Alone Time

"Alone tonight?" The bartender busied herself with mixing drinks while I sat at the far end of the bar nursing the drink I'd ordered 40 minutes ago.

"Yep."

"Where's your handsome sidekick?" She meant my best friend. We had been meeting here on a weekly basis for a fun night out, just the two of us, for a a few months.

"He's got a new sidepiece to show off."

She raised her eyebrows. "Wow, that's rough. Totally friendzoned. You want another?"

"Nah. And I deserve to be friendzoned. We are friends."

"You two are thick as thieves, what are you talking about?"

"I'm already in a relationship."

"Wait, what? Then why aren't you with your man?"

"I needed to be alone tonight."

She scrutinized me. "You are totally mourning your friend. Stop it. He's not dead. He's just trying to live!" She frowned, exasperated. "He wants what you already have." She opened her eyes wide in realization, "You're both jealous of what the other has!"

"Exactly," I told my drink, unable to look at her.

"Oh, girl. You're in deep."