Yes or No

Henry and I met up for lunch at our local burger joint for some catching up before I had to work. We've been a little out of touch lately and I felt really bad about it. I had been so consumed with work, school, and Taylor that I've been neglecting what little friends I had left. I've been trying to avoid going home and being home so I had more time on my hands.

Henry, dressed casually in a T-shirt and jeans, ordered a cheeseburger with friends and I settle on a burger with fries. He gave our menus to the waiter.

"So, what's new with you?" I asked him, when the waiter left. I took a sip of my strawberry lemonade. "Have you gotten your acceptance letters yet?"

"Yeah, I got accepted into San Diego State, San Jose State, and a couple of UCs," he said. My heart dropped when I didn't hear him say Beachside. I guess our group is actually separating after we graduate from high school. "Of course, there's Beachside, but if you live here you automatically get in." I smiled. There was hope after all. I just wanted our group to stay together, including Adam and Haylie, even if we weren't on speaking terms. I don't know how to explain it, I think it's just that I'm scared of change. I mentally sighed and turned my attention back to Henry.

"I'm going to Beachside!" I exclaimed, trying to sound excited. "Wouldn't it be great if we went there together?"

"I guess," Henry said, shrugging. "I mean, I know for sure that Haylie is going there. I'm not sure if I can go to the same school as her, you know?"

I understood where he was coming from. He needed distance away from Haylie. He's been so in love with her over the years and has been rejected by her so many times that I think he's reached the point where he's given up. I don't think that he's actually gone up to her and asked her out, but I'll bet seeing her with all these other guys (and he doesn't even know about Cody or any other guy Haylie has been fooling around with) just tells him that he doesn't have a chance with her. I think this is a good thing, he deserves someone better than Haylie, someone who will love him as much as he loves her.

"I know," I told him. "It's for the best, Henry."

A waitress brought us our food. She handed me my platter and set Henry's platter on the table. She turned to leave, but stopped.

"You two make a really cute couple," she exclaimed. I looked at her confused.

"No, no, no, we're not dating," I told her at the same time Henry was saying: "We're just friends."

The waitress blushed at her mistake and apologized. She went back to work and we burst out laughing.

"That was great!" I said, laughing. I tried to calm myself down by drinking more lemonade, but that only caused me to choke. Henry came over and started patting me on the back until I was ok to speak. Once I was ok, he went back to his seat and started on his burger.

"Speaking of couples," he said, smiling. "How are things with Loverboy?" I sighed. Taylor was a subject that I wanted to avoid today.

"Ok, I guess," I said, shrugging. "He made me choose between him and Adam the other day. I chose Taylor."

"Huh, I'm not surprised that he made you choose," he said. "You and Adam would make the perfect couple. He's probably threatened by that."

"Shut up, Henry," I said, rolling my eyes. I threw a fry at him. "You know that Adam and I are just friends."

"Mmhmm," he said, skeptically. "Because I sleep with all of my friends."

"Oh, jeez, he told you?" I groaned. "I was drunk. I wasn't thinking clearly. I don't have any feelings for him."

"You can blame the alcohol if you want," he said. "On some level, you wanted it to happen though, no matter how much you want to deny it. I don't blame the fact that Loverboy made you choose. You're probably leading Adam on without meaning to. He's still in love with you, whether you want to admit it or not, and going to him when you're vulnerable isn't helping the situation. I'm surprised that you chose Loverboy though, I would have thought that you'd choose Adam."

"Just eat your burger," I told him, rolling my eyes.

In the back of my mind I couldn't help but wonder if Henry was right on all counts. Did I make the wrong choice?