“Way to go, Ian!” It was Julia.
“It went okay,” I said, trying to practice sounding modest.
“Don't be a jerk. You must be thrilled.”
“You're telling
me
how I'm supposed to feel now?” I demanded.
“Well, I can't tell Oswald anymore.”
The two of them had formally broken up the week before. It was like a mercy killing.
“You want to go to a movie tonight?” Julia asked.
“Yeah, sure. What do you want to see?” I asked.
“You decide.”
“Me? Maybe the three of us should talk it over. Want me to call Oswald?”
There was silence. “Not really. It's still pretty uncomfortable for me and him. I was thinking it could just be the two of us.”
“You asking me out on a date?”
“Don't flatter yourself!” she snapped. “So you want to go or not?”
“I guess.” I paused. “Just out of curiosity, if
I
did, you know, ask you out, what would you say?”
“Depends,” she said.
“Depends on what?”
“On what you were asking me to do. For example, if you were inviting me out to go to a movie, I might just say yes.”
I took a deep breath and felt my heart pounding. I could do this. “Julia, do you think that tonight, me and you, do you think we could maybe go out together to see a movie?”
The phone was silent. “A movieâ¦that would be nice.”