Annie paced in her room, sat in her desk chair, laid on her bed. She took out a can

of soda from the mini fridge, opened it, then put it down. She paced again. She couldn't

keep still and her cozy, average size apartment seemed to be shrinking in on her. All the while,

she imagined what was happening across the town, where her best friend was. She knew where he'd be just

now, for he had told her so. She knew with whom he'd be there with, for that was why she paced.

At this minute, her best friend Trapp was asking his close friend Robbie about her. She'd known

Robbie for a while now, and known she liked him for nearly as long. An attraction that she couldn't

explain to even herself had taken hold weeks ago, and now asked Trapp to see how Robbie felt

about her. She'd been quiet about her feelings for so long. It was stressful, a heavy weight upon her shoulders. Now she was throwing caution to the wind, to find out either way.

She knew both well, having such unique personalities. Enough so to imagine what was

taking place.

"So I have something serious to talk to you about," Trapp would start out, probably as they sat at

the bar over their second beer.

"You're moving? You're dying. You're gay? You hate the Cowboys. Your girlfriend broke up with

you for another guy. Is it that geek from last week's party that was hitting on her?" Robbie would

tease.

"No, no. Nothing like that at all," Trapp assures. "It's actually a question for you. About Annie."

"Annie? Annie Destler?"

"Yeah. How do you feel about her?"

"Why?" Robbie would start to feel tense and look cautious. His jokes would be put on hold as he'd sip from his beer and wonder what his unpredictable friend would say next.

"Do you like her? In a more than just buddies way? When the two of you were getting cuddly on the sofa in front of her ex a few weeks ago, it seemed pretty convincing. I was just wondering if there was more to that on your part than just making her ex jealous?" Trapp wasn't one to delay, so he'd say it boldly, putting it all out there without beating around the bush.

"Annie Destler as more than a pal?" Robbie's nose would wrinkle, his brow crease, thinking upon something that never occured to him before. "No, can't say that I do. I mean, I like her. She's fun enough. It's just...I don't know, man. There's no interest there."

"None?"

"None," Robbie finalized, then chugged a long swig down his throat. "So how about that game last night?"

Annie jumped when the phone rang. She grabbed it in a hurry, not caring that it caused her alarm clock to drop to the floor with a crash. "Trapp?"

"Hey, I asked him. He said no. I'm sorry, hon."

She felt the tears well behind her eyes before the words even registered. "Oh. Oh..thanks," she said casually.

"No problem. I'll see you tomorrow, okay?"

"Sure." She hung up the phone. Annie paced the room, sat in her desk chair, laid on her bed. She grabbed her soda and drunk some before the tears began to flow and emotion choked her.

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