[Storiesmaniac]

Alex, Ben, and Mike sat around a table at Caribou Coffee the following morning, each deeply immersed in their cups of steaming goodness and the conversation as well. Well, sorta...

"I don't know." Ben shook his head. "I really think she might be the one."

Alex and Mike stared at Ben with blank looks. Their buddy was in love, and what's worse was that it wasn't puppy love either. The two nodded to show comprehension but exchanged looks filled with emptiness.

There was a jingle as the bell above the door shifted, announcing the arrival of a new customer. Had the place not been so empty, the guys would have completely ignored the arrival; but considering it was deserted, not much else was there to catch their attention.

"Hey Whitney!" Alex waved, knowing who it was immediately from the flowing brown hair. The figure in the door paused for a minute and then looked around the place in confusion. "Or Kara..."

Kara's eyes rested upon the area of couches the group had settled on, and she blinked a couple of times as if to focus her eyes. "Oh, hi guys."

"You haven't nursed your coffee addiction yet this morning, have you?" Mike smiled as he watched the dazed girl.

"Hardly. Still on jetlag, too. I'll be right back."

"What's she doing back in town?" Ben whispered leaning in so that Kara was out of earshot.

"Hell if I know," Alex shrugged as he took another sip of coffee.

"Is it just me, or does she look thinner?" Mike asked.

"Trust Mike to notice physical appearances. You still got the hots for her sister?" Alex sniggered.

"Nothing wrong with noticing when a friend has changed."

"You sure that's it?"

"No," Ben cut in. "Mike's right. She's changed a bit. Bags under her eyes as well."

"She did say she's working off jetlag. Perhaps she's just tired," Alex suggested, trying to shrug off the other two's interest. Who cared what she looked like - why the hell was she back?

Kara returned from the counter with a mug of coffee so big it might as well have been considered a bowl. She wedged herself between Alex and Mike on the couch and placed her snow-clad boots upon the coffee table in front of them.

"Make yourself comfortable, why don't ya?" Alex said, scooting over.

"Oh, trust me, I will." Kara took a deep sip from her bowl-like mug.

"Thank the lord for American coffee. I mean, the Italian espresso is phenomenal, don't get me wrong, but you'd die if you kept living off of that stuff."

Mike raised his arm to make more room on the couch and ended up placing it behind Kara's head and consequently, around her shoulders.

"Welcome back, anyways," he grinned.

"Remove the arm," Kara said after another gulp of coffee.

"What? No Christmas spirit? No love towards thy fellow man?"

"Bah, humbug."

The other two just laughed at how quickly Mike had been shot down and how effortlessly Kara had done it. It was the way things were and had been for ever, and the way they would probably remain.

"So, Kara," Alex started. "What brings you back state-side? Surely not the Christmas Holidays."

"Christmas Holidays will do just fine as a reason," Kara said nonchalantly.

"But that's not the reason, is it?" Ben asked leaning forward.

"What difference does it make if the Christmas hols are a decent enough answer?"

"You're the one who said it was a good reason," Mike shrugged. "That doesn't mean we all agree."

"Rule number one in leadership: you can't please everyone."

"Touche."

"I thought so, too."