Page 21 of Some Things Never Change

He simply nodded at my statement as he glanced at both our empty plates. “Seconds?”

“Yes, please.”

I watched him as he took both our plates to the stove to grab us seconds of his spaghetti and meatballs. As he dished out the food, I couldn't help but feel a sense of comfort as I sat across from his empty seat. I smiled to myself as I replayed our banter over dinner in my mind, especially Andy’s excuse about why his mac and cheese was “al-dente.” I laughed softly to myself.

When I think about it, our friendship had always been the same. Andy still teased me whenever he had the chance, and I relished the opportunities to get back at him with the same fervor. We always looked out for one another. In many ways, we were still inseparable, like we once were. With life ever-changing, he was the one thing that had always been constant in mine. I was apprehensive at first, but I’m excited to be his roommate.

It felt nice to live so close to my best friend again because, when it came to us, some things truly just never change.

Chapter

Eight

“Is there a reason you don’t have your finished Lego projects out on display?” I asked.

I couldn’t help but notice the complete lack of it in Andy’s home. I noticed the void of his projects out on display when he lived in his previous condo as well. I assumed it was because the condo was too small, and he didn’t have the space to leave them out. Now that he was living in a bigger place, I was fully expecting them to be displayed as he had always done all throughout his previous bachelor pads.

“I don’t leave them out anymore. I usually break them back down once I finish building them. But, be honest with me, Tink… don’t you think me having them out on display is a little… you know, childish?” He turned to me with a small and sheepish smile.

Huh? That was a little strange of him to ask. Building Legos and putting his finished projects on display had never embarrassed him before.

“What? No, of course not. I guess other people could see it as childish, but I think it’s cool. Your Lego sets have always been something you genuinely enjoy, and it’s your hobby.”

Andy shrugged. “I don’t know, I just feel like having them out in the open is a little too …nerdy and dumb, I guess.”

I stared back at him as I rinsed my tomato sauce-covered plate and handed it to him to put in the dishwasher. “Andy, you’ve never cared about what people thought about your love for Legos.”

I could still remember how he and his college friends used to build sets together all throughout their years living in dorms and apartments together. He loved building Legos, and he had never cared about what people thought of him and his passion for it. It surprised me he was so self-conscious about it now that we’re adults.

He didn’t look at me as he loaded up the dishwasher. A small smile was on his lips. "I just feel like it's not really something that adults should be doing. Besides, it's not like I have anyone to impress with my Lego projects. It's just me living here."

“What? You can impress me! Display them for me! I think they’re impressive. There’s nothing more admirable than seeing someone unapologetically putting their passion out on full display.”

He laughed as he looked at me for a long, beating moment. He blinked slowly, watching me and my big grin. “You really think they’re that great?”

“Of course. What kind of asshole would say they’re not impressive?”

“You’d be surprised how much some women don’t like it.” His voice was so quiet I almost didn’t catch it over the low rumble of the dishwasher starting.

Knowing this immediately engulfed me in anger. How could someone possibly make him feel horrible about his hobby? Sure, they might see it as childish. But when I hear about how much passion and dedication Andy put into each project he builds, there is nothing childish about it anymore.

“Who was it?” I could practically hear myself fuming as those words slipped out of my mouth.

“What?”

“Who made you feel that way? Andy, who made you believe this?” I frowned as he became quiet for a moment.

He swallowed thickly. “My ex.”

I gave him a look of disbelief as my heart sank. Andy's last ex-girlfriend was someone who I met only once. He dated her while he lived in New York City about three years ago when he was working for another big finance firm there. I thought she was easygoing and polite, but remembered their relationship was short-lived.

After he brought her home to meet us, they suddenly broke up, and he abruptly left his job and moved back to California. From what I could remember, I heard only great things about her from Andy. He never once said anything bad about her, even after their breakup.

But I knew something big must have happened for him to break up with her and leave the East Coast so suddenly. He claimed he hated the snow, and that was why he moved back to California. But it was strange, especially when he was working at one of the biggest finance firms in America and doing incredibly well there. It had never occurred to me that it could have been that bad.

"What did she say to you?" I asked, trying to keep my voice steady.

Andy hesitated for a moment before answering. "She used to tell me that I was wasting my time with Legos. She said that it was tacky and childish to have it as a hobby. She also told me that I should focus on more important things, like my career and our relationship.

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