Drama, in Miniature

Ladies, have you ever had a friend lay claim to a guy when she really had no business doing so? I mean, how fair is it to go around calling "I call dibs!" when everyone is still getting acquainted?

I find it terribly funny. Unless this whole thing starts getting dramatic, then I won't so much.

The funniest thing? The guy in question has been paying me the most attention, which is why I think D decided to mark her territory. Oh, it's all been very subtle, so please don't imagine visible huffiness/petulance.

I met this guy (who will get a name in the future--if warranted) last week with my friend, D, and another friend A. D knew him professionally and didn't seem interested in him, so what the hey, he and I chatted and laughed up a storm. He lent me his jacket. All very simple and nice. The next day D, A and I met for dinner and D chirps, "Yeah, so I'm thinking about having a summer fling with [the guy]. I really felt we had a connection." A looks really surprised and glances at me and says, "Really?!" And D, clueless (or is she?), says, "Yes, there was a definite spark. I'm going to pursue it."

Whatever. I thought it was amusing, but I wasn't going to discount her experience. Hey, maybe there had been a spark when I wasn't looking! Maybe our flirtations were in my head.

Still, I impishly struck up a conversation with the guy on Facebook, and when he rolled into town yesterday to hang out with a group of us, I definitely sensed ears perked in my direction. I didn't think D was truly interested in him; she goes on about different guys all the time. Plus, she's headed back east for a wedding soon and "just knows" she's going to meet someone fabulous.

Evidence of his interest: As the group of us were heading to a restaurant, he hung back and walked with me, even stopping with me to pull cash out of an ATM (and then later paying with his AmEx despite the wad o' cash in his wallet). And as we were at this particular restaurant, drinking drinks and eating sushi, he talked to me the whole time. I even tried to peel away, remembering that I was making myself too available.

So the guy and his friend had to leave early, and almost as soon as he left, D cozied in next to me and said she was really developing feelings for the guy and that they had shared some "meaningful glances." She's my friend, but really--is she serious?! Either she's delusional or crafty. Crafty because she may realize that I detest drama and will do anything to avoid it.

Well, I got a text from D at midnight last night (grrr) saying that she'd had an hour-long impromptu makeout session with another guy who was in our group. Nice. I'm all for a little action (lord knows I need some) but what D doesn't know is that in this town you have to be really careful about your Who, What, When, Where, Whys. Of course, I think her roll in the hay with the other guy makes her attempted claim on "my" guy void. Don't you think?