Sitting on the couch at Dante’s house, bad thoughts rushed at him like a freight train. He tried to use techniques his therapist had taught him to head off the spiral, but he still couldn’t embrace the idea that he was worthwhile, despite months of trying. Too much self-doubt, fed and watered by his family until those seeds grew into a monstrous plant. Like the one in Little Shop of Horrors, it would devour him if he let it.

Eventually, Dante joined him in the living room and put a game on the TV. From what he recalled, Dante was into the Chicago Bulls, and sure enough, that was what they ended up watching. Trev paid scant attention to the players as his friend pointed at the TV and got really involved in all the calls and plays.

Titus texted later that night. Bored. Doing anything fun?

Trev: Hanging out with Dante.

Titus: What, seriously? Why didn’t you invite me?

Since he’d kind of been avoiding Titus since Sarah’s revelation, he had chosen to hang with Dante because their relationship was simple. It wasn’t like he had been trying to hurt Titus’s feelings, though, just busy processing his own. And it had been so long since he had more than one friend that he’d forgotten there could be complexities to navigate.

Sighing, he waited for a commercial break to say, “So I might have started something without meaning to.”

“Viva la revolución,” Dante said.

“In our group.”

“Uh-oh. Lay it on me.”

“Titus just asked why he wasn’t invited to hang out with us tonight. He asked what I’m doing, probably because Danica’s with Leanne at book club.”

Dante nodded. “You don’t have to tell me. Margie’s there too. Though I wouldn’t be seeing her this weekend anyway. We don’t hook up when I have Evonnie.”

“How often—never mind. It’s not my business.” Trev changed his mind about digging into his friend’s relationship, if it could be called that.

I can’t even sort my own shit out.

“I know what you were about to ask, and…once a month, if that. Usually when Chris has something on and Evonnie is with her mom.”

“But Titus?”

“That’s your problem, dude.”

Sighing, Trev decided honesty was the best policy, so he wrote: We had stuff to talk about, and I asked to crash on his couch since Leanne’s hosting book club tonight.

Titus: My couch isn’t good enough for you anymore?

Trev: Sorry if you thought we were exclusive. I can’t be tied down to one couch.

Dante leaned over to read his screen and broke into quiet laughter. “Are you flirting with him or what? But for real, it is hard to bind somebody to a couch, unless it’s one with removable cushions and wooden armrests.”