Why Should the Fire Die?

Story Sent in by Liz:

Terry was a friend among a group of friends who invited a bunch of us to his house one summer evening for a barbecue with a fire pit. While we were kicking it in his backyard together over some beers, he asked me if I'd help him with something inside, and I followed him in.

Once he shut the door, he confessed that he was crazy about me and that he had liked me for a while.

I was really flattered, as he was a sweet, funny guy. I had honestly not ever even though of him as anything more than a friend, but I told him that we should spend more time together and see what, if anything, developed. He agreed that that would be best.

Once we went back outside, I was of the mind that we weren't going to mention anything to everyone else. Instead, Terry said, "I just confessed my love for Liz, and now we're dating!"

There were some oohs and everyone looked at me for confirmation.

I said, "We're playing it by ear."

Terry didn't like that one bit. He poured a bucket of water on the fire and screamed, "Everyone out! Right now! I need to talk to my girlfriend alone."

I probably left the fastest out of everyone there, and Terry was ultimately left alone.

An invite appeared in my email the very next day for a "Barbecue do-over." Terry invited me and everyone else who had been at the previous day's barbecue. I didn't bother responding, and I wondered who, if anyone, would go.

Turns out no one went. He wrote an email to everyone in the group in all caps: WHERE IS EVERY ONE? HAVE THEY ALL ABANDONED ME?

Aside from seldom "remember Terry?" conversations, he never really came up again amidst the group, much less showed his face.