Season 4 xv: The Gloves Are Off

Setting: Downtown La Crosse, Tres Compadres, Cavalier, State Street

I knew it was a bad idea. I had spent the entire morning avoiding it. And then I gave in. I was trying to be snarky, but I think it came off wrong. I have been trying to keep it playful, but something (which I was unwilling to admit) had changed in the tone of our verbal jousting. There were bigger things at stake. I had so much more to lose.

I should have let well enough alone when he responded, but I am incapable. I ended up texting again. Katie and I were downtown, waiting for Emily. His response was vague, noncommittal. It was surprising. He had been all big man about his plans to end up downtown. But later came, and he did not. Katie and I imbibed, Emily showed up to drink a pine tree and with Kristopher's guest appearance and a lacking response on the cheapest pitcher of beer downtown, Katie and I hit the streets. We strolled around for a little, but I felt the dissociation with the world I was trying to slink into, and we beat the streets back to my car, settling for some Train and open night air.

Setting: Geneva Terrace

I made it home without any additional blunders, and, actually powered through a reasonably uneventful morning before I snuck away to do laundry and some other illicit activity.

I didn't tell Katie about my dirty little secret until he had responded, nearly an hour later. The first response was harmless. I pried for more. And I got it. What I had known, probably since episode five, was proven right.

Tomorrow I will be spending eighth hour in 202.