The Friend

Rodney

She interviewed him along the way and a little bit after she picked up the contract. Afterwards, they grabbed lunch at the mall again before spending some time at the Hudson river again where he skipped rocks into the water, which made her clap for him, laughing.

"Wow, you're kind of cool, I see," she said.

Impressing her with something as little as skipping rocks over a river made him feel untouchable. It made him want to think of more ways to make her laugh and think highly of him. As he continued to fling rocks into the water, she cheered him on and loftily, he stood up straight, squaring his shoulders.

When they got off the train and was in Harlem, he decided to walk her back to her building. She tried to decline, but he wouldn't take no for an answer so she gave in. A part of him was a little disappointed that they wouldn't be spending the day together like before, but he couldn't think of an excuse for them to still hang out.

"Rodney? Aye, is that you?"

The two of them whirled around and Rodney froze. There stood Derek, walking up to them with this frosty smile on his face. Without thinking about it, Rodney grabbed Alicia's wrist and pulled her behind him, as if that could protect her from being in Derek's presence. At his touch, she froze over, but didn't pull away. Rodney made a mental note that even a simple touch made her antsy. She wasn't exposed to the world of guileless touches or more and she possibly never would be. She looked at Derek as if she had seen a ghost.

"Hey, Rodney, how are you?" Derek asked.

Rodney gritted his teeth and stood up straight, trying to remain calm, but he kept cursing himself out in his head. He just had to visit her, had to see her—now his brother caught them together. Honestly speaking, he didn't want Derek seeing him with this girl and thinking something.

"I said," Derek play pushed him harder than normal, "How are you? Are you deaf?"

"I'm fine," Rodney said flatly.

"That's cool," Derek paused and glanced at Alicia again, "I'm great."

Rodney didn't say anything to that, hoping Derek would move along. Hoping he wouldn't have to introduce him to Alicia. It wouldn't matter after this week who this girl was. They weren't going to see each other now that he knew she was okay and not upset over his words anymore. Besides that, Rodney honestly didn't want to introduce her to his brother. Derek would clown Rodney for hanging out with someone like Alicia the wallflower.

"Okay, well, see you—" Rodney said, pulling Alicia along.

"Hi, I'm Derek. Rodney's older brother," Derek said, stopping Rodney with a stern hand.

"I—I'm Alicia," she said.

"Oh word? Heard you," Derek said, "So, what's up? What you doing hanging around my brother for?"

"Well—" she started.

"It's for business," Rodney cut in.

Derek turned to look at Rodney and implied that he didn't believe it. Rodney let go of Alicia's wrist and let out a sigh.

"Business, Derek, come on...stop it, man," Rodney said.

Alicia lowered her head as Rodney clenched his teeth, eyeing his brother.

"Don't lie to me, my guy. You on a little date—" Derek said.

"Date?" he snapped. "Don't play me. This isn't a date. I wouldn't date..." he stopped himself from saying more and glanced at Alicia nervously. He couldn't see her expression because her head was still lowered. God, did he hope he hadn't stepped on her gentle feelings.