Guy Talk

“What!?”

“You asked Linda to the Obon Festival?” asked Miles.

“Why not? It sounds like fun,” answered Cyrus.

The men were gathered in the breakroom, as the a/c had broken, while the women were occupying the front. The three younger men all stared at Cyrus in disbelief.

“You do realize that it sounds like a date, right?” asked Miles, Cyrus now choking on his tea.

“Date? Why would it be a date? It’s two friends hanging out at a festival.”

 “Two people: a man and a woman hanging out in a date-like environment,” Oliver edged in. He was there for some reason, saying his mentor was out of town.

Cyrus paled as he sank in his seat.

“She probably thinks it’s a date,” he whispered.

“Is it?” asked Shasta, near the window and not paying the conversation much attention.

“I-I, well was your little stroll down the beach with Chouteau a date?” challenged Cyrus. Shasta turned, so the most they could see was the red on the tips of his ears and neck.

“And what about you, Mr. High School, did you enjoy your date with Ms. Mori?”

“It’s not a date if you have to babysit your sister.”

Cyrus grinned, matched by Oliver.

“So, say, if your sister passed out elsewhere, and it was you two alone, then would it be a date?” asked Cyrus.

Miles also turned red, looking away from the other two.

“It was a date,” whispered Oliver.

Cyrus nodded in agreement.

“If I remember, weren’t we discussing Cyrus going to the Obon Festival with Linda as a date?” Shasta looked back over to Cyrus.

“Sure, as soon as you admit it, you were on a date with Chouteau at the beach.”

“A group setting does not make it a date.”

“Since there were three couples there while Leigha and I passed out and Sierra was elsewhere, it would have been a triple date,” reasoned Oliver.

“No one asked you,” the three men yelled. They slumped in their seats, neither wanting to discuss the topic further. Oliver looked between the three and moved closer to Shasta.

“Shasta, we all know you like Anita, and tensions have been running high since Norman showed up. Accept the fact that the beach was a date and maybe the only date you ever get with her,” Oliver offered with a smile. 

Shasta glared at him. “Has anyone told you that you talk too much?”

“No, since I’m usually asleep. That prize goes to Leigha.”

Shasta pushed Oliver to the floor. Oliver crawled back up, so his head was resting on the table, his eyes looking at Miles and Cyrus across from him.

“We can all be real here. Cyrus still has feelings for Linda, and Miles is developing feelings for Ramona. Now come on, admit it.”

Cyrus glared at him while Miles looked away.  “Maybe,” he whispered.

“I knew, I knew it! Your sister was right about you both being soulmates!” Any further cheering was cut off by Shasta whacking him upside the head with a ladle. He hit his forehead on the front of the table, then collapsed on the ground.

“Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.”

The three men sat there in the breakroom, neither saying anything. They could hear the distant giggling of the girls coming from the front.

“What do you think they are talking about?” asked Cyrus.

“To be honest, you,” answered Shasta.

“And you,” echoed Miles.

“And you,” added Cyrus.

All three men sighed, looking up at the ceiling.

“Why are feelings so complicated?” asked Miles.

“What do you mean?” said Cyrus.

“Do I like her or is it a savior complex?”

“Why not both?” asked Shasta

“Maybe.”

“Is it still possible to harbor feelings for someone you broke up with years ago?” asked Cyrus.

“Yes,” both boys answered.

“Is it possible to suggest Norman transfer to another district far away and have Frank come back?”

“No.” 

“Yes.”

The men looked up at each other.

“What’d I miss?” asked Oliver, regaining consciousness.

“We were talking about how we should set you up with Leigha,” said Shasta, looking quite malicious as he said it.

“Yes, you two were snuggling quite close on the beach,” added Cyrus.

Oliver looked between the two, quite panicked, then over to Miles, who looked disgusted at him.

“Miles, Miles, please, I have no romantic feelings for your sister.”

“Right.”

“It’s the truth!” 

“Yahoo!” Norman entered followed by a repairman.

“I brought the company repairman to fix the a/c. Over there.” Norman pointed in the direction of the unit. He then pulled up a chair, bringing it close to the table.

“So, I saw the girls talking out front in the lobby. Is this boy talking then?”

The other men looked at each other, Oliver taking a seat.

“Not especially,” answered Cyrus as they relaxed into their seats.