“Man, I feel like I’m on top of the fucking world,” Halloway says to me at the local café. He sips on a cappuccino and it’s about the god damn funniest sight in the world.

“A few days ago, you were talkin’ some heavy shit,” I tell him. “Why the sudden change of mind?”

He shrugs. “I don’t know. Things just look brighter, you know?”

I look around. The day is overcast and cold. “No, I don’t know,” I say. “What’re you talking about?”

“I fucked that Judy woman. You know, the teacher,” he admits, smiling like a wild animal. “God, it was incredible too.”

“Great, man. I’m really proud of you,” I say, even though I couldn’t give two shits what hole he sticks his dick in. Seriously, the fact that he’s even bragging about it right now makes me angry.

“Come on.” He pats me on the shoulder and squeezes. “I thought you’d be stoked for me, man. It’s been a while.”

“You fuck all kinds of women.” I shrug. “Who cares?”

“I buy all kinds of women. Sure,” he says. “But this was different.”

Gross. “Yeah, usually when you don’t have to pay for sex, things work out differently. For instance, you don’t have to keep a timer going.”

“Ha-ha, very funny,” he says. “I don’t know. She just gets me. Sometimes I think… ah, never mind.”

“Tell me,” I demand. “You can’t just start a sentence and stop on like that. You gotta tell me.”

“You’ll think I’m crazy,” he sighs. “But I haven’t drank in two days. That’s huge for me.”

“That actually is huge. But why?” I ask him.

“Because man—” he takes a deep breath “—I think I’m in love.”

My heart drops and I feel like I’m going to fucking vomit. “Love?” I ask him. Oh God. What an idiot. What a huge fucking moron. “Love?” I repeat. It’s like the idea has broken me.

“Yeah, love. What’s so fucking weird about that?” he asks, puffing out his chest. He takes another sip of his cappuccino and a foam mustache forms around his mouth.

“You’re not in love,” I tell him. “Not yet, at least.”

“Addison, my parents got married in like two weeks. How the hell do you know I’m not in love?” he asks.

“Your parents got divorced in less than two years!” I laugh. “And if they hadn’t had you, they would’ve parted ways a hell of a lot sooner.”

“Very true,” he smiles. “But so what? You have to live a little, right?”

“Sure,” I agree. “You’ve got to live. A little. Just don’t go around proposing anytime soon.”

“I ain’t gonna do that,” he says.

“You know, her best friend and I have been getting along pretty damn great,” I tell him.

“Cool,” he says, glancing at some chick’s ass who just walked inside.

“That’s it?” I ask him. “That’s all you’re going to give me? I kind of expected more of a reaction.”

He shrugs. “I’m selfish. What do you expect? You used to be too. What happened?”

“I’m the same damn person I’ve always been,” I say, turning red with anger.

“Sure you are, buddy,” he laughs.

“How am I different?” I ask him, on the defense now. “How?”

“Don’t worry. We’re still cool. I don’t care what you do in your free time,” he says. “But if you really want to know…”

“Just tell me, dammit,” I say.

“Fine. You’re always hanging around Helena now. I mean, I guess you haven’t that much. But I can tell, you want to. You’d be hanging with her right now if you could. Don’t lie to me,” he says.

I groan. “I don’t know. It depends, really.”

“If she asked you to come to her house right now, would you leave?” he asks, totally smiling big.

“No,” I lie.

“Bullshit!” He bursts out laughing. “Man, you’re one funny guy now.”

“Now. Stop with that now shit! I’m not any different!” I say. “But maybe you’re right. I would go over. And that’s because I love pussy more than you.”

“Shit,” he says. “Amen to that.”