her "You screwed it up." him "How? How did I screw it up?"

her "You screwed it up because you don't get it."

him "That's why. I asked how." her "You told her. You're never supposed to tell her."

him "Tell her what?"

her "You told her you liked her. You just came out and said it."

him "Of course I told her. I'm bored of all the bullshit. The waiting, the teasing, pretending not to care. I liked her. I told her. What the fuck is wrong with that?"

her "Everything. It goes against nature."

him "Nature? Fuck you. This isn't a fucking Friends rerun. If I like someone I should be able to tell them. It's honest. It's being upfront. It's not insulting someone by feigning disinterest and ignoring them. It's not pandering to some stupid and primitive 'treat 'em mean, keep 'em keen' bullshit.

her "But that's how it works."

him "That wasn't how it worked with us."

her "And now there is no us."

He looked at the whisky glass and took a small sip. It didn't burn enough, so he gulped and felt the fire at the bottom of his throat and the sting of tears.

him "No. There isn't."

her "You have to learn to play the game. Be selfish."

him "It's not a game."

her "It is."

him "It shouldn't be."

her "That doesn't matter."

him "It does. It's who I am. It's a matter of principle."

her "Principle? You're not going to get laid because of principle? You're going to be alone for the rest of your life because you disagree with the unwritten rules of dating?"

him "Yes. Because it's got to work out. Eventually."

her "That's what you said about her. "

He closed his eyes and held the empty glass to his forehead.

her "You just don't get it."