And then there was one.

Have you ever been in this situation? You are single, have a great group of single friends that all hook up with each other and just are in the STC life of being. Things are going great. In fact, one of your friends even has found “love.” That was two months ago and things are going great for her, she doesn’t spend much time with the group anymore but she’s in love and there’s plenty still in the circle.

Except, now two of the other sets have hooked up and stayed together. They aren’t much for hanging out with the old group, so the four of them have formed their little circle. Granted, they call once in awhile when there’s a spat, but they’re generally happy.

So now your great group of friends is down to just four, two girls and two guys. The first guy has been seeing someone on the side and now, due to the holidays, they’ve gotten a little cozy. You see him once in awhile.

And the girl, she went back with her ex-boyfriend because she can’t stand the thought of the holidays alone. Who will be under the mistletoe for her or that midnight kiss?

So the two are left, the happy-with-disenchantment-love-doesn’t-exist type of friendship. They joke about getting laid, in fact he’s taking a girl home tonight that he just met.

The next morning the girl gets a call from him, “I had such a good time with her last night.”

She jokes and sings a song “You love her, you want to kiss her. You’re going to marry her.”

“Nah” he says, “but the things she can do with her tongue. Think I might see her again.”

And the next week, she leaves for Christmas parties and he goes on a date with her. A real date – he even pays. The next morning she calls and he doesn’t answer. She goes out.

He finally calls her, “Can I talk about something with you?”

“Sure.”

“So I was with the girl last night and we really had a good time. We talked and then we had sex. We were cuddling afterwards and she asked me where this was going.”

“Balls – after a week? Christ, you took her home the first night.”

“Yeah and I told her I liked hanging out with her and wanted to do it more. And then she said there were two things she wouldn’t stand for (1) me being with anyone else and (2) me dealing drugs.”

“And”

“And I said okay. So what does that mean?”

“It means you have a girlfriend.”

“I have a girlfriend? A real girlfriend?” All gitty like a two year old.

“Yup.”

And then she goes her own way and goes to her regular booty call as he calls her to say he’s seeing her again tonight. She has a great time on her own. 4 hours of sex. Every time she tried to leave, he asked her to stay. And when she finally put her shoes on he pinned her against the door and she looked at him,

“Seriously, you’re okay with this.”

“Yeah.”

“And you’re having fun?”

“Yeah.”

“And you’ll tell me when it isn’t any more.”

“Yeah. And you’re having fun?”

“Yeah.”

“And the same goes for you?”

“Yeah. Okay.” Kiss. “I’ll see you in two weeks.”

With barely enough sleep she wakes up in the morning and goes about her business, contemplating what that little end conversation meant. And then she texts him to help her clarify.

He responds, “Still with her.”

And he calls, finally, six hours later to recount how he is falling in love.

And then there was one. One single person. One person who has spent the last 4 years by herself for every Christmas, every birthday and every New Years.