I grin slightly. “Maybe so, but it’s still the truth. How much different can it be? We do everything together already.”
They roll their eyes again, but there’s less resistance in it now.
I press on.
“You wouldn’t have to be anything other than yourself,” I add, more quietly. “Actually—no. You’d have to be more honest than you already are, telling me when I screw up instead of just letting it happen.”
Something shifts in their expression, because we both know Korie lets me get away with way too much shit.
“And then what?” Their voice is a little more measured now. “Coach you in how to behave better or something? Do you actually think you’d listen to me?”
I crack a smile. They have me there too.
I shrug. “I can promise to try.”
Korie still shakes their head. “Seriously, Hold. This is a terrible idea.”
“It might be. But it could also be a really good one. We’ll have fun. Or at the very least, we’ll get a few good laughs out of it.”
They still aren’t convinced.
I lean back in my chair. “Okay, think about it this way. You get to boss me around. Tell me what to wear, what to say. Call me out when I’m being an idiot.”
“Like right now, you mean?”
I smirk. “You’d have full control.”
Their lips twitch. “That’s dangerous.”
“I know.”
I can see it happening in real time—the slow shift fromabsolutely nottothis could be entertaining.
So I push one more time.
“Just try it,” I say, quieter now. “Go on one date with me, Kor. That’s it. If you hate it, we’ll stop. No questions asked.”
They look at me through their long, dark lashes. Really look at me. Like they’re trying to see another outcome where our friendship doesn’t take a hit. I can only hope we find one. I don’t want this to mess things up either.
“Why do you want this so bad?” they ask.
The question isn’t what I was expecting, and none of the answers feel quite like the truth.
Because I want to see what it’s like?I know what dating is like already.
Because I can’t stop thinking about it?That’s not a good enough reason either.
I settle on the only thing that feels right.
“Because I think it’ll help,” I say. Korie’s advice really does feel like the best thing to help me become a better boyfriend to someone. No one sees me like they do.
Korie finally sighs and holds up one finger. “One date,” they say finally. “That’s it.”
I fist my hand in the air, relieved. “Thank you!”
“One, Holden. And I get full veto power at any point.”
“Deal.”
