in the real world

Could Frankie really do this?

All said and done, he didn't really need roommates. Although, his twin sister's new adopted dad convinced him he needed company. "Get a couple of roommates. Make a little extra money on the side." The wise man took him under his wing. He guessed he was right.

Frankie hadn't thought too much of anything else, lately. Having his own home. A great job. Yes, this was the life he wanted, even if he didn't have Lottie to share it with. And maybe, he wouldn't be so lonely..if there were roommates.

J.D. was the first to show up.

"For a while there, I thought we might never be friends, again." J.D. mentioned while he was helping Frankie unpack the kitchen items that Vada's parents supplied.

"What do you mean?" Frankie looked at him blankly. J.D. was the first person he'd met at the University when he started working at the University Bookstore.

"Oh, you know..what I mean." J.D. cracked a smile. "I..I hated you a little bit for taking the girl I was hoping to know. But, I might have been the lucky one." He was talking about Lottie. "What happened between you two?"

Frankie only cleared his throat. He wasn't sure he could talk about it, even now. He'd let himself stay away from any emotion. But he'd seen Lottie with Alo's little brother Bear. It was when he saw her smile that he stopped himself from even approaching her. She'd never smiled that way, when she was around him. Perhaps, he did bring her down.

"College, I guess." Frankie tried to smile, but it was hard. It was so bitter-sweet with Lottie. He couldn't let her get the best of him. "I know..she..she was my ..my first girlfriend." He squinted, thinking she might be the only girlfriend he'd ever have. Maybe he should scratch it off his bucket list and go on with things.

There was so much to be happy about. He couldn't let her bring him down. But they were done. Maybe she'd noticed. He didn't take her calls. Not even her text. He didn't even tell her where he was going.

"Anyway, I'm..I'm glad we could stay friends." Frankie looked him in the eye, hoping J.D. had grown up too. He didn't see him out with a new girl, every week. "How about you? You, seeing anyone?"

J.D. cracked a smile. "Girls, these days are really expensive." He chuckled. "Or maybe its the entertainment tax. Have you noticed how much dinner is, even at that old diner we used to go too, after a party?"

Frankie shook his head, no. Honestly, he didn't go out much.

J.D. patted him on the back. "I'm past the parties." He sighed.

"Are you for real?" Frankie found that hard to believe.

J.D. nodded. "Besides, that Lottie was a real troublemaker. Honest to God, I thought..that one time, she was gonna get me kicked out of the university." He rinsed the glasses, that were clean already, and put them in the dish drainer as if he'd take no chances.

Frankie remained straight lipped. Maybe J.D. was the best friend of all.