Free Chat Love by Justine Faeth

in March and our high school reunion is in June. Danni, we aren’t getting any younger, and if it’s hard trying to find someone now, just imagine how much harder it will be when we are older. I just don’t want to be alone anymore.”
    Danni shakes her head at my confession and stands up, placing her hands on her hips. “No, this isn’t you talking. This is your family, Skyler, and Autumn, and they are forcing you to feel this way.” She maintains a steady tone, “Look at me, Lu. We are the same age and I am completely happy with my life.”
    I fidget with the hem of my shirt, fighting the tears that are welling up in my eyes. “Are you really happy?” I look up at her. “Because I know I’m not happy, Danni. Not with my love life, anyway. I’m lonely and I want someone to share myself with.”
    Danni sits next to me and gives me a hug. “Lu, I didn’t know you really felt this way. If I had known, I wouldn’t have been so abrasive.”
    I wrap my arms around her and lay my head on her shoulder. “I think that Gabby announcing her pregnancy just hit me harder than I expected it to.”
    Danni suddenly lets go of me and gets up from the couch, a determined look on her face. “OK, that’s it. We are not staying in and whining. We are going to go out and find some real men.” She looks around. “Where’s Autumn?”
    I grab a tissue from the coffee table and pat my face, trying not to ruin my makeup. “She’s out on a date with John.”
    Danni’s face spreads into a wide grin. “Do you know where they are?”
    An hour later, we walk into a cozy restaurant, both still shivering from the cold. We check our coats and quietly take a seat at the bar. I look at the drink menu and decide to order a Cosmo.
    “There they are,” Danni says. I turn, looking in the direction that Danni is pointing and see Autumn sharing a table with a good-looking man.
    I put my head down, trying to hide. I hiss at Danni, “I can’t believe we are spying on Autumn. She’s on a
date
, for crying out loud!”
    Danni’s ignores me, her eyes revealing her surprise. “I have to say, I am surprised by how good-looking he actually is.”
    I look back to Autumn’s table and take a good look at John. He is pale, with brown hair, brown eyes, and a nice smile. He is dressed in dark jeans, a white, collared shirt, and a blue sweater; he is doing a good job of making Autumn laugh. Still watching the two of them intently, Danni orders us some appetizers to eat while we spy.
    About an hour passes and after two cosmos, some mozzarella sticks, and a shrimp cocktail, Danni is still watching Autumn and John, not even bothering to socialize with anyone at the bar.
    Taking a sip of her drink, Danni comments, “I would have sex with him. If all the men on Chat Love looked like that, I would definitely join.”
    Shocked, I turn to Danni and ask, “Does this mean that if I join Chat Love, you won’t look at me as if I’m some weirdo or something?”
    Danni turns to me and narrows her eyes, “Why do you care what I think, anyway? You didn’t care what I thought back when you were with Ben. Just do what makes you happy.” She looks back in the direction of Autumn and John and grabs my arm.
    I follow her gaze and see Autumn and John kissing. “Do you think we are watching their first kiss?” I ask, feeling a bit guilty.
    Danni snorts, “Knowing Autumn, definitely.”
    “She looks so happy,” I add.
    Danni nods her head. “You would too if you were on a date with a guy who looked like him.” Danni nods toward John, finishing her cosmo in one gulp. “Why didn’t Autumn put me on Chat Love?”
    I ask the bartender for the check. “Are you ready to get out of here?” I ask Danni.
    Danni turns to me, a puzzled expression on her face. “You want to leave? But Autumn is still on her date! So much more could happen …”
    “You can come over and help me pick a picture for Chat Love,” I offer.
    With that, Danni grabs the check and pays the