“No biggie? …Shay, did you like her?”
“What? I didn’t even know her. Never spoken to her in my life.”
“That wasn’t the question.” He is quiet. Finally I manage a glance in his direction. His face is streaming with tears. Startled, I look back at the road and focus on blocking her image from my mind.
“Big biggie,” he finally mutters.
Without looking over, I take a deep breath. “Big biggie,” I concur.
There is a pause for a moment, and the only sound is the windshield wipers and the traffic outside the car. Then I hear Gabe stifling a giggle.
“That’s what she said.” he mutters. There is a moment of silence while the irony of his joke dawns on me. …And then we both burst into raucous laughter.
“Shay! Eyes on the road!” He screams, mid-laugh. Both of us are grinning through our tears now, and at that moment I know we share a bond that none of my other friends could ever hope for.

After I catch my breath, I say, “I love you, man. You’re gonna find your guy.”
Smiling, he replies, “And you’ll find your girl.”