Chatting with an old friend

 Was it March already? Tristan wondered where February went. Of course, he'd been in little tiffs with Magz for the most part if he wasn't working at the zoo or writing a report of some kind. However, this didn't keep him from getting sick. He was sure it might be COVID when he awoke with a stuffed head as well as a painful headache, but the test came back negative. His throat burned enough, he could feel it in his ears. Yet, he wasn't that bad off. 

Naturally, he hadn't heard from Magz in a good long while. She finally took the hint that he wasn't going to be her in-betweener nor anything else. Yes, maybe he'd remained loyal to Holden even if he didn't feel he'd ever be his friend, either. After all, a lot was on his mind and he didn't really have time for that many friends.

But when a knock came on his door, he was sure it would be Magz and god knows what might happen. He was tired and needed something hot. Preferably, his mom's chicken soup, but he hated to bother her.

"Who is it?" He managed to cough up.

"It's me."

Tristan grimaced. At least it didn't sound like Magz. He opened the door. It was Holden and he had fast food.

"Why are you here?" Tristan was in a pout. "I'm sick and you should stay away."

"You don't look that sick," he said. "I brought you Sonic."

"I can't-" His stomach begged to differ as it growled intently.

"Come on, you just need food." He gave him a slap on the back and looked so happy.

"What's wrong with you?" Tristan didn't get it. They got situated at the kitchen table. Holden brought chocolate shakes and tots along with the cheeseburgers.

"I think I'm in love," he was so smart-mouthed that it made Tristan cringe. But he pushed a tot in his mouth and unfoiled the warm burger waiting to be eaten. Suddenly Tristan was so hungry. "Did you make up with Magz?"

"God no," Holden squinted. "That ship has sunk. I  have found..um..somebody I want to be forever with." He laughed and crammed half the burger in his mouth.

"Oh, really?" Tristan took to the milkshake. The cold hit his throat. He mentioned how Magz had been around and how he didn't want to mess up their relationship or his friendship with Holden.

"Good." Holden nodded. "You don't need someone like her in your life who..who just eats it up. It's like you got to be there twenty-four-seven for every little thing. And you're always second-guessing yourself."

"Well..couldn't this happen with who you're seeing now?" Tristan asked.

"I think I'm a very good judge of character," Holden said with such certainty.

"I don't know about that," Tristan found himself almost laughing.

"I wasn't the one who wanted to go out with Magz in the first place," Holden told Tristan that it was his Dad who wanted them to date because she had money and his dad knew her father.

Tristan nodded and took a bite of the thick burger. He was afraid to eat too fast or he might choke.

"I really like Dora," Holden said. "But she's kind of reluctant."

"How so?"

"I dunno. Exactly. I think it has more to do with her roommate than me." He shrugged as he slurped down the shake.

"Her roommate?" Tristan looked at Holden. What was he asking?

"I was hoping you could, I don't know meet her roommate."

"Seriously?" Tristan squinted hard. 

"Delia's really nice. Pretty cute, but she's not as adorable as Dora," Holden told him.

Tristan looked at him as if it was the worst idea ever. 

"Just stay away from Magz," he looked at Tristan as he was finishing up his burger. "I'm not saying that because she's my ex. I'm saying that because I don't want you to go through what I went through with her. I'm not asking you to fall in love with her roommate. Just you know, get to know her. You might even like her."

Tristan sighed. He wanted to tell his old friend who he hadn't talked to in a decade or so that he'd been through a bad time already. And maybe it had been all his fault with Mona. Was he really ready to go out with someone nice?