I laughed. "Kent..." And then I rolled my eyes, "If I think about it, yes, I remember. But when I think about Kent, my friend, that doesn't usually pop up." Not that specifically. Other things popped up, but not him running around in shorts all the time.

There was a raise of his eyebrow. "Oh yeah? Maybe I've forgotten but you seem to be holding something over my head. Tell me.”

I shook my head, "Nothing, I don't think. It’s just that when I think of you, I just think of nerdy you with glasses and those awful 90’s clothes...and a morbid fear of girls." Of wanting to kiss you so hard that your glasses would fall off. And all those nights I’d prayed that you’d notice the parts of me that were round in a sexy, womanly way and not just in your sleep or in a drunken stupor. I kept those thoughts in my head.

"Right. Not Kent who got tired of being picked on and started working out and got rid of the glasses,” he frowned, "And I didn't have a fear of girls, just a healthy weariness of them.”

"I don't think about how cold your room used to be or all the crusty socks under your bed either…” I bit my lower lip to keep from grinning too wide. His reaction was going to be classic.

He blinked, "When were you looking under my bed!"

My smiled dropped. His face was turning red.

"Well, did you ever wear those frilly pink panties with the bows on them?" he raised his eyebrow, "Yeah, I knew about those. They were sitting on top of your dresser one day when I came over and I pretended not to see them so you wouldn't be embarrassed."

I had an exact idea about what panties he was talking about. I’d bought them on the very off chance that I could get Kent into my plus-sized jeans. I laughed and gasped, pointing at him accusingly.

"I knew you saw them. I was wondering when you'd say something about them. I wear panties like that all the time." I stuck my tongue out at him and wondered if he was going to try to lift up my skirt to see. I scolded myself for even thinking about it.

Kent chuckled. "The good ol'days, right Elly?" For a moment he didn't say anything. "I miss this. I know we're both really busy, but why did we stop hanging out so much?"

Because of Jen. I cleared my throat and reached out from the blanket, grabbing my phone. "It’s late, Kent, I should get going..." I wouldn't meet his gaze, I didn’t want him to see what was in my eyes. The regret, the guilt for being so jealous, the hurt he’d put there when he’d chosen her over me so many times in the past.