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I walked into the hotel room Zoë was sharing with Justin and she was there putting the finishing touches on herself. I stood in the doorway and she turned around from the mirror.
"Wow, don't we look nice." She walked over to me and looked me up and down. "Very nice."
"Thanks, not bad yourself."
"What this old stuff. Hold up a second and I'll be ready to go." I stood there patiently while she went to the bathroom for something.
"Hey." Justin walked in. He turned on the tv and sat down on the bed.
"OK I'm ready." Zoë walked out of the bathroom.
"Ready for what?" Justin asked.
"Lance and I are going out to lunch."
"Without me?"
"Yes, without you, you know I don't have to do everything with you."
"Well, I know, but with my friends?"
"Justin I can assure you I won't try anything with Zoë" I made sure he knew.
"Yeah sweetie he won't do anything, don't you trust me?" She pleaded with him.
"Well, I guess, but if you do anything to her..." He was up in my face.
"I won't I promise I don't like Zoë like that."
"All right, then have a good time." He waved good-bye and we walked out the door.
"I can't believe he actually thought that I would try something with you." I laughed.
"It's not that unbelievable, you could do worse than me."
"Yeah, but I could do a whole lot better." She turned away from me.
"Let's just get this over with."
"I'm sorry I didn't mean it like that." I apologized I admit what I said was a little mean.
"I know, but there's no way you could do better than me."
"You're probably right."
"So where are you taking me for lunch?"
"I didn't know I was treating you to lunch."
"But of course you're paying."
"Oh if I'm paying you're picking."
"Fine. I'll pick. We can go to McDonalds."
"McDonalds?"
"Yeah not too expensive and quick to eat."
"OK whatever." We got to the elevator and waited.
"So."
"So lovely weather we're having." I tried to make conversation.
"Don't try and make conversation."
"Well, what do you want to talk about?"
"I don't know just not the weather." The elevator doors opened and we walked in. We walked outside and grabbed a cab that took us to the nearest McDonalds. We sat down and began to eat.
"So how's everything going with Justin?" I thought I should talk about something. Even though I wasn't really interested in her relationship with him I thought it would be nice to mention it.
"Good." She took a bite of her cheeseburger.
"That's good."
"Yep." The conversation was getting a little laxed. I took a fry out of box and started to bite it, but her words stopped me. "Actually he's kinda been getting on my nerves lately."
"Well, what about him has been getting on your nerves?" I didn't care I was just being a good friend.
"I don't know, just the whole concept of him, ya know him, him, him, him, him that's all he ever thinks about."
"Oh." Was all I could say.
"I mean you saw him 'going to lunch without me?'." She did a real cute impression of him which made me laugh a little.
"I understand."
"Do you? He thinks my world should revolve around him, which I'm not totally liking that idea."
"Well, what are you going to do?" I wasn't really asking I was more of making it as a statement.
"I've been thinking about that. I think I need sorta a break you know from the whole, Justin."
"You can't leave."
"I don't want to leave I just want to take it down a notch with Justin. To where he wouldn't be mad at me for going out to lunch with you."
"You just want to be his friend?"
"Yes, in way I guess that's what I'm saying."
"Well that's great." I didn't know what else to say.
"Really, or are you just saying that cause you don't know what else to say." Man, she sure can read my mind.
"Yeah." I confessed.
"Are you ready to go check out guys now?"
"Yeah let's go." We got up from the table and caught another cab and headed for the mall.

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We were sitting on a bench watching different guys walk by.
"What about that one?" She pointed to a tall, blond.
"I don't know, he kinda reminds me of Justin."
"Will you just pick one."
"OK that one." I pointed towards another one.
"Finally, I'll be right back." I watched her get up from the bench and walk towards the guy. I didn't know what was going on. "Excuse me." She tapped on his shoulder.
"Yes?"
"I'm Zoë, and my friend thinks your really cute."
"Eric, and I think your friend's friend is really cute."
"Yeah, whatever, so are you at all interested?"
