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So maybe I wasn't being completely honest when I said I didn't have any friends. There is one . . .
This is Jake Knight. He moved to Monte Vista a few days before me, so I guess he took the perfect opportunity to make a new friend. While we don't talk as much as I would like, I value him as a close friend. I rely on him a lot, it seems; he keeps me from getting too lonely and going stir crazy.
"Hey Jake. Didn't expect you to be up so early. Something happen?"
I should probably add that he relies on me a bit as well. Jake likes to sleep . . . a lot. More often than not, it's my job to trod over to his house at five in the morning and wake him up when he doesn't answer his phone. It's not so bad considering we're neighbors and I'm an early bird, but there are some morning when I wish he wasn't such a deep sleeper.
"Morning, Miss Capulet. I figured you would be alone, and that's no way to bring in the new year, so I decided to come visit. I hope you weren't in the middle of any royal affairs."
"How thoughtful, my knight in shining armor. I believe I'm free today, actually," I said cheerfully.
Something about Jake always brings a smile to face. I always felt so lighthearted around him. Sometimes I felt like maybe I was falling in love with him, but it didn't feel like love. Then again, I can't remember the last time I felt like I was in love.
"Oh? Inviting yourself over already?" I asked with a smirk.
"You invite yourself in my house every morning!" Jake exclaimed.
"Only because you're too lazy to wake yourself up." I paced over to the table in my kitchen and sat down. Jake soon followed suit and sat across from me.
"You really need to get some new furniture, Juli. This place is looking pretty barren."
With a sigh, I tilted my chair back on two legs. "I would, but I'm hardly making it by as it is. I'm considering getting a second job."
"Maybe you should try to make some friends and get a roommate, or better yet, a boyfriend."
"I appreciate the concern, but I'm perfectly happy living alone."
What a lie.
"Don't look at me like that, Juli. I'm just concerned. You stay in this house all the time slaving away at your computer. That's not living. You need to get out more."
This conversation again. It seemed as if we had it every time he came over. I couldn't understand why Jake didn't just accept it that things weren't going to change so easily.
If you're so concerned about my well-being, why don't you just move in with me yourself? I thought. "How can I get a boyfriend when I can't even make friends, Jake?" I sighed.
"You could always try online dating," he said as if it was most obvious thing ever.
I simply looked at him.
"Oh come on, Juli! It's not that bad of an idea! Look, if you at least try it, I won't pester you about making friends anymore," he pleaded.
"I don't know. It seems awfully sketchy . . . ."
He looked at me with pleading eyes. I crossed my arms and turned away, but eventually sighed. "Okay, fine, fine, let's go do this internet dating business."
Jaked smiled triumphantly. I wanted to slap that smile right off his face.
We treaded upstairs and into my room. I sat down at my computer and sighed. "Do I really have to do this for you to stop pestering me?"
"That's the deal. Now, go to this site . . . ."
And with that, Jake began guiding me through the motions of setting up an online dating profile. I didn't know whether to feel annoyed, umcomfortable, or embarassed. Jake, on the other hand, looked absolutely estatic. I love Jake, but sometimes he really pisses me off.
"Okay, all set up. Now what?" I asked as I editted a few minor details.
"Now we go look through our catalog of hotties," Jake said as he took the mouse from me and clicked to the proper location.
"Or notties," I said. The list was . . . unimpressive at best.
Jake rolled his eyes, "Just keep scrolling."
"Fine, fine," I mumbled. After scrolling to the end of the list, I finally found a possible candidate. "What about this guy? He's pretty handsome," I asked timidly.
"Dimitri Sircillo? That sounds familiar . . . " Jake thought for a second then shrugged. "Ah well. Send him a message!"
"But what should I say?" I asked. Soon enough, Jake was narrating a rather embarrassing love letter. I laughed, "Maybe we should go with something a bit . . . friendlier."
After the message was sent, I stood up and turned to Jake. "I hope you're right about this. "
"Oh come on, Juli, what's the worst that could happen?"
Before I could answer, he caught himself and continued talking.
"Okay, don't answer that," he said sheepishly. Jake rubbed the back of his head and then smiled. "Look, if anything goes wrong, you can blame it on me and then cry on my shoulder. I'll be here for you, alright?"
"I'm holding you to that," I said. "Well, now that that's finished with, how about we have dinner? I'm getting hungry."
After heading downstairs, Jake didn't say another word about friends or boyfriend. We made and ate dinner in a peace. After helping me wash dishes, Jake decided it was time he went home. I never liked it when he left, to be honest. The loneliness always set in almost immediately after, and it always seems worse than before.
It was only eight, but I felt like going to sleep. I washed up and then headed upstairs. Upon entering the room, my eyes immediately went to my computer.
"It can wait until morning," I said quietly as I shuffled over to my bed.
As I crawled into bed, I noticed that something felt different. I couldn't put my finger on what it was, but I shrugged it off. Whatever it was, it would be gone by morning.
