Page 61 of Heartbeat

“They’re the same dude, man.”

And yes, it felt weird as fuck to refer to Ethan as dude.

“Is he picking you up? Are you picking him up?”

“He is. It’s just a date.”

“Oh, please. You may think you’re this different guy, but I know you, Tommy.”

“What does that mean?”

“It means you don’t go out unless you really like someone.”

“Isn’t that usually how it goes?”

Just as I spoke, Jonas’s phone started vibrating on the table.

“Marcy,” he said, quickly dismissing the call.

“How is she?”

“Good. We broke up a while back, which you knew we would.”

“I hoped you wouldn’t.”

“It’s cool though. We’re still friends.”

“Then why didn’t you pick up?”

“I see Marcy all day, every day,” he said. “I haven’t seen you in months.”

I wonder how long it’ll take for comments such as those to stop sounding like a dig.

“How was it? At the hospital?” Jonas asked, suddenly solemn. “I tried to visit, but they wouldn’t let me in.”

“Yeah, there’s no contact during the treatment. I’m sorry I didn’t—”

“Don’t.” He raised his hand.

“But—”

“No. You handled it fine.”

The thing about Jonas? He’d always been a bit of a mind reader. We met when we were four, and it was noticeable from very early on that he was impossible to lie to. It was one of his biggest talents. That, and being a good friend.

“‘Fine’ isn’t really the best word—” I said.

“It’s a good word. I’m not here to judge, man. Even though I ambushed you earlier.”

“It’s good that you did.”

“It is?”

“You’re my best friend, Jonas. I just hate that—”

“If you’re going to start with that ‘I failed you’ crap, I will punch you.”

I opened my mouth to argue, but he didn’t let me.

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