I might not be living the high life, but I'm doing the best I can

 Tristan didn't know what to expect meeting up with Holden for lunch at the zoo, but he was there on time and of course, ready to eat what ever the Zoo cafe might have to offer.

"So..uh.." Tristan cleared his throat. Perhaps his smile was weak. He hoped Holden didn't ask about Delia which he still called Dale for the most part. God, he hoped Holden didn't know about that.

"I hear you and Delia have hit it off," Holden gave him a dead stare as if Tristan was being very mysterious.

"Did you?" Tristan looked at him brightly and told him to order the burger and fries. That was the best way to go. Expensive, but not very tasty, he wanted to say. "Oh, uh..well..I guess so."

"You guess? Are you playing around with Dora's roommate?" He was to the point.

Suddenly Tristan felt crushed. It was complicated. "She's..she's really..." Tristan didn't know what Holden wanted to hear. "Uh, she's...I..I think we have a lot of potential." He nodded with his eyes closed.

He sighed.

"Look I'm not that easy," Tristan told Holden. "Just ask Magz." He looked at Holden blankly.

Holden rolled his eyes at that. "So..so what's wrong?" Tristan winced as if he really didn't want to know all of Holden's ends and outs with Dora.

"I love her, man." Holden looked as if he might sob in an instant.

"Oh." Tristan felt as if he just wasn't manning up, evidently. What did Holden want to hear?

"Something is bothering her. I just wish I knew what it is," Holden said. Tristan nodded yet was so glad when his soft drink arrived. He pushed his straw in and started to sip, possibly at full speed.

"Maybe..maybe..you are just making too much out of it," Tristan nodded. He'd somehow gotten over that hump with Dale. At least they'd talked. Although, it had been kind of a sleepy talk. Still, he wasn't holding anything against her. Somehow it felt like they'd climbed together to the top of a mountain of baggage and were somehow looking down at the past.

"I wish," he shook his head.

"Well..well.... you can't give up now. Just..just don't make it a catastrophe," Tristan nodded. "Just let it be now. OK. You'll see, you can do this."

"I hope so." He nodded. Finally, the meal came and they dug in. Tristan kept grinning as he ate a mouthful. It was nice to get a free meal.