"I'm so glad we made up." Alyssa says in the middle of a heavy make out with session with Holden on her couch. Between kisses Holden is able to get out, "I'm so glad I had lunch with Bob."

"What?" Alyssa asks with a smile on her face. Holden just laughs and says, "Never mind." A few more kisses later Holden's pager goes off. He groans and reluctantly pulls away to check it.

"It's Banky. I should call him."

"No, don't. We were just getting started." Alyssa continues kissing Holden in the hope he'll forget all about his roommate and know only her. He allows this for a bit, but starts to pull away again all too soon.

"I promised I'd get back to him about the comic. It'll just take a minute."

Frustrated Alyssa then says something that perhaps she shouldn't. "He doesn't deserve a second of your time let alone a whole minute."

No longer smiling Holden stands up and starts to look for her cordless phone.

"Look, I know he can be an ass, but he was just looking out for me."

"He was trying to break us up and nearly succeeded. How do you know he won't try again?"

"Alyssa, where's your phone?"

She gets up too, folds her arms across her chest, and glares at him.

"Holden, answer me. Do you really think he won't try it again?"

He stops searching for the phone as he realizes nothing can happen until he answers her. Holden walks up to her, puts his hands on her face lovingly, and gives her a short kiss.

"I don't know if he'll ever try something like this again. But I do know that it won't matter. I'd like to blame him for our fight, but the true cause was my insecurity. No one can break us up Alyssa, except for us."

Holden kisses her again, but this time it isn't short. Just as Alyssa is hoping to go further he ends the kiss and asks, "So, about that phone?"

Any progress made is immediately destroyed. Alyssa pushes him away with an obvious scowl on her face and decides to start looking for that precious phone for him. She gets down on the floor and starts to look in the couch cushions, ignoring Holden the best she can.

"Please don't be mad." Holden then gets on his knees next her and tries to get her attention.

Refusing to look at him she asks, "What are you going to tell him?"

"What?"

"The comic. What have you decided?"

Holden figures this would be a good time to look under the couch as he responds.

"I'm going to tell him yes."

"WHAT?!"

Out of sight he closes his eyes, takes a deep breath to prepare himself, and then faces her.

Alyssa looks at him now and it feels like she's looking at a stranger.

"You said you were sick of the shallowness of it. That you wanted to do something personal. You said th-"

"I know what I said."

"Then why?"

"Because it's fun. Working with Banky is fun. If I say no to this I'll always wonder what could have been. Plus, it'll hurt him hard if I say no and hold him back."

"That's funny. You hold him back? That's fucking hilarious."

"Alyssa, please."

"Why can't you see that he's the one who's been holding you back all this time? His only ambition in the world is to trap you, so he can live out his days doing nothing more than just trace and play video games."

In anger Holden unconsciously narrows his eyes at her.

"He inks."

"Holden!"

"Damnit stop! I made up my mind and that's it!" Holden stands up and gives the room one last look.

"Fuck this. I'll just go, find a payphone, give us a few minutes to calm down and then I'll be back."

Alyssa gets up and says to Holden, "I'm not so sure you should come back."

"Alyssa, come on." He reaches out to pull her towards him, but she walks back a couple of steps to put some distance between them.

Sighing he looks at her and says, "The last few days without you were hell. I don't want to wait another few days to see you again. It was a fight. Not even a fight, a heated discussion. It's over now. Let's just move on as soon as possible."

"I hate him Holden. And don't you dare be mad at me for it, because he hates me right back. I thought things would be different. I thought you'd be pissed at him too. I sure didn't think you would be continuing the comic much longer. I figured we'd be living together soon and that I would never have to see Banky's fucking face again! Now you're telling me that, not only are you fine with him trying to destroy us, but that you're going to be spending endless days working beside him?!"

"Alyssa, I'm telling you to let it go!"

"Oh you're 'telling' me are you?! I'm just supposed to deal with the fact that he'll have access to you practically 24/7 and will be filling that time trying to poison us?! WELL, MAYBE YOU'RE OK WITH THAT, BUT I'M NOT!"

"GODDAMNIT! WHAT DO YOU WANT FROM ME? WHAT DO I HAVE TO DO TO PROVE HE ISN'T A THREAT TO US?!"

