We sit there for a while, at the top of our mountain and I realize how different things really are. The old Race and the old Spot would be talking a mile a minute, laughing, joking. The new Race and Spot are boring. They just sit there as the air gets heavy with all the things we don't say. I don't really like them. I mean, I have a perverse desire to kill them.

So I do. I do it. I say the thing that's been on my mind and driving me crazy without my even acknowledging it. I say it fast, but I fucking say it. "So-what-was-with-that-thing-you-told-me-the-other-night."

Spot turns and looks at me, a smile playing on his lips because I've done it. I've let myself be awkward. "What thing was that?" He asks. What a fucking bitch. He's not going to let me off easy either.

I take a deep breath, compose myself. "The other night, when you got drunk, you told me you had sex…"

"Yeah?" He coaxes, daring me to say it. Why, oh, why does he always put me in the awkward position? Even when it should be the other way around. It's so unfair.

"…with a guy." I finish.

"Yeah?" He says again.

"Yeah." I reply. We stare at each other. When we were younger we used to have staring contests all the time. He always won. Go figure. So, I'm staring and I'm trying to do a little Jedi mind trick, too. C'mon, confess, confess, be the vulnerable one for once.

He looks away. He looks away! That means I won, right? Right?

He takes a deep breath. "Yeah, I had sex with another guy. I really don't see your point here," he seems distant now, which takes all the joy out of my victory. But I'm not going to let him make me feel like I'm a jerk for asking.

"Well, I think its pretty big deal. I mean, we've been best friends for our entire life and…it's a pretty big deal."

"Wow, Race, this is a really special moment," he says, deadpan. He puts his hand over his heart. "I'm touched."

I crack a smile. I guess I am acting a little too serious. "So, I mean, how'd it happen? Who was he? What the fuck were you doing out there anyway?"

Spot shrugs, like it's no big deal. What a fucker. Then he rubs the back of his neck with his hand and I can tell he's gearing up for it. "I was just living in the city, in this kind of hostel, and I had a job selling papers."

"You were a paper boy?" I ask, laughing a little. I just can't imagine it. He gives me withering look but I know he's excited to tell me. See, I knew he wanted to talk to me. I think he's just glad to have someone to share it with.

"So, anyway, we went out to this bar one night"-

"We?"

He gives me a look. "Do you wanna hear the story or not?"

"I just want you to tell it right," I tease.

He takes a deep breath and gives me a squinty look. " We is some of the guys from the hostel."

"Wow, real descriptive," I say. I can't help myself; that is just our relationship. We annoy the hell out of each other, and then we give in. "Okay, okay, I'll shut up."

"Thank you," he says. "So, anyway, I got really drunk…"

"Imagine that."

"And I…this guy came up to me and he just said, "what's your name?" and so I said, "Spot Conlon" and then he said"-

"What did he look like?" Yep, Spot is definitely annoyed with me.

"Jesus Christ, Race, I don't know," he hates to explain things. Apparently, it's beneath him.

"You mean you don't remember?"

"No, of course I remember. I just mean, what do want me to say?"

"You know just the normal things. How tall was he? Did he have all his teeth? Boxers or briefs?" He elbows me.

"Jesus, you're such a fucking bastard…Okay, he had brown hair and he was in college…"

"Did he have pretty eyes?"

"You're really starting to get on my nerves now," Spot says. I, however, am having the time of my life. I finally feel like I have my friend back. And it's fun as hell fucking with him. Spot huffs. "He had kind of hazelly eyes," he concedes.

"Okay…" I say encouraging him.

"So, no more interruptions, okay? I'm trying to tell a story here." I nod. See? No interruptions. "So he said, "are you here alone?" and I said, "no, my friends are over there" or whatever. And then he just looked at me and he said, "do you want to come back to my place?" and I just said yes." He stops. That's it. That's the end of his amazing story.

"So, then what?" I ask. He gives me a look. Oh, okay, then that. I clear my throat. I feel sort of uncomfortable, but I try to pass it off. "So, did you see him again after that?" he nods. "Do you still, um, talk to him?" He shakes his head. He looks kind of sad and I start to get suspicious. Did this guy actually dump Spot? Maybe that's why he wasn't so eager to tell me.

"We just kind of…I don't know. I mean, it's not like we wanted to have a relationship or anything…" I nod. I know that I will never know the complete truth about it. Spot's pride is his number one priority. He keeps it safe from everyone.

"So, was he the only one?" I ask, trying to change the subject.

Spot smiles a little. "Nope." What a slut.

XXX

Hehe…funny stuff. Aren't they just the cutest? Precious!