I just finished getting ready in my all-black suit and dress shoes. There was still another hour until we had to leave so I decided to text Damion.

“Heyyyy you busy???”

“Depends… why do you ask?”

“It’s nothing bad this time. But do you have plans for tonight? My parents are making me go to some charity event and I don’t want to be alone,” I sent the text hoping he’s not busy. I’ve been to events like this and Princess Julia always there.

“I don’t have any plans tonight so how long do I have to get ready?” he finally responded after what felt like an hour. It was actually 10 minutes but that’s still a long time. And with his lack of responding fast, he only has 45 minutes… he might kill me.

“Um… only 45 minutes,” I sent the text and prepared myself to be yelled at, and maybe in a timely fashion this time.

“MOLLY! Why do you do this to me every time?!?!?” The text was aggressive, but not as aggressive as normal, so win!

“You did this to yourself, Damion. I texted you to give you an hour to get ready. You’re the one who takes forever to respond.”

“I guess… but you know that an hour isn’t even enough time.”

“It is more than enough though,” I click send knowing I’m getting on his nerves. I send another text to try to save myself, “See you soooooon! I’ll text you when I get to your house <3.”

“Yeah yeah, see you soon <3.”

We get to his house, and I text him to come out.

He texted me, “I’m gay,” like he does every time I bring him somewhere. It’s always the fastest he responds. A minute later he comes out and gets in the car.

“Lookin’ good Mal,” he complimented me.

“Same to you Dame,” I complimented back.

Mal is the nickname he gave me for when we’re around other people. It’s both feminine, and short for Mallow so it works. He’s called me Mal for years around my parents, and now they call me Mal on occasion. 

After a 30 minute drive, we finally arrive at the venue. It is as beautiful as normal. We all walk in and greet everyone. I have dragged Damion to so many of these events that he knows the routine. After greeting everyone, we set our things at our table and while my parents go talk to the other kings and queens, Damion and I go to the buffet. We always go to the buffet first to get the good foods before they’re gone.

“Look Dame! They also have the dessert buffet out!” I shout to Damion who was looking at the side dished.

“Mal! Come over here! They have mozzarella sticks!” he shouted to me.

I look up and run over to him, forgetting about the dessert buffet. We love mozzarella sticks, but we never get them at the events because they “aren’t fancy enough.” Normally, my parents would leave me at Damion’s house, and we would go out to get mozzarella sticks and milkshakes. 

“No way! You better get them for us!” I say this knowing he probably has half a plate already.

“Mal. You do know who you’re talking to, right?” he said showing me his plate that was actually a little over half full.

“Yeah, but I just wanted to make sure.” We looked at each other with dead serious expressions for a couple of seconds, then burst out laughing.

Once we finish eating our food, we head over to the dessert buffet.

“So, we got our mozzarella sticks already, but are we still going out after to get milkshakes?” I ask him, already expecting a yes.

“Obviously, I didn’t get as many mozzarella sticks as I wanted,” he said as if this is common knowledge. Honestly thought it should be by now.

We were talking about what restaurant we would go to when Damion stopped walking. 

“What’s wrong Dame?” I ask looking at him.

“You know, I told you to eat faster. Now look, someone beat use to the dessert buffet.”

“Well, I’m sorry,” I rolled my eyes jokingly at him. I took his comment lightly, that was before I looked up to see who it was.

Apparently, Damion saw my face drop because he asked me, “What’s wrong?”

It took me a minute to realize what he asked me. Once I realized he asked me something, I turned to him and said, “Huh?”

“I asked, what’s wrong?” he repeated, a look of concern painted on his face.

“Oh, um, nothing. It’s just, um, remember the royal I had a date with last night?”

“Yeah, the one you texted me at 12 in the morning about?”

“Yup, that’s the one, and sorry again about that.” I apologized remembering the time frame.

“It’s fine, anyways, what about them?”

“Well, they may, or may not be standing at that dessert buffet,” I told him, trying to be as nonchalant as possible.

“Soooo is that a good thing or bad thing?” He looked as conflicted as me at this point. 

