The Conditions for Germination

Sean, a famously handsome guy rumored to be a player, has actually never seriously dated anyone. Contrary to public perception, his attention has always been fixed on one person—his childhood friend, Lane Surf. Though they managed to attend the same university, they were in different departments and didn’t get to see each other often. So when Sean finally met up with Lane over the weekend, he was caught completely off guard by what Lane said. “I’m interested in someone. I’d appreciate it if you could help me out.” Lane said he planned to bring someone named Dion to the party Sean invited him to. Sean was stunned by this sudden confession—especially coming from Lane, who’d always loved beetles a hundred times more than people. But that wasn’t the end of the heavy news. “You’re not gay, but the person I might start dating could feel uncomfortable with how close we are. I just wanted you to know that.” Lane, drawing a line and saying they couldn’t go back to how things were. Lane, explaining that Dion—who seemed to be the polar opposite of Sean—was quiet, reserved, and not the type to socialize much. Someone who, by the sound of it, had never even dated before. And for reasons he couldn’t fully understand, Sean felt a deep sense of melancholy. ⸻ “So you’re really an adult now, huh? Alright then, while we eat, tell me more about this Dion person. If he’s going to be the first person my best friend ever dates, I should at least know who he is.” Lane, who had been silently listening, slipped out from under Sean’s arm. Brushing off the casual arm-over-the-shoulder gesture, Lane replied in a reluctant tone: “I don’t think there’s any reason to explain it to you. It’s my private life.” It was a very Lane-like response. If it had been Sean in his shoes, he’d probably be bragging and excitedly introducing the person to everyone. But Lane wasn’t like that. Still, even though it was a reasonable answer, Sean felt a strange sense of distance. For nearly their whole lives, they had never created this kind of separation between them. But now, it felt like something was splitting them in two. There were moments of Lane’s life Sean would no longer be able to access—not just as a best friend. “I just wanted to mark the occasion, that’s all. I mean, this could be your first relationship.” “Pretty sure you never told me about your first girlfriend either.” The reply came flatly. Sean opened his mouth to respond, then shut it again. The retort rose to his throat, then sank right back down. Well… contrary to what everyone thinks, I’ve never dated anyone either.