Reckless - II

13 - Et Tu, Brute? - pt. 2

"I didn't mean to be rude. I've had a lot on my mind lately. You wouldn't believe what..."

"Is there something you wanted?" She interrupts. "I have somewhere to be."

She is still scowling at me, but I continue anyway.

"Would you want to hang out tonight or maybe this...?"

"I have work." She says abruptly before I can finish.

She's angry with me. And she has every right to be. I should've at the very least spoken with her. I'd forgotten. I'd been trying hard not to think about Aurora. I'd blocked out everything and everyone else. But I don't want to be alone this weekend.

I could fix this. I'm aware Charli has a bit of thing for me, or at least she use to. And I'm desperate for anything to make this weekend not suck eggs.

She turns to leave. I rest my hand on her shoulder.

"Then I can come with you," I suggest it as a statement and not a question. "Help you out. I owe you. I can be a distraction or something. Did I mention I'm a great pickpocket?"

She doesn't laugh at my joke. She only glances at my hand then back at me.

"So...you're asking me for a job?"

"What? No." I say.

Actually, a job would be nice. With no classes this weekend, and no cafeteria, I'd been trying to figure out what I was going to do for food this weekend. I could call and beg my mother for it. She's mad at me but she wouldn't let me starve all weekend, would she?

"Here's the thing." She sighs but continues, "I don't play games and I can't tell what it is you're trying to say me. I kissed you, you practically ran from me, and then you didn't speak to me for three days. And now you want to work with me? What is it you want from me?"

There it is, that question again. Why do girls keep asking me this? He never once asked me once what my intentions were. I'm starting to realize girls might be more...complicated.

"I want to hang out." I pause in thought and then add for good measure. "...as friends."

I couldn't stop myself from saying it. Anything other than friends is too much to admit. The admission of anything more than friendship meant the ending of something else.

"Friends, right." She narrows her eyes at me. "No, I..."

"Please," I slide my hand down her shoulder and clasp her fingers; interlocking them with mine.

Yes, if you're wondering, I do in fact know what I'm doing. My days of hair flips and eyelash battering were long over. I now know if you want something you had to reach out and take it. So, to speak. I'd learned from the best.

I smile at her and squeeze her hand. She looks down at our joined fingers and then back into my face.

"Fine." She looks away and clears her throat.

"I will let you go with me. Just promise me one thing?"

"What?" I ask curiously.

"Please for the love of all things good and holy do not attempt to pickpocket anyone. Like ever again." Then she grins.

I laugh, "Deal."

***

We are sitting at a restaurant observing a businessman.

Supposedly, he'd been cheating on his wife. Charli was tasked with following him to get proof. I wasn't the private investigator, but it sure didn't seem like he was cheating. He was with a woman, but it seemed cordial. He has been smiling at her. And he did touch her hand but nothing too intimate. It looked like a working lunch.