“I don’t know. It could be good because I like them. On the other hand, it could be bad because I like them.” 

“Well make up your mind because they are coming over now.” 

“WHAT!” I was freaking out as Damion looked as if it was a normal encounter. Maybe if I hide, they won’t see me? Wait, why am I thinking like that? It’s not like I’m some child who can’t control her feelings. I’ll be fine.

“Oh hey! I didn’t expect to see you here. Do you come to these events often?”

“Oh, um, yeah- I mean not to this one specifically but- I mean yes, yes I do.” Ughhh why am I so embarrassing! I wonder if they think I’m embarrassing.

“Hey, I’m Damion,” my friend says from beside me. Is it too late to hide behind him? 

“Hi Damion! I’m Royal Lexia Fuller,” they spoke so elegantly, their name sounding as sweet as honey.

Wait, is my face red? I hope it’s not red. That would be so embarrassing. Can they read my mind? Can they tell how nervous I am? I need to test this.

“Blink twice if you can read my mind,” I thought waiting patiently to see if they blink twice. I felt a slight wave of relief when their blinking pattern remained the same.

I had been so entranced by my thoughts that I didn’t even realize that Damian and Lexia had been having a full conversation. That was until I heard the shocking sentence come out of Damion’s mouth.

“Well Mal and I normally go out for milkshakes and mozzarella sticks after these events, do you want to come with us?” He asked them to join us! I’m totally screwed on this one. Is it bad I am kind of hoping they say no? 

“Sure! I’ll just make sure to let my parents know. Would you mind if I ride with you guys though?” Their question was directed to Damion but, in my attempted vow of silence, my mouth betrayed me.

“Of course not!” I blurted it out faster than I could stop myself. Oh my god! What did I just do? I’m just digging myself a deeper hole and Dame is not helping out.

“Awesome! I’ll meet you here after the auction,” the statement was directed towards the both of us. Then they started walking past me but stopped when they reached me and whispered into my ear, “I can’t wait to spend time with you.”

My heart skipped a beat. I knew my face just turned bright red, but I wasn’t worried about that right now. Their words played in my mind like a broken record. I think Damion, or even other people were talking to me, but I couldn’t hear them over the sacred phrase playing in my head. Once I could finally hear over their voice, I realized Damion had been trying to talk to me.

“Yo Mal, are you ok? What did they say? Was it bad? Good?” He sounded concerned and intrigued at the same time.

“Huh? Sorry, um. It was good. Very good,” I felt myself blushing, just by think of the words they spoke, just loud enough for me to hear. I wasn’t sure if I should tell Dame or leave him in the suspense for just a little longer. I decided to tell him because I needed to be able to freak out to someone.

“I- I- umm…”  I started stuttering just thinking about them. I took a deep breathe, then tried in a normal, more recognizable language. “They said that they can’t wait to spend time with me.” My heart was bound to burst out of my chest at this point. I started to get a little worried when I noticed Damion’s face. He has always had a terrible poker face. His face is easier to read than a picture book, but this time his expression was blank. The most perfect poker face I have ever seen. Does he think something is wrong? Did I do something wrong? Is he mad at me? Does he think I don’t deserve them? That I’m not good enough for them? “No, stop it,” I whisper to myself, just loud enough so I’m the only one who can hear. It’s the only thing that works when I start to spiral. 

“Um… Dame? Are you okay?” I asked him in a softened voice. I didn’t want him to feel like I was mad at him. 

“Oh sorry. I just… um. Well, the thing is, I just don’t want to become the third wheel.” His face became one taken over by a wave of sadness. I was shocked, not that his feelings were unreasonable, but by the fact that I hadn’t thought about that factor. When Damion and I were just entering middle school, he had another best friend. Her name was Angelica Granger, she was sweet, beautiful, and very generous, especially throughout elementary school. I wasn’t really close with Angelica, but Dame told me about her, mostly after their friendship ended. From what I’ve been told, in middle school, Angelica discovered boys, and relationships. Damion began to feel left out, so Angelica started bringing him on her dates, but he always felt awkward, and especially ignored. Their friendship ultimately ended when Dame told her that he overheard her boyfriend bragging to his friend about cheating on her. She didn’t believe Dame and told him she couldn’t be friends with a liar. The way she betrayed Dame left him in pieces and I helped him pick up the pieces and remake the masterpiece he is. Angelica’s boyfriend ended up breaking with her the following week because he was, and I quote, “Bored of her monotone personality.”

