Friends United

I'd been best friends with Brad since coming to the US from England as a child. We met at school and since those early years did everything together. He was very outgoing whereas I was passive. Now in our thirties we are still best of friends and even work in the same company. Brad loved motorcycles and ran a successful Harley Davidson parts distribution business. We where supposed to be partners but he made most of the decisions. Not many relationships last that long and involve spending so much time together. Neither of us had married. Brad was the more successful dater. With his large physique and good looks he had the choice of any woman. I on the other hand was not so well endowed. One could say rather slim and effeminate looking but despite our chalk and cheese looks nothing seemed to dampen our friendship.

We both lived in the same town and if Brad wasn't dating saw each other most nights. But despite this great friendship I wanted more. Over the years I had grown to respect him, even love him. I wanted to say so but with no known gay tendencies I risked such an omission would lose him forever.

One night he invited me back for a coffee after we had been out for a few beers - we weren't drunk but merry. We listened to CDs and sat on the same sofa while Brad flicked the channels of the TV, the volume turned down.

'We got to sort your love life out Tomi boy,' he said. 'You haven't laid a bird for months.'

I smirked and felt my face blush. 'I can't seem to find the right woman.' I said.

'Your trouble is you don't know what you want.'

I shrugged my shoulders. Perhaps he was right.

'Tomi, I think you're looking too far a field. We get on well, you want to find someone with my personality.'

My heart freezes and I can't help but look at him with sullen eyes.

He seems my response and looks at me strangely. I say nothing. A minutes passes in silence.

'You don't...,' he says as his mouth almost drops to the floor. 'You don't fancy me.'

I stare at him like a lost child and feel a tear welling in my eye well aware that our relationship was about to end. 'Got to go I say grabbing my coat and running for the door.