"Sure where is she?"
"Well, he is right over there on the bench." She pointed in my direction.
"That's a guy."
"I know so how bout it?"
"Listen what I'm going to do. I'll give you, and only you my number and if you're interested you can call." He began to write his number down on a piece of paper and handed it to her. I started to get excited.
"Thanks." She walked back over to me and threw the paper in a nearby trash can.
"Hey," I was offended she threw it away. "What did you do that for?"
"Trust me you wouldn't want him."
"But he gave me his phone number."
"No, he gave me his number."
"Oh." I was disappointed.
"Listen maybe the mall wasn't the best place. We should really go to one of those gay bars."
"Really?"
"Yeah that way we know everyone there is, you know."
"Hmm, you're right we should do that, but will you be willing to go to one of those with me."
"Sure it'll be fun."
"Are you sure Justin would be OK with that?"
"Justin would probably embrace me being with other women."
"You're right, he's such a guy." We both laughed and left the mall.

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I was all ready to go out with Zoë to pick up guys. I walked into her and Justin's room and there she was in her pajamas watching tv with Justin and eating an apple.
"Um Zoë, can I talk to you?"
"Sure." She handed her apple to Justin who took a bite from it. She walked towards me. "Yeah?"
"Hello, I thought we were going out tonight."
"No, not tonight we spent all day together and I really want to stay with Justin."
"I thought you were going to dump him today."
"Well, I was but then I came home and he was just so cute I couldn't do it." That was pathetic.
"What am I supposed to do tonight?"
"I don't know you can hang out with Chris?"
"I have to hang out with Chris?"
"Well, there's Joey, those two are probably together anyway, so just go stay with them."
"I'll just go in my room and watch some tv."
"Or you could watch tv with me and Justin."
"Hey Zo, what's taking you so long?" He walked up to us carrying a completely eaten apple.
"Don't call me that and I'm just talking to Lance."
"You two have just been talking a lot lately." He looked at me suspiciously.
"Justin, get real you know you're the only one for me." She took his hand and dragged him back to the couch. I glanced in their direction before residing to my room. I walked into my room and noticed Mallory sitting on my bed.
"Can I help you?"
"Yes, you are exactly who I was looking for, come here." She patted a spot next to her on the bed. I walked up to her and sat down next to her.
"What's up?"
"I been thinking about you, and I know you haven't been to lucky in the girl department so I thought I would set you up with my friend. You guys would be perfect for each other."
"I'm thinking no."
"You're not even giving her a chance, she's really cute and her name is Angie."
"No, you're not getting the point I don't want to be in a relationship with a girl right now."
"Oh, well if Angie not your cup of tea I have this other friend..."
"No, first of all I don't need your help to get a date. Second I don't want to be with anyone right now. Get the picture?"
"Yeah I got it."
"So just leave me alone OK?"
"Fine, you don't want my help, I won't give you any." She got up off the bed and headed for the door.
"Good, I don't need it." She walked out the door. I fell back on my bed and stared up at the ceiling. I inhaled deeply and closed my eyes thinking about my situation. I was so confused. I wanted to tell everybody, things would be better in one aspect, I wouldn't have a secret, but then everyone would know my secret and I didn't want that. I got ready for bed, turned out the lights, crawled into bed, and watch tv. I flipped through the channels and since it was late at night nothing was on but stupid talk shows. I stopped on Forgive or Forget and read the topic in the corner of the screen.
"I have a crush on my best friend. Oh how fitting is that?" I watched a little while but turned it when I saw the guy not appear at the door. It just made me more upset. I continued through the stations passing everything from Jerry Springer to the Queen Latifah Show. I finally decided on Judge Judy. I always enjoyed her yelling at people for making stupid mistakes it raised my self-esteem knowing I'll never end up that messed up. My thoughts quickly drifted from the show to tomorrow. We were going to New Orleans. After a long bus ride we'll have to a show then Zoë and I are going out. It should be fun I just hope no one wants to tag along.