“No Dame! I could never make you my third wheel!” I felt so bad he thought that I would ever put our friendship on the backburner, especially since he has been my support system for years. “I’m sorry you feel that way. Is there any way I can help? We can do extra movie nights. Or if you and Lexia become friends we can hang out as a group, or if you would feel more comfortable, I could keep my hangouts with Lexia just me and them. Just know that no matter who I’m in a relationship with, or not in a relationship at all, I will ALWAYS make time for you.” I see a smile start to form on his face, it was weak, but it was present nonetheless. 

“Ok, well let’s see how tonight goes, and we can go from there. I would also understand if you wanted to spend more time with them than me though. It would be okay, I know you have to marry them, and you really like them.” His second sentence broke my heart. I do like Lexia, but I would choose Damion over Lexia any day of the week if I had to. We have been friends since we were little, and that is a type of bond that cannot be broken. 

“Whatever you say bro, but just know I love you, and I would choose you over Lexia in a heartbeat.” I finally see his signature Damion smile return to his face. His smile seen so clearly on his face gives me a sensation of warmth, and a feeling like I’m home.

“Awwww I love you too, Mal. But don’t be too quick about that choice, I saw how pretty Lexia is, and you wouldn’t want to make them jealous.” We both chuckled at his statement and continued to get some desserts from the buffet table.

Two hours passed and the auction was about to end. Dame and I always found the auction to be super boring, so we ended up just finding memes, or the occasional cat photo, and sending them to each other, despite sitting next to side by side. There was one more item being auctioned off, so I leaned over to my mother and whispered, not to disturb the others, “Dame and I are heading over to the dessert buffet. I called to get an extra driver, so we are going to head over to Dame’s as soon as the auction is over.”

“Ok, I love you, and stay safe.” She whispered back to me, without looking at me. As I was about to stand up my mom had turned to me and asked, “Oh, did you happen to see Royal Lexia, they were supposed to be here today.”

“Oh, umm, yeah we uh, we ran into them on our way to get desserts earlier,” I chuckled under my breath as I was remembering the encounter. Them whispering in my ear as they were walking by, the feeling of their breath brushing against my neck. The way they looked in their stunning, lavender dress. I assumed my mom was satisfied with my answer, as she asked no further questions.

As Damion and I approached the spot where we had seen Lexia only hours earlier, we saw them walking towards the same spot from the opposite direction. I assumed Damion’s face appeared as normal, a large, heart-warming smile that never failed to make people feel loved. On the other hand, I couldn’t take my eyes off of Lexia. The way they walked, no, the way the strut with all of the confidence in the world. Their personality, their looks, and their confidence are all factors that contribute to how attractive they are, which isn’t very helpful when I am trying to keep my feelings on the down low.

“Hey, perfect timing, am I right?” They chuckled; the sound as perfect as they are. I think I’m gushing. Yeah, I am, but as long as no one can hear me, I will gush as much as I’d like. Plus, it’s quite easy to admire someone when they are as gorgeous as they are.  

“Yeah,” Damion answered before I could, although I didn’t mid because I wasn’t sure if I would be able to give a normal answer. 

We heard the auctioneer call out the final sale, “… And sold to number 75! That was the final item, a six-night, seven-day cruise to the Bahamas for 3, sold for $10,000! Remember folks, this money goes to the Make-A-Wish Foundation, and if you would like to, there is a station to make independent donations to the foundation by the main buffet. Feel free to donate any amount of your choosing and have a great night everyone. Please be sure to exit the building by 12 A.M., and as a reminder it is currently 11:05 P.M. Have a great night and stay safe, folks!”