party favor | phan

four

Dan
-
[ ringing amazingphil ]
-
"oh my god, that's hilarious!"
me and dodie throw our heads back with laughter and phil stares at me, bored.
"eh, i've heard better ones." he says, looking at his nails, then obviously becoming bored.
"i have to go. i don't feel well. goodbye, jodie. goodbye, dan."
[ amazingphil has ended the call ]
-
"i swear he was nicer in real life," i say, frowning at the time stamp of our call. only two minutes. was it really that awkward?
dodie shudders.
"he called me jodie, dan. jodie! i don't think that we'll be good friends." she shrugs and plays the piano, a song she's composing.
"i think you should give him a chance. poor guy, it must've been so awkward skyping someone that you barely know!" i try to defend him.
dodie doesn't look up from the piano.
"that's the point. you barely know him. for all you know, he could be a serial killer! or worse, a huge jerk. and here you are, trying to make conversation. don't you think the guy will be a bit overwhelmed?" dodie retorts back, trying to give a voice of reason.
i frown.
"he's not a serial killer. for god's sake, he was crying in the bathroom at a party where he knew nobody. he's alone! and he's not a jerk. maybe he's just shy around people that ignore him completely. and i'm not pointing fingers, but you were ignoring him just a tad bit."
dodie sighs, exasperated, and doesn't reply.
i go to the bathroom and slam the door, pretending to make a scene, but the door doesn't budge. whatever. i leave it wide open and start texting phil.