“We need to talk about our last conversation,” Jeremy said.
Chandler Parsons looked down at the phone in his hand, as if simply staring at it would cause Jeremy Lin to emerge from the screen. How badly Chandler wanted to see him again, but a mere phone call would have to suffice. Bringing the phone back up to his ear, he said, “Yeah. We do.”
“I don’t even know where we’re at anymore,” Jeremy said, frustration evident in his voice.
“Neither do I,” Chandler admitted. “I wish you were here in Dallas, man. This would be a lot easier in person.”
Jeremy laughed bitterly. “Our friendship overall would be a lot easier in person.”
Chandler’s heart dropped when he heard that dreaded word. “Yeah. Friendship.”
The disappointed tone of Chandler’s voice was picked up on immediately. “So we’re not friends anymore? Is that what you’re implying?”
“I didn’t mean in that way. You’re absolutely down to come over and play video games any time. Hey, did I tell you I finally got a PS4?”
“Don’t change the subject,” Jeremy replied. “So we’re still friends. That’s good. But you want something more. I can tell.”
“I never said that,” Chandler responded, feeling his heart rate increase. Why was he denying it? “I just, you know…just…”
“That’s okay,” Jeremy said, with a lightness in his voice so pronounced that Chandler could easily picture his Asian friend’s grinning face. “Maybe I want something more too.”
Chandler was so stunned that it took him ten seconds to formulate any kind of response. “I gotta go. My, uh, my pasta’s about to boil over. Skype me or something.” Jeremy’s parting words were cut off by Chandler hurriedly ending the call. He set the phone down on his bedside table and again stared at it, wondering what was going to happen next, and more importantly, what HE wanted to happen next.