"So..." Billy slumped down to the far end of the couch.

"This is awkward," I agreed.

"Well, it's more awkward now that you've declared it," Billy griped.

"Seriously? Me saying it out loud is worse than 'so...'?"

"Ah, yeah. Why do you think people always walk around not stating the obvious?"

"What are you talking about? Tim always states the obvious. I swear, yesterday at lunch, he stopped the entire conversation to declare that he had two forks and no spoon," I argued.

"Woah, boiling down the entire human race to Tim is not cool and deeply pessimistic," Billy scolded.

"Look who's stating the obvious now? I just got dumped; deeply pessimistic is my role right now," I reminded.

"Okay, fine. I'll allow it for now, but only because you were ruthlessly dumped right in front of your charming and happily coupled ex," Billy smirked.

"I'm sorry; is this you helping?"

"Yes, this is me helping. What did you expect? Somber glances and apologetic winces?"

"You mean, you? Did I expect to act like you? Yes, that's exactly what I expected," I declared.

"Well, look where that got you. Now, what do you want for pizza?" He asked as he pulled out his phone.

"I want one sausage and caramelized onions and one eggplant and Kalamata olive," I added a curt smile and nodded to accent my order.

"You want two pizzas?" Billy raised an eyebrow at me.

"I'm mending a broken heart here! Don't judge me!"

"Mmhmm, seems like you'll be mending some heartburn a bit later, too," he murmured to himself as he dialed to order.

I made a funny face at him as I flicked on the television to find a movie. "Ugh, this selection is terrible," I complained once he was off the phone.

"Were you always this whiney? I don't recall the whiney."

"Yes, I was always this adorably whiney!" I barked.

"Okay, adorably whiney. That's how I'll introduce you from now on; I think it gives a snapshot of who you are," Billy smiled.

"You know, I don't care for this side of you," I declared.

"Oh really? How about this one?" He asked as he lifted his head in a fake regal pose.

"Really? That was cheesy, even by Tim's standard?"

"Yeah," he said while holding the pose. "Or am I turning you on? Are you regretting your life's decisions and wishing you could get this back? You can be honest."

"You're making me miss Sam more and more every minute," I shot.

He dropped his face to meet my gaze. "Do you miss him?" His voice was more sincere now.

"Yeah, I do. I really liked him. He just fit, you know?"

"Yeah, I know. I'm sorry, Lil." Billy's face dropped.

"Hey," I nudged him with my foot. "I'm glad you're here, though. This is good; us being friends."

"I know," he mournfully murmured. "I'm just sorry that me being here caused so many problems," he continued as his voice tipped up into the higher pitch voice that marked my Billy. "I mean, I know how hard it is to have such a talented, successful, and devilishly handsome ex." Despite his face still being tipped down, I could see his dimples.

"Really?" I said as I kicked his side.

"Hey, keep your grubby feet off me!"

"Grubby feet? You love my grubby feet!" I kicked him again as I spoke, but he grabbed me by the ankle and yanked me towards him. He easily pinned me to the couch and tickled me.

"No," I yelled. "Billy, no means no, and I said no!" I managed.

Before Billy could even respond, Tim was banging on the door. "Keep it down, you two!" He yelled through the door.

Billy opened the door for him and then plopped back down on the couch.

"If I didn't know better, I'd say this sounded more like foreplay than a breakup party," Tim accused.

"Ew, no," I spat. "He just called my feet grubby."

"I did, and I stand by it. And you called me devilishly handsome," Billy added.

"I did not. You called you devilishly handsome," I reminded.

"That's ridiculous. Why would I call myself devilishly handsome?" Billy challenged.

"I don't know. You were just heaping praise on yourself. Who knows why you do half the weird shit you do," I groaned.

"Weird shit? Wow, Lil. That hurts, and after I gave up my day to help you in your time of need." He shook his head in disgust at me.

"Are you two done?" Tim added, in awe of our banter.

"Oh, I doubt it. Just when we think we're done, we find ourselves thrown back together," Billy surmised.

"You love it. You'd be so bored if I wasn't around to shake up your life," I smugly stated.

"Really? Bored? Bored, is what you think my life would be without you?" Billy countered.

"Yeah, I do," I doubled up on my assertion.

"Yeah, you're probably right," Billy agreed.

"Thank you." I smiled in satisfaction.

"Please tell me this isn't what being around Tess and me is like," Tim moaned.

"No, if Tess is around, then it's delightful," I confirmed.

"Yeah, man, it's only annoying being around you," Billy agreed.

"Real nice," Tim shot. "For the record, delightful Tess is feeling a little dismissed."

"What?" I shot up to a sitting position from my slump.

"Well, she considered you her best girlfriend and thought in your time of need you would turn to her, but instead, you turned to Mr. Devilishly Handsome," Tim explained.

"You can just call me Mr. Handsome for short," Billy noted.

"Is now really the time for that?" I chided Billy.

"Sorry, it's a blessing and a curse," Billy shirked off the scolding.

"Is she really upset?" I asked, as my entire being filled with guilt.

"Yeah, I think she just really wanted to be there for you," Tim noted.

"Is she here? Should I go apologize or blubber or something?" I was descending into a total panic.

­I loved Tess and considered her my closest girlfriend, but in my heart, I knew that no other friend would rival my connection with Billy. He just knew how to make things better for me. Even at this moment, he knew that in the aftermath of a breakup, the only way to get through it was through laughter.

"Hey." Billy set a calming hand on my knee. "You're the one dealing with this. Put you first for once. Tim can deal with Tess, and I know she'll understand."

As usual, Billy was right, and his words pulled me from my plunge.

"Yeah, she'll be fine. I gave her my credit card and told her she could buy all the records she wanted. So, scoot over because you've got both your besties to guide you through this trying time," Tim directed.

I shifted closer to Billy as Tim heavily sat down on the other side of me. I rested my head on his shoulder, and he wrapped an arm around my shoulder.

"You okay, Lilipop?" He whispered.

"I'm getting there. Billy let me order two pizzas," I noted.

"Two, I'd have shot for three or four. The dude's a famous rock star. He can afford it," Tim teased.

"Thanks, man. Glad to know my wallet measures my worth," Billy complained.

"You should be glad. It's getting to be a fat-ass wallet," Tim added.

"I'm more than money!" Billy argued.

"I know, I know. You're devilishly handsome," Tim teased.

"It just doesn't sound right coming from you, man," Billy whined.

"Boys, can we please remember that we're here to focus on me," I reminded.

"As usual," Billy and Tim said in unison.

"Okay, what else did I miss?" Tim continued.

"Oh, the way to describe Lil from now on is 'adorably whiney,'" Billy explained.

"Approved," Tim agreed.

"Seriously?" I jutted out my lip in a pout to Tim.

"Oh, look how cute that is." Tim smiled as he tapped my lip with his finger. "One could classify it as adorably whiney."

"See, I told you," Billy triumphantly said.

"How did I end up with you two as my best friends?" I questioned.

"Just lucky, I guess," Billy said as he started flicking through the movie options again.