where the boys are

It was snowing again. Another day Robby couldn't shoot hoops with Chance at the basketball court, but they still met up and settled for playing on Chance's old Nintendo in his brother's basement.

Chance said he needed to get his mind off things. "Everything is so serious lately." He said hesitating to smile.

"What do you mean? Work? You and Rosie?" Robby looked at him blankly.

Chance didn't quite smile. He reminded Robby that he knew Rosie had a boyfriend and he wasn't trying to do anything with her.

"It's just baffling, how we still end up...together." He told Robby he didn't have any plans with her. Wasn't even planning to go to her Thanksgiving, but there he was sharing dinner with her family.

"I didn't even have time to buy a pie."

Robby couldn't help but laugh a little at his friend. "Pie? Seriously?"

"I told you it was serious." Chance almost shrugged getting ready for another round of Mario.

"So you do like her?"

"I didn't say that, did I?"

"Well, I dunno, you sure talk about her an awful lot." Robby shrugged back.

"She's not my type." Chance looked at Robby, closed-lip with a bit of a round frown.

"What is your type?" Robby wanted to know.

"God," Chance rolled his eyes. "I know it when I see it."

"Oh really?" Robby shook his head as if maybe his new friend was lying to himself.

"It's just..." It was as if Chance might be swallowing his pride. "I'm used to a girl who, you know, swoons over me...Like she's my biggest fan."

"You like that kind of girl?" Robby couldn't help but snicker, "What kind of life you been living, bro."

Chance sucked in a breath. "OK, so I can usually get what I want." He didn't come out and say it, but Robby got the impression that Chance had plenty of experience with females.

"It's just..I feel like I'm on a iceberg and nobody is really looking to find me." He told Robby he was used to the beach, surfing, late-night parties. Still, he didn't actually have any friends. There wasn't anyone texting him to come home. He said he felt a bit lost now.

"So, you're just looking for somebody who-" Robby didn't want to talk about sexual needs, but maybe they were in the same boat. He wasn't actually as perfect as Valentina might think. Although, he'd hate to go down that road. "I dunno maybe you just haven't found the real deal yet, you know."

He felt certain he'd found it in Valentina. He liked hanging out with her and basically doing nothing with her. It should be enough. Shouldn't it?

"I mean, I have a few regrets," But he didn't want to think of himself as an animal. Although, there were some looking for experiences too. Yes, they'd been short-lived in his high school life, but nothing detrimental. "But I've learned from them." He felt certain he'd never want Valentina to feel bad. After all, he wanted to see her happy.

"It's just hard being friends, you know." There was a sound in Chance's voice that seemed destined for trouble.

"Don't do anything, I wouldn't do." Robby wasn't even sure why he'd said it. But he didn't think Chance wanted to be a player.