Chasing Shadows

17 Space

R E A G A N

The lights of the theater came back on. The two seats occupied by Ella and Alec were empty. I'd hoped for a pleasant afternoon among friends. I was obviously too optimistic.

"I think your boy hates me," Pierce stood and stretched his back.

"I'll talk to him tonight."

Alec's behavior annoyed me. Had I been so transparently sullen when he started dating Ella? I hoped not.

"Don't bother." He grabbed the empty popcorn bucket as we walked out. "You don't hate me and that's what matters." He threw the bucket into the garbage as we exited the theater.

"I want my best friend to like my boyfriend though."

Pierce took my hand, swinging it back and forth as we headed for the exit. The smell of popcorn floated around us. Maybe I'd get a bucket to go and bring it to Alec while we talked.

"I know you care about him, but maybe give him some space," Pierce suggested. "He'll only hate me more if you try to force us into friendship. Hang out with him without me for a while. See if he thaws a little."

It was sound advice. I couldn't make Alec like Pierce, but a creeping annoyance blossomed in me. I spent a whole day with Ella, something I'd never have done if she wasn't with Alec. It had been a nice day too. One I would gladly repeat. But it only worked because I gave her a chance. Alec could at least show the same willingness to my boyfriend.

"Is that Ella?"

The rain had stopped, though the gray gloom still hung around. Ella was trudging through the parking lot waving at us and calling our names. As she got closer I could see tears in her eyes. her eyes were bloodshot and nose red.

"Can I get a ride home?" She asked, sniffing back tears.

"Sure, but is everything ok?" Pierce asked.

"I don't want to talk about it."

Ella sat in the backseat. Pierce and I, in an attempt to make the ride more comfortable, talked about the movie. Ella joined us, but her sniffling was evident in moments of silence. Pierce did his best to fill the silence and not call attention to her crying in the backseat.

I was relieved when we dropped her off at home. Ella thanked us but didn't waste any time getting out of the car and running for the front door. Pierce waited until she was safely in the house before driving away.

"That was weird, right?" He asked as we got back on the road.

"Yes, very. What do you think happened?"

"I think your boy and Ella had a fight."

"Well duh," I elongated my "duh," to drive the point home. "But about what?"

Pierce spared a quick glance with his eyebrow raised. Without saying it aloud the look managed to say "are you serious right now?"

"You really think it was about us?" I asked.

"Well duh," he mimicked me, even pitching his voice higher. "They were like the poster children for puppy love. Now? You and I are a thing and suddenly it's tumbling like a house of cards. That dude is not ready to admit his feelings."

I frowned and shook my head. "He had his chance." I looked away from Pierce though.

A small, uncertain part of me, wondered at his words. Alec turned me down. The ball was in his court and he just walked away from it. Like a fool, I waited and waited for him to serve it back and he didn't. Now someone else had and he acted like a child. I smacked my forehead with my palm. My home life was a mess. I didn't need a second one in my romantic life.