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  The end of the month floats in a blur and arrives fast.

  The clock shows 8:30 pm, and I’m already in pajamas, lying on my bed, when I receive a call from Jesse, obviously already under the influence of alcohol. Or pot. Or both. Unlike me, he didn’t stop smoking four years ago.

  “Alexeeeeeeej, how are you?”

  My fingers pinch the bridge of my nose, but my smile still stretches uncontrollably. “Hey, idiot. I’m fine. What’s going on, you’re drunk?”

  “Drunk? Come on. I had like… four glasses of champagne.” He slurs, and hearing him on the phone doesn’t help with the understanding.

  My brows reach each other. “Champagne? You have something to celebrate?”

  “Hum, other than the beauty of life?”

  “Cut the crap.” A snort on the other line. He giggles unequivocally. We spent too many drunken nights together for me not to notice the difference.

  I hear the muffle of the phone against some fabric and voices speaking, but I can’t make out any of the words.

  Then he speaks to me again. “I’m with Tania. At her bar.” He seems distracted.

  “Yes.”

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  “It’s quiz night,” his mouth is definitely torn in a grin when he says it. Like it was his weapon from the start. I can imagine him telling the people he’s with that this would be the ultimate reason for me to come. As if I was so into quizzes, I just couldn’t refuse.

  I do like them. I’m fond of learning and remembering stuff that usually nobody cares about. And, it is pretty fun seeing impressed faces turning to me whenever I give the right answer. We went a couple of times with Jesse, when the locals would propose such nights. At first, I thought he genuinely wanted to share one of my passions with me, but I quickly understood it was just a ploy to flirt with girls.

  “And?” I tell him because I want to see him squirm.

  He gasps, and I can almost picture his open mouth. “And? Well, you have to come! I swear, it’s not like the ones we did before. There’s real competition right now. Your time to shine, baby.”

  “Like I’m always rushing on an occasion to be under the spotlight, you know me so well.”

  “Oh, please. It’s basically opening night! First party organized. Everyone is here.”

  “Like, all of Medford? Fifty-seven-thousand people?”

  “You’re such a pain,” he laughs. I look at my loose pants and comfy socks, and a sigh escapes my mouth. “You need it! You need a night out. I can tell. You can trust me.”

  “I trust you,” I immediately respond. I’m already up. I watch my computer and the file, still open, save it, and close the laptop. With my thumb, I press the speaker button and start changing.

  “Got him, guys.”

  “Who is there, exactly?” I grab the phone and walk to my entrance, sliding my feet inside my boots and putting my coat on. He takes a second to answer.

  “The usual. Just a few people. Don’t start panicking.”

  “I’m not.”

  I am. A little.

  With Jesse, I can be myself. But we are friends for a reason. He understands me. And he likes every aspect of me. I don’t have a battery with him.

  “I’m giving your name for the teams.” I hear him say. Car keys in hand, I unlock it and get behind the wheel. “Don’t worry, I’ll tell them to write Alex.”

  “Thanks, buddy.”

  “See you in a minute!”