"You could tell him no! We both know you don't want to be a corporate sell-out. So do what you want and write something meaningful. And, God, just be rid of him so we can move on with our lives."

"That's not going to happen."

"Why? WHY THE FUCK NOT?! He has that much control over you? Are you that scared of being on your own?"

"I'm not fucking scared and he doesn't control me! I AM DOING WHAT I WANT TO DO!"

"BULLSHIT!"

"BELIEVE WHAT YOU WANT! GOD, IT'S FUNNY YOU HATING HIM SO MUCH, BECAUSE YOU'RE ACTING JUST LIKE HIM! WHAT IS IT WITH YOU GUYS MAKING ME CHOOSE BETWEEN THE TWO OF YOU?! SERIOUSLY, WHY CAN'T I JUST HAVE A GIRLFRIEND AND A BEST FRIEND THAT AREN'T THAT CRAZY ABOUT EACH OTHER, BUT DON'T MAKE A FEDERAL CASE OUT OF IT? IS THAT TOO MUCH TO FUCKING ASK?!"

Alyssa just stares at Holden for a minute before speaking.

"He wants you to choose between us? When was this?"

"It doesn't matter."

"It does to me."

"God Alyssa I don't know, a while ago. Before the painting even. It was just an empty threat meant to show his strong disapproval of us."

"So he threatened his friendship with you, because he 'strongly disapproved' of us before there even was an 'us'? Holden, how can you put up with all of his shit?! WHY DO YOU KEEP HIM AROUND? WHAT GOOD DOES HE DO YOU?! HE'S EMBARRASSING AS FUCK AND IS HATEFUL TO EVERYONE! HOLDEN, YOU DON'T NEED THAT IN YOUR LIFE. WHY CAN'T YOU SEE HOW MUCH BETTER OFF YOU'D BE WITHOUT HIM?!"

"I TOLD YOU THAT ISN'T GOING TO HAPPEN!"

"BUT YOU NEVER TOLD ME WHY. WHY THE HELL DO YOU INSIST ON KEEPING HIM AROUND?! WHY WON'T YOU DO THIS FOR YOURSELF? FOR US?!"

---

As Holden enters his apartment he sees the back of Banky's head and a hockey video game on the TV. The sight brings a small smile to his face.

"Hey."

"Hey Mr. Doesn't Return Pages."

"Yeah, sorry about that. I was busy." Holden sits down beside him and focuses his attention to the pixelated action on the pixelated ice.

"Too busy fucking that dyke to give your best friend a minute of your time. I get it."

"Banky don't. Besides, we weren't fucking. We were breaking up."

"Yeah right." Unfazed he continues with his game.

"No really. It's over."

"What happened?"

"Let's just say, I can't give her what she wants."

"You have a dick, what more could she want?"

"Funny."

Banky steals a glance at Holden.

"Why aren't you crying and shit?"

"Excuse me?"

"You guys' first fight got you all teary eyed. I figured a full on break up with the bitch would have you balled up in a corner, rocking back and forth, and bawling your fucking eyes out."

"Nice to know what you think of me."

"Hey, I just know you were all retard crazy for her." This makes Holden chuckle a bit.

"Do you hear the words that come out of your mouth? 'retard crazy' who talks like that?"

"I talk like that. So, why so fucking calm?"

Banky's game is ending, so Holden grabs the other controller, and waits for Banky to reset it for two players.

"I'm ok because I have other things in my life that I love more."

"Yeah? Like what?"

At this, Holden finally stops looking at the TV and looks at Banky.

When Banky turns his head for a response, Holden answers with, "You know what."

Holden smiles at Banky and Banky smiles back as the two share a moment.

"So, you're like super retard crazy for me?" Banky says, which quickly ends said moment.

"Oh God." Holden rolls his eyes as he sets his sights back on the TV. "You know what I really love? Kicking your ass at all things Sega."

"Oh big talker! I was going to go easy on you, losing your old lady and all, but fuck it. It's on now!"

"It's on like Donkey Kong!"

Banky immediately erupts into laughter and can't seem to stop as he tries to speak. "Who talks like that?!"

Holden laughs too and says, "I talk like that! Now, let's do this!"