The Screenplay

"No way." Eilla said, laughing. "You were terrible!"

"Whatever, I always killed you at everything," Eazy slouched in his seat smugly, turning up his nose sarcastically, unable to admit defeat.

"Well, like it or not, I am better than you at Guitar Hero," Eilla smiled.

"Big deal. That is the only video game you can play." He popped a fry into his mouth and chewed with a big, toothy grin.

The two continued discussing memories of their college days, and Eilla kept seeing flashes in her mind when Eazy would tell a story. He talked about his fish tank. Eilla remembered the fish tank from his college apartment, because she covered it with a towel the first time they had sex because she didn't want the fish watching. He talked about parties with the football team, Eilla thought about the party they went to when she met Ben and how that first time they talked she knew she wanted to be with him. Eilla retold a story about when the pair went to try and find Eazy some dress pants and how hard it was to find a pair that was long enough, and during the story realized during that trip they had sex in the dressing room. Every story was headed directly toward an awkward memory that both knew but neither could mention.

Even though the uncomfortable recollections were unavoidable, Eilla was actually glad she was there having lunch with him. He let her know he was moving back to Orlando to play ball. He had good stories about parties with celebrities in Miami, his elbow rehab workouts, and he had a new tattoo of his mom's name scrolled across his chest. He quickly lifted his shirt to show Eilla, who had almost forgotten how in shape Eazy was. His dark skin gleamed slightly at the top of every section of a bulging abdomen muscle, and his chest seemed smoother and harder than ever. Eilla had to hold her breath for a moment to collect her thoughts, and as if on cue, her phone buzzed loudly in her purse. She snapped her eyes away from Eazy and pulled out her vibrating phone. It was Ben.

"I'm sorry, can you hang on just a second?" Eilla said, neglecting to tell him who was on the phone, but assuming he would pick up on it soon enough. "Hey," she said softly.

"Hey babe," said Ben from his end. Somehow, he seemed so far away. Eilla felt a nervous feeling swelling in her stomach. She looked at Eazy, who obviously could hear Ben's voice, as he looked at a dessert menu as if he was paying no attention. "I made it."

"How was the flight?" She asked. She turned in the booth seat so that the phone was as far away from Eazy as it could be. She faced the wooden wall but looked at the red booth cushion, wishing she didn't have to talk to him then. She felt another feeling creep into her stomach, this one of longing, that if he were only there with her she wouldn't be having lunch with Eazy.

"It was fine," He said simply. Every word he said made Eilla want him there with her more and more so she didn't feel so awkward.

"Hey, can I call you later?" Eilla burst out, her mind racing. She wanted to talk to him more, but she knew the sooner she got back to talking to Eazy the sooner their lunch would be over.

"What, are you busy?" Ben laughed. He thought she was at the store, where she could have dropped everything to talk to him.

"I'm at lunch with a friend," she said, hoping he didn't ask who. She noticed Eazy twitch a little bit at this statement, knowing she didn't want to say she was with him.

"Well, I don't know if I'll be able to talk again until tonight," Ben said.

"Just call me tonight," Eilla said quickly, trying to wrap up the conversation, hoping Ben wouldn't say...

"Okay. Love you, honey."

Eilla swallowed hard, knowing she had to reply. She wanted to tell him she loved him, just not in front of Eazy. "Mmm hmm... Bye." was all she could muster out. She hung up the phone, regretting instantly her reply. She looked at Eazy. He looked back at her and smiled that heart-melting smile that she had gravitated to as an awstruck nineteen year old. She needed Ben to come back, badly.

Eazy dropped her off after lunch at her apartment. "I had a really nice time," He said softly. The truth was Eilla had a really good time, too. After Ben's phone call, Eazy had told her to relax around him. He wasn't mad about Ben, he wasn't uncomfortable with her being so happy with Ben and he didn't feel awkward if she wanted to talk about him. She started opening up, and found he was just as easy to talk to as he had always been. They talked for almost an hour before Eilla knew she had to leave. She sat in the car, unbuckling her seatbelt slowly, trying to think of a good reponse.

"I did too," was the best she came up with. She reached for the door handle.

"Hey, Eilla, wait a second," Eazy blurted out as Eilla was pulling the handle. "I just gotta say something." Eilla instantly could feel blood rushing to her face in a panic. She didn't know if she was ready for what Eazy wanted to say. "When you called me today and I heard your voice again it was so nice. I really missed you. I just missed being your friend," He said. He didn't seem nervous, not like Eilla who did not know what to say next.

"I'm not going to tell Ben we had lunch together," She said. She didn't know why this was the sentence that escaped her lips, but so many thoughts were trying to force themselves out of her mouth that she had little control over which one was released. She opened the car door and gave Eazy one last look. He seemed confused by her quick exit.

"Later," was all he could say, giving a small wave. Eilla managed to give a small wave back before practically running into her building. She punched the elevator keys with such force that her fingers turned white with the pressure, and her mind was racing with one thought: Eazy had never looked so good.