Although we never said it to each other I think we both knew

 "But I don't want to play Mario anymore," Mick made a face of disgust as he put the old hand gaming device on the coffee table. Why did Vicki think he'd want to play that old game? He squinted hard. Actually, he couldn't make his character jump high enough so he couldn't get very far.

"You loved that game when you were ten," Vicki reminded him. He rolled his eyes at her. Now if he was on a game too long he would get seizures.

He shook his head, no. It was true. He was stupid. He'd forgotten more things. Even writing was hard, but he knew cars and still docile as a kitten, or so his uncle told him. Mick still wasn't sure what that meant.

"I thought your roommate was supposed to be here," Vicki said who went to check on the laundry in the washer.

"Let me do it," he jumped up and made a run to the washer before she could get the lid up. He liked putting the wet clothes in the dryer. He guessed that was pretty dumb too. But once they were dry, he loved fresh warm clothes.

"Jools is going back to work at the University," he remembered about Jools now. Mick said Jools wasn't working at the gas station anymore.

"Nice. So what do you two do?" She looked him over and Mick couldn't help but snarl back.

"Like what?"

"Does he have any favorite TV shows?"

"No. I don't think so." Mick only watched nature shows. He didn't like the news and he did not like any reality shows like Dateline. He used to watch THE SIMPSONS nonstop but decided to give nature shows a chance and anything with dogs in it won out.

"You're being nosy," he told Vicki. "Why do you want to know about Jools?"

She shrugged, but then said she was only looking out for him.

"Thanks, sis," Mick's smile was broad as he gave her a pat on the back. Naturally, she shooed him away and got her backpack to go.

"I thought you were going to do my hair?"

"You look fine." Her words were slow as if she might not be feeling well. He guessed she would have felt better if Jools was here.

About fifteen minutes later, Jools unlocked the front door and came in with the mail. He sorted through it. "Was your girlfriend here?" Jools looked up at Mick.

He thought about it for a moment. Vicki was a girl and she was his friend. "Yes, my girlfriend was here, and she asked about you."

He only nodded and put the junk mail on the coffee table. Most of it was for Mick's old roommates. Jools went to the fridge and poured himself a glass of milk. He started to drink in silence but when Mick told him that she liked Jools not him, he spewed the whole dining table.

Mick grimaced and went to get paper towels.

"Want a peanut-butter sandwich?" Mick asked thinking he at least owed Jools dinner. He got out the dill pickles. Finally, he assembled the sandwiches. Carrots were already cut in the fridge. Of course, Mick ate his pickle first.

"I don't think I'm her type," Jools said he used to date a girl who thought he was supposed to buy her things all the time.

"Vicki would never do that. She's the one who likes to make gifts," Mick smiled. He looked over his shoulder and there was a treasure of trolls and unicorns she'd given him over the years. He even modeled the friendship bracelet she'd made him. "I bet she would make you one."

"I don't really need one," Jools kind of smiled and bit into a carrot.

"Maybe, when everything gets better, like at the end of summer, we can all go to the Riverfest and listen to some cool bands," Mick smiled wishing he could be in a band, but as it was he couldn't carry a tune and he definitely wouldn't know what to do with a guitar.