"For fuck sake!" The young man said and threw his phone aside while feelings of annoyance clouded his thoughts.

"Another disappointment eh?" His best friend did his best to hide the smirk, yet it surfaced on the corner of his mouth anyway.

Alan shook his head then moistened his throat by sucking on the straw until his glass announced itself being emptied with a blaring and grating sound before pushing it towards the cute waitress who glared at him for doing so, but he never cared about other customers and did it every time anyway.

'Why should I?' He thought, 'I paid for it, didn't I?'

"Honestly I'm only feeling this way because their stories are interesting enough for me." Alan shrugged then looked at the busy street through the restaurant's window.

Jacob squinted after casting a quick side-glance at the waitress who's fuming and glaring daggers at Alan's back.

'Dude, sometimes I envy you for always being as cool as a cucumber no matter the situation.' Jacob thought, 'But you're as blind as a bat when it comes to emotions, I've never seen anyone so dense in my life.'

"What triggered that reaction from you this time?" Jacob asked after pacifying the hot chick with a hidden sign.

"I hate stupidity the most," Alan sighed when Jacob gave him this precious opportunity to vent, "Lets say you're capable of doing something... anything! You do it very, very well."

"Okay!" Jacob raised an eyebrow and seemed amused since Anna the waitress who digs his best friend is nearby listening while acting like she's cleaning some table.

"What's the most reasonable thing to do when you find yourself in a difficult situation then?"

"Uh! Rely on my skills?"

Alan's pair of black eyes seemed to glow and reflect light when he heard Jacob's answer, "Exactly! It sickens me to read pages and pages where authors portray the extreme difficulties which their characters had to experience just to gain or earn "whatever!" then the time comes where they need that "whatever" but either they somehow "forget" to include or they make it utterly useless afterwards."

"Tsk," Anna looked at Alan then rolled her eyes.

'Why waste your time reading their shit when you're smart and cute enough to write your own?' Anna thought.

Jacob always found it funny whenever his best friend took these silly topics so seriously, "Alan. Have you ever heard this saying?"

"What saying?" The young man curiously asked.

"He who care less... hold no power, has all power, immune to all power." Jacob then stood up and emptied his beer before saying : "Alright, it's always a pleasure for me whenever I get to teach you young'un about life. But unlike your filthy-rich and unemployed-ass... mine has got to shed sweat every now and then, otherwise I'll be cohabitating with cats and dogs in the streets!"

"Actually there's shelters for cats and dogs as well as people, they just treat people much, much worse." Alan smiled like a devil after saying that.

Anna was originally laughing once she heard that joke, however... the waitress fell in a daze once she saw her crush smile that way.

"Add smart-ass and stone-hearted to the earlier two," Afterwards Jacob looked towards Anna and said : "You better make your move, there's no use in waiting with this guy... believe me. He's a hopeless case!"

"Uh!" The cute waitress blushed then began to panic once Alan looked between his best friend and herself seemingly in confusion.

Seeing his friend swaggering out of the restaurant clearly in a good mood, the young man grabbed his wallet and handed the girl his credit card to pay the bill.

'Sigh. He really is slow, now I'm beginning to believe that there's high stone city-walls standing between me and this idiot.' Anna thought while sneaking a look at Alan.

"Hey."

"Ah! Y-yes?"

Once the young woman looked up, their eyes met and she avoided his black eyes by reflex. However, the waitress was startled by the sudden greeting from the young man.

Alan kept having this feeling that he's missing something in this situation, he needed this girl's help to clarify and complete the picture.

"Anna," Alan leaned on the counter to look beyond the coffee maker which blocked the waitress's name-tag from his eyes, an action that brought his face dangerously-close into her space.

"Do you happen to know what my friend meant by what he said earlier?"

'Chance!' Anna thought.

"I... might've the faintest of ideas about that," It took her all of her strength just to say these words in a nonchalant manner. Afterwards Anna handed Alan back his card while saying : "You're good to go."

Taken aback by this response, the young man slowly turned and moved towards the door.

It was clear for the waitress for the first time that this "idiot" is having trouble processing this current situation, it made her feel sweet inside and she had this sudden urge to laugh and dance.

But she settled for a wide smile while thinking : 'Got you now little rabbit, you're not getting away.' The young woman watched him get into his fancy car and drive away until he disappeared.

*****

"Hey man where are you?"

"Ugh. Is it today?"

Jacob felt like cursing when his phone rang but he answered anyway, once he heard Alan's question it downed on him that he forgot their weekly meeting at the restaurant.

He always took advantage of his best friend in certain situations but always made sure to keep it within safe limits, however it's been hard on him lately... especially when he's been juggling two jobs.

"Are you well?" Alan asked while sighing inwardly, since he's politely giving his best friend an excuse right now.

Otherwise it would make things a little bit awkward for his childhood friend, after all... he's practically the only friend he got!

"I'm fine don't worry, just very exhausted. Sorry I didn't get much sleep almost all week, I promise to make it up to you next time." Jacob understood that he's getting a free pass.

"No worries, on my way home I'll drop by your place to leave you something to eat when you wake up. Is it in the same place?"

"Thanks again. Check the grove on the left arm corner of my rickety chair, don't make any noise, don't bring the state of my house into any conversation, lastly don't bring a truckload of sexy babes when I'm not around." Afterwards Jacob ended the call and gave Alan no chance to say anything.

"Yet he dares call me a smartass! The nerve on this dude, he really knows no shame." The young man shook his head then pulled the menu.

"Riding solo tonight?" Anna's pair of blue eyes were practically smiling joyfully when she asked.

"Uh! Seems that way." Alan nodded without looking up but his nose picked her scent right away, maybe it's because this waitress is standing a bit closer than normal... maybe it's because the diner has only him as a customer.

"So... you're ready yet?"

"I guess so, this meal looks like it has sufficient protein and carbs. Add a slice of apple pie on that order for me to take on the go, and bring me a cup of coffee with another slice of lemon pie."

'That's not what I meant you dummy!' Anna thought while feeling slightly disappointed yet she smiled and said : "Alright then. In the mean time, you think about it and let me know if you want to know the truth... last time you left without hearing anything about that topic." Afterwards she turned on her heel and enjoyed letting Alan get a good look at her from behind.

'Huh! What's wrong with her? Somehow it feels like she's a bit more approachable today, usually she's edgy around me.' Alan tilted his head and scratched his chin, usually he relies on Jacob's advice in these sorts of situations and now he doesn't know what to do!

The young man clearly remembered his best friend's advice from last week, yet he couldn't care less at all.