
“It's Saturday night. How do you know he's not going out with Lana again?” Kara asks.
“He's going out with the group, but he says he isn't planning on hanging around if Lana gets drunk because he seems to be the one who ends up having to look after her.”
I don't miss the look Tori, Danni, and Kara share.
“Listen, I wasn't sure I could be friends with him. I'm still not sure I can be. But you convinced me I needed to take this timeout from the list. How was I supposed to know it would endwith all my self-delusions when it comes to Dylan being popped? I'm still coming to terms with how I feel about him. I've loved him since I was sixteen. Honestly, I'm not sure I can be any more messed up over the guy.”
“What if he does end up hooking up with Lana?” Tori asks.
“Or someone else?” Danni asks.
“He's not going to remain abstinent, Claire,” Kara says. “He's not a saint. You're not there and he's going to want sex. Long-distance never works.”
“We're not doing long-distance. We're just friends.”
“And you're going to be okay when he stops calling you because he's porking some other girl?”
No, I won't be okay with him being with someone else. In fact, I don't know how I'd talk to him, knowing he was getting his needs met from someone else, but I agreed to try and be friends with him and I don't want to go back on that just yet. Not until I have to.
