Dark Prisons

“How did it go?”“He’s a jerk!” She replies. Then she laughs. He joins in. They laugh so hard that they collapse into each other.“At least you gave it a shot,” he says.“Oh puhleeasse! Don’t try to make me feel better. I’m not feeling bad. I just feel bad that-”“You just said you weren’t feeling bad. Sorry, you just said you feel bad too,” he says with that serious face he carries every time before he bursts into laughter. And that he does, and she joins him, laughing even harder.

“Why can’t all guys just be like you?” She asks.“Oh well,” he shrugs, “there are many like me. And like me, they are languishing in dark prisons.”“What are you talking about” She looks him, confused.“Friend zone.”“Noooo! You are like a brother to me” She says before she explodes in another round of laughter.“Guilty as charged,” he says smiling.“You put yourself there bro,” she says, pulling a straight face out of nowhere.“Oh well, Friend zone is not always a bad thing. Its a safety net sometimes,” he explains, “you know, like the durex of those careless feeling people catch.”“Okay?”The awkward silence follows.

“I lost my durex though, and I caught feelings.”Another awkward silence.“I really like you. And please, I don’t like you like as sister,” he says, eyes fixed on her. Hers simply wonder recklessly around his living room.“I really like you too.”Pure joy fills the room.“Does…that mean we are giving it a shot?”“I guess so,” she replies.“Two shots in 24 hours. World record,” he mocks.She punches him in the shoulder.Awkward silence.“Bro, what took you so long?”“I. Am. Not. Your. Brother.”“Aii bro.”