"So let me get this straight, a girl showed up last night at your house, in the middle of the night, while you were almost naked, and she took your mother's rolling pin?"

I looked at Jared with as much disbelief as I could muster, "yes, and it was the second one my mom gave me. Do you have any Idea what she did after I lost the first one!"

"So what?" Jared said ignoring me, "do you think a girl just showed up in the middle of the night to steal an old piece of wood?" Jared let show a childish smirk, one he often does when he thinks of something mischievous.

"You know this sounds like an interesting isekai, How a Girl From Another World Stole my Rolling Pin and We Fell In Love."

I hit Jared in the arm, hard. I couldn't let him get away with it, so I added knuckle. While Jared rubbed his arm, I let out a sigh.

"I suppose you think she is some waifu slave girl laying in a heap of hay blushing herself silly," I said with exasperation.

Andrew chimed in, "if there were slave girls, I am sure you would have one by now, Jordan. Lord knows a girl wouldn't be with you willingly."

"We aren't all lucky enough to have salad hand fingers, " I retorted, "besides don't you have better things to do like phoning home or hiding in a kids bicycle basket?"

My joke met with silence.

"What? That was a good joke, and you know it."

Charles, mid shoving fries into his mouth, finally let enough air escape to talk.

"Fingers aside, what are you going to do about the girl and what do you mean she disappeared?"

Ah. . . I couldn't explain the girl from my dreams manifested in front of me. Even if I did, I would need to explain the years of romance with a figment of my imagination.

"She just ran into the darkness; I really couldn't make out where she went."

I let out a cheesy grin, one that says I am not a liar, and I am not such a virgin that I quite literally willed a woman into creation who promptly saw me and disappeared.

"You didn't do anything weird to her right," Andrew asked.

"Of course not. Why would you think that?"

"Your smile is super creepy right now," Andrew said recoiling.

I pushed my smile down.

"My basement is already full, so I had to let her go," I shrugged.

Again my joke met with silence, and the sound of Charles chewing loudly.

"You know, I am starting to think you guys have a terrible sense of humor."

"Ahem."

I looked to see Jared intently staring at me.

"Where could one procure such a basement," he said.

"You do get I am joking," I said furrowing my brow.

"Oh yes. yes. of course," Jared chuckled, his eyes staring off.

I left Jared to his imagination as my pocket began to buzz.

A message from mother adorned my Home Screen.

How did the interview go?

My eyes became anchors, my emotions bursting then dead. This again.

I didn't reply. Not another argument ending with her calling me a leech, a moocher, a nobody. The worst part, I can't argue with her. I am nobody.
Still my soul sinks the moment I take anything from them. I beg for the day this guilt leaves me. But, as I stare at the text, not today.

"Are you okay?"

"I'm okay," I told Andrew.

All my friends held looks of concern. But they couldn't understand. They had good paying jobs and a life. I, on the other hand, am unemployed and live off my parents money.

I faked a yawn. Time to bring out an excuse older than time. No I am not self deprecating and I am fine. I am just tired. A wittle sleepy head.

"Guys It's getting late and I have an early start tomorrow."

I slid out of the booth and pulled out my wallet dropping a twenty on the table then let out a second yawn to really sell the I am tired plot.

"I'll see you later."

"Bye," Charles mumbled somehow eating more fries.

Andrew nodded at me as he moved his massive hands over his plate and eyed Charles with squinted eyes.

Jared look to his plate now half the size as when he first began eating.

"Who ate my Fries!"

I didn't wait for the argument to reach its climax and walked to the exit.

The night was silent contrasting the warm mood inside as if there is another world locked within Greg's glass door.  It was abrupt with no warning, from laughter to silence. From alive to alone.

I strolled, hands in pocket, along the lamp lit sidewalks. I reached my apartment door and got a funny feeling. The sort of feeling a hotel hallway gives me or an empty late night supermarket parking lot. I can't explain it other than melancholic.

I placed my feet where she was last night. Staring at the door as if I was the shadow girl intruding on some poor underdressed man. I placed my hand on the doorknob, cold and smooth and walked inside. I didn't bother turning on the lights, rather, I reclined in my chair and watched the ceiling. Darkness swirled across it in a Van Gogh like illusion. All the while, the silence washed over me. My ears with nothing to hear, filled with a slight ringing.

Was last night a dream or have years of loneliness turned me mad? God help any woman who thinks I can help her. I can't help myself and I can't help you. I pressed my palm against my chest and took in a deep breath.

I was already pathetic and now crazy too. I hope it was only a dream after all.