as much as he knew

Ravi wasn't going to get his hopes up about Kelsey.

It wasn't exactly a date he went on with her, anyway. He'd done it to get out of the house, he supposed. This thing with Olivia was making him rethink a lot things, lately. Maybe they hadn't had sex, but he'd loved her company, just as much. And he missed her, but he couldn't let it show.

Suddenly, he had it set in his mind. Who would he rather be with? Liz or Olivia. Now to anyone else, it would be ridiculous to talk about. There was so much he'd wanted with Liz, that didn't happened. Just as it was with Olivia. And yet, Olivia had been so attentive and loyal. Somehow. He felt he had to be loyal to her too.

Yes, he wanted what was best for her, and if that meant her being with Roger, well, he understood. Yeah, he wanted someone like Olivia. He did, and he wasn't so sure Kelsey was like her. She seemed much more secretive.

She could say the right things. Smile as if she understood him. But, she was no Olivia.

"Well, could you at least be friends with her?" Nick asked when he called about Kelsey.

"Me?" That might be a little tough, he thought. "If I must."

"I don't want it to be a chore," Nick said. "Its just, I think she needs someone to confide in. It might be you."

"Yeah, right." Ravi highly doubted that. "But I'll try if you want."

"I don't want to make you." Nick told him.

"Its OK. I need something to do." He shrugged it off. He was alone now. He kept his distance from Roger. "I'll call her. All right?"

"Well, I don't want you to, if you'd rather not." Nick sighed.

"No, no, I could do it. I will." But deep down, it might as well have been a project of some kind to get done for extra credit, Ravi thought. Things really felt so odd, lately. Part of him felt like something had festered inside him, ready to pop, and yet he felt dazed and confused about everything.