what are friends for

No freak'n way, the thought was a bit more fowl inside Gilly's head, but Gilly held it in. It felt like an out of body experience, having a stranger at his Mum's door. Especially, this early. He'd stayed up all night playing World of Warcraft. He was kind of in a stupor and smelled of sweet candy Red Bull and a bit of nicotine.

"Are you selling something?" Gilly looked at him bug-eyed.

"No, of course not." As soon as Gilly noted his American voice, he knew.

"Its you?" They'd mostly e-mailed each other. Now they were face to face.

"Can I? Come in?" Jonah asked. "Oh, sorry." He looked a little out of it, too. He offered a hand shake. "Its me, Jonah."

"Huh." Gilly edged the door back a bit. Really, the place was a mess. His mother went on a quick holiday to Spain with some loathing gambler. He supposed she was playing cards, somewhere near a warm beach. He hadn't gotten around to picking up. After all, there was another world he lived in. It was a bit more hopeful than this one. "Well.." Gilly picked up the dirty clothes through the livingroom and tossed them into the tiny kitchen, close to the washing machine next to the dishwasher. "You could have told me you were coming."

"But I like surprises." Jonah told him.

"And I hate them." He'd never had one he liked. His life was filled with bullies and bad jokes. Usually, he was the butt of them.

"It was nice of you to write me." Jonah stood there. Finally, Gilly offered him a seat on the dingy couch.

"Well.." Gilly remained timid thinking he should offer tea. All he'd need to do was boil water, he guessed. "Jules is..is ..an..old friend."

"You must have been a good friend to put up with him." Jonah shrugged.

"I guess." Gilly went around the corner and put on the kettle. When he turned around, there was Jonah right behind him. "So I hear he's mad about someone now. In love, I take it?" Gilly found himself rambling, as he looked in cabinets for tea bags.

"Yes, my sister." Jonah didn't sound fond of it. "She stole him, from me."

Gilly thought he was joking. "Jules was quite the rocker. Or so he thought. Many a lass bedded him, on that idea."

Jonah didn't seemed pleased with the thought.

"What about you? You seeing anyone?" Jonah asked.

"Me? Heavens no." Now Gilly wished he hadn't said it. Perhaps he didn't need anyone. Yet there was the game to play and that felt enough at the moment. Why did Jonah have to be messing up his day?