A/N: Inspired by the slash-tastic ideas my best friend and I unleash on our younger brothers. Those poor boys. Heh. It's just a short, Taylor-centric oneshot, written far past my bedtime. Enjoy.

Too Much Burger

Double-dating with your best friend isn't supposed to be weird. It's supposed to be entertaining and enjoyable and the perfect icebreaker.

But tonight, I think even Gabi notices what's going on. If she doesn't, I definitely feel awkward and out of place for her.

See, when Chad and I first started dating, I was just happy to finally have a boyfriend (a cute, reasonably witty one, to boot), and I didn't even mind that he spent most of his time with "his guys." Besides, I had "my girls" to keep me company, even though Kelsey was usually with Jason, and Gabriella was falling even more in love with Troy.

I guess that's where the problem really started: Gabriella and Troy.

I don't think Chad ever came in second where Troy was concerned--that is, until Gabriella moved to Albuquerque. He was even worried enough to seek me out and convince me to help break them up. While I was thrilled at the chance to work with a boy, whose mannerisms I'd pretended to hate for years, I also sensed some underlying emotion that Chad was harboring.

I could never really pinpoint it before, but now, as I sit across from him in this dimly-lit bar, Gabi at my right and Troy across from her, it's all too obvious, and I can't help my mouth falling open a little bit as everything falls into place.

"Dude, I can't eat this," Troy complains affably.

"Here, man. Give it to me," Chad suggests, smiling and taking the remaining part of Troy's burger right out of his hand.

That's it. It's a simple, friendly gesture, but I can't seem to see the platonic aspect of the trade off as Troy reaches over, snatches a French fry from my boyfriend's plate and pops it into his mouth, grinning like sharing food with him is the most natural thing in the world.

I'm reminded of my sister and her new husband, how they used to finish each other's meals when we would all go out to eat. She would give him the extra onions she didn't want, and he would pass her the bits of chicken in his Caesar salad.

I always used to feel lonely and superfluous when they'd have their moments, and that's exactly how I feel now, only the couple I'm a third wheel to consists of my boyfriend and the boyfriend of my best friend.

It's an absurd twist to a clichéd love story, that the star-crossed lovers would be two presumably heterosexual boys, subtly bonding even with their girlfriends sitting right across from them.

I guess double-dating can be a little weird if your best friend's boyfriend is your boyfriend's best friend, especially if Plato doesn't factor into the equation.

And to think I never would have noticed a thing if Troy had been able to finish his burger.

A/N: Def. not my best, but review if you like.