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"Aww c'mon Stan! Richie and I have been looking forward to you coming with us! You can't just back out now." Eddie was leaning against the checkout counter and frowning at Stan. Normally Stan would chastise Eddie for standing around but it was the week after mothers day and the flower shop they both worked at was experiencing a lull in customers. Still, Stan tried to change the subject by using work as an excuse.
"Eddie we have work to do. We can talk about this later." He tried to walk around his friend and head to the backroom to find something, anything, to get himself out of this conversation. Eddie moved to block his way.
"Don't give me that crap Stan. You know as well as I do that we have done everything we can until our new shipment comes in tomorrow morning," he put his hands on his hips and stared hard at Stan, " You are just trying to get out of talking because you know that I know how much you have been wanting to see this movie. I'm not going to let you bail on us." Eddie raised his eyebrow at Stan and waited for him to say something. When he didn't, Eddie continued, "Just tell me whats going on Stan."
Stan sighed and rubbed a hand over his eyes. "I just don't want to feel like a third wheel anymore." He dropped his hand from his face and saw Eddie's eyebrows had drawn together.
"But you aren't a third wheel at all! I mean, I hope we haven't done anything to make you feel like you are." Eddie's voice matched the slightly confused look on his face. Stan could understand why he was confused. Eddie, Richie and he had been best friends since middle school but Eddie and Richie had only started dating fairly recently.
Stan gently moved Eddie out of the way, "It's not that you guys are doing anything it's just that since you guys started dating there's a different vibe when we all hang out together." He went into the back room with Eddie following right behind him. " It's not even a bad thing it just reminds me that I don't have someone of my own, you know?" Stan kept his eyes ahead of him and grabbed a clean washcloth to start wiping off the already pristine counters.
Eddie stood there watching Stan for a couple of minutes. He didn't bother pointing out to Stan that those counters had been cleaned an hour ago. He and Stan had been friends since 6th grade so Eddie knew that when Stan was feeling anxious or upset he liked to tidy even if everything was already spotless. Finally, after watching Stan scrub the same spot for three minutes Eddie broke the silence.
"You know, I have a few friends from class that I could set you up with." He tried to sound as nonchalant as possible knowing how Stan would react. Sure enough, Stan whirled around, eyes wide.
"Eddie, no. You know I don't want to be set up with some stranger! I want to meet someone naturally. Someone who's going to like me for who I am, not because you talked me up to them." Eddie opened his mouth, a mischievous glint in his eye, but Stan cut him off. " And before you say it, no, I wouldn't prefer to have Richie talk me up to anyone."
"But if you don't want them to have high expectations wouldn't Richie the trashmouth be the perfect choice?" Eddie surprisingly made it through the whole sentence before he started laughing.
After a few seconds, Stan joined his friend in laughter. Stan was glad that it hadn't gotten too awkward between them after admitting how he felt around his two best friends. Eddie, still chuckling, tried again to offer his services but Stan shut him down quickly.
"Trust me, Eddie, it's fine. If there's someone meant for me then I will meet them when I meet them. I don't want to force anything." Just as Eddie was opening his mouth to try offering up another solution, the bell on the front door chimed, signaling a customer's arrival. Stan smiled widely at his friend and straightened his already impeccable shirt. "Saved by the bell. Sorry, pal." He stepped around a pouting Eddie to go into the main shop room and greet the first customer of the day.