"Are they still-"
James cut me off before I could finish my question. "Yep."
We were seated at a table for two, situated so that James could see where John and Thomas were sitting, but I couldn't. I had figured it would be better that way, but the look on James's face made me wonder if I'd been wrong.
He was staring at their table with such an intense look that it could have easily caught something on fire. The look seemed to be a mixture of jealousy and anger, but there was something hiding just below the surface that I couldn't quite decipher.
Sighing, I finished up my coffee. "So," I began, not sure where I was going with this, but not wanting to sit in awkward silence any longer.
"So." James finally looked away from Thomas and John to meet my eyes.
"How long have you and Thomas been friends?" I don't know why that was the first thing to come to mind, but it was, and it slipped out of my mouth seemingly without my control.
James looked a little surprised for a second, but he covered it as quickly as he replied. "Forever." Then he amended himself. "Well, basically, anyway. We grew up not that far from each other, went to the same schools, our parents were friends..." James trailed off, thinking about the past. He finally just shrugged. "I can't really remember life without him," he murmured, his voice barely loud enough to hear. I pretended not to hear, in fact, in case he hadn't wanted me to. "What about you?" He suddenly volleyed back. "How long have you known John?"
"A week." I laughed. "It seems like so much longer."
It really did. Ever since I had agreed to move in, John and I had spent lots of time together. We had gone to get coffee most mornings, just so we could get to know each other better. We didn't want to be roommates and not hardly know each other.
Of course, there were a few things I hadn't shared with him, but that's how it is with everyone.
"He's really great, honestly. So is Hercules," I added. "My other roommate."
James nodded and opened his mouth as if he was going to say something, but stopped.
"James?" I tilted my head in confusion.
A voice from right behind me caused me to jump about a foot in the air. "Hey, we're going back to the apartment."
I turned to see Thomas standing behind me, holding his jacket awkwardly in front of him. It took me a minute to realize why, but when I did, I blushed.
"But-" I stuttered. "John is my ride-"
"I'll drive you back," James offered half-heartedly. "It's not like I'm looking forward to going back to the apartment with them there anyway." I looked to see if John or Thomas would react to that, but they had already disappeared.
"Thanks."
· · ·
"This traffic is the worst," James mumbled. We were only a few miles from the apartment I shared with John and Hercules, but we'd been in James's car for twenty minutes and had barely moved.
"No shit," I muttered back. "It would have taken less time to walk, I think." Sighing, I leaned my head against the window.
We drove- or, rather, sat- in comfortable silence for a few minutes longer, before James turned to me.
"It's aggravating, you know?" I did my best to not look confused. "Watching him and John. John's a great guy, don't get me wrong, but I always hoped that maybe when Thomas settled down it would be with me? I don't know. This is the longest he's been in a relationship," James added. "I don't know why, but I always hoped it would be me."
My confusion was quickly replaced with sympathy and understanding. "That's really-"
I was cut off by the sound of a phone ringing. It took me a moment to realize that it was mine.
"Hello?"