"Two of my bosses told me I should break up with Lauralynn," he informed Keith. "What do you think?"

"Which ones?" Keith knew quite a bit about Connor's co-workers by now.

"Zephyr and Mr. Dykstra."

Matt scoffed. "Your boss is named Zephyr?"

Annoyed, Connor punched Matt in the arm. "Go get us some Cokes," he said. "They're out on the back porch."

"Get them yourself, wanker," Matt replied. So Connor gave him a sideways boot off the couch; the much smaller Matt thankfully didn't push back, and when he had gone into the kitchen, Connor stretched the entire length of the couch. Keith, sitting cross-legged on the floor, ignored the exchange.

"So what do you think?" Connor asked again.

"I dunno. It's up to you. You and her don't really get along like you used to, but... it's up to you." Keith's character lost and they started a new game.

"I know, but I need some help, here. I don't want to screw this up."

Keith ran his fingers through his silky, jet-black hair. "What's to screw up? Just tell her you don't want to be with her anymore. She'll be upset for a while and then she'll get over it."

"That's the thing," Connor sighed. "I'm not sure it'll be that easy. She's already threatened to kill herself over me a couple of times."

"But that's not your responsibility."

"That's not true. I mean, in a way, it is. If she really goes through with it, I'll have this enormous burden of guilt hanging over me. Doubly because I was aware it might happen before I broke up with her. No, I have to do it just right. But I think Zephyr's right. Things aren't going to get any better."

Matt returned with an armful of cola cans. Upon seeing that his spot was now taken by Connor's feet, he shot Connor a dirty look. "Hey, room divider, move your fat feet."

"No," said Connor. To Keith he mused, "I guess now I just have to figure out how to break it to her."

"Just tell her your boss put you up to it," Matt suggested. "If you're going to follow the advice of some guy named Zephyr, you may as well be honest about it. Sounds like a real flake."

"And if you want to participate in the conversation, you may as well quit being so obnoxious about it," Connor shot back.

"No, I'm serious! What is he, an aging hippie? I bet he hasn't had a healthy relationship in his life."

"Actually, he has," Connor said. "He's been with the same person for... um... well, many years. And they get along great. I'd trust his opinion over yours any day."

"'Been with the same person'? What's that supposed to mean? Are they married, or is she just his fuck-buddy?"

"You know something, Matt? It's none of your business."

"Oh, big man. You bad, Connor," Matt said as he settled for a few inches of cushion in front of Connor's feet.

Connor knew to let that comment slide; it was Matt's way of giving up. He placed a series of well-aimed punches onto Keith's character and racked up a bunch of points, as well as earning a frustrated groan from his roommate. Funny, Connor thought, how he played so much better when he was pissed off. If his opponent were Matt instead of poor, innocuous Keith, he'd probably do even better. He popped his Coke open and guzzled half of it while allowing Keith's character to recoup.