November:

"Hey are you single?" I look up from the bin of cans I'm sorting. It's Jackson with his blonde, slicked back hair. He's sporting something halfway between a smirk and a grin and one of his hands is pressing on the checkout counter as he leans forward suggestively.

"Uh yeah."

"Cool." He winks. I turn back to my cans but as I do a memory from a week ago flashes by...

My brother's friend Terence is sitting on the couch, a game console in his hand, as he and my brother play on his PS5. I'm off to the side making myself a salad. All of a sudden Terence heaves a huge sigh.

"Woha man, watch out!" My brother warns him as his moment of inattention nearly lands him in the claws of a zombie.

"Life sucks!"

"Well, it'll suck even more if you get caught by that zombie."

"There was this girl."

"U-huh."

"We were "talking" and I totally thought we had something going on. I really liked her!"

"Uh-huh, move over"

"But then it turned out she was "talking" to two other guys at the same time!"

"Uh-huh."

"Dude, are you even listening!?"

"Uh-huh."

"You-" I blink, and return back to the present. I'm on my way home after a day of work and my mind can't stop thinking about what happened today. I am single, so I didn't lie to Jackson. But what about the thing that happened to Terence? Recently I've been spending a lot of time with Adrien, at the gym and...no way. I'm overthinking it. I've definitely been spending too much time hearing Nani talk about her romance novels.

Ten minutes later I finally reach home, park my car in the garage, and enter the house. I see my twin brother on the couch.

"Hey Ethan, what's the protocol for "talking" to someone?"

Five minutes later we're sitting on the couch together and he's scrolling through my message history with Adrien.

"He likes you."

"...Are you sure?"

"Look at this."

Adrien: hey what's up?

Eva: I just got a haircut and I'm worried that it's too short.

Adrien: don't worry I'll still be here for u no matter what

Eva: Uh, ok.

"He totally likes you."

"But what should I do? I totally told Jackson I was single."

"Well, you are. "Talking" doesn't mean you're taken."

"Then what should I do?"

"Try dating Jackson. See how it is. Then you can pick between the two."

"No, I can't do that. I can't lie to them."

"It's not lying-" I get up sharply off the couch and return to my room. I pull out my phone and start Snapchatting Adrien.

Eva: Guess what happened today? I think Jackson asked me if I was single.

He reads my message almost immediately but I spend several minutes watching the screen say "typing".

Adrien: uhhhh ok

Adrien: if that makes you happy

I stare at the words. The way he said that is kind of...I guess Ethan was right. Well, honesty is the best policy.

Eva: Are we "talking"?

Eva: I'm sorry, I don't have prior dating experience so I wasn't able to tell.

Adrien: ...I thought we were.

Eva: Ok, sorry

Adrien: Um so I like you

Adrien: so...will you be my girlfriend?

For a moment I fall into a daze, staring at the screen until the icon "typing" comes up from Adrien's end and I'm snapped out of my rivere.

Eva: Yes