The Conversation

He hadn't been out with that group in a number of months.  She was on the opposite side of the long table, at the other end.  Everyone was talking and it was loud, so when he made eye contact with her, he nodded, half-smiled (nearly a smirk), and lifted his hand in a half-hearted wave.  She did much the same.  It wasn't til the end of the evening, when everyone had gotten up and was saying their goodbyes that she came over to him.  Nobody else paid any attention to them.

She (S): Where've you been? 

He (H): You know how life gets, just been busy.

S: Really? I was starting to think you've been avoiding me.

H: Um...I mean, not to make things awkward, but kinda.

S: Why would you think you had to do that?

H: I figured I must have said something that offended you or crossed a line and been too flirty.

S: What makes you say that? 

H: Because whenever I've reached out to you outside of these get-togethers it either feels like I'm pulling teeth or you just don't respond.  There are only so many one word text answers or no answers that I should push through. Otherwise, you know, desperate or stalker.

S: That's not really fair. I mean, like you said, life gets busy. But, no, I don't think you're desperate or stalking.

H: Be that as it may, but, if we're friends, that's a two way street, and at the end of the day, I have to go by your response, and those responses, or, really, the lack thereof, indicate that you want to be left alone.  

S: So if I don't immediately get into a long conversation the moment you initiate it, I'm the bad guy?

H: No. But if I don't initiate, I never hear from you. I mean, literally. You have literally never initiated. No phone call. No text. No nothing.

S: I came over here tonight, didn't I?

H: Sure. And you always do. But it's always in the context of the group, and, because I never hear from you outside of the group, you *have* to initiate, or I risk making things weird if I have crossed a line or appear too interested.  And even if I'm wrong about that, it's the right move, because these are our friends, so when in doubt, I don't wanna make things drama-fueled or weird for them.

S: You care about that?

H: You don't?

S: Just seems kinda weak if you're interested.

H: Now you're the one not being fair.  My female friends tell me not to give up when I'm into a girl that hasn't put out the vibe that she's into me, but then they'll turn around and immediately complain about some guy not getting the hint when he hits on one of them and they don't respond.  

S: So what now then? I'm here talking to you.

H: No, this is us talking about talking and not-talking.  But I'd like to have an actual conversation some time.

S: Then call me.

H: Then pick up.

S: We'll see.

And with that she smiled mischievously and gave him a friendly parting hug and they each made their separate goodbyes to everyone and everyone parted.

And the next morning, he was bored at work and, of course, thinking of her, so he sent her a text: "Wanna grab a cup of coffee?" 

And she didn't respond until nearly the end of the day, "can't."

And that was that.