This is short story from the main book, as I like to explore some possibilities and twisting the plot. Please do not link this to other short stories as it means to stand alone. It will be confusing if you linked it to the previous chapter, Trust me :)
unedited. Apology for mistakes.
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I went to his place, an innocent intention to ask him going to the movie with me had turned into disaster when I saw him on his porch, kissing a girl.
I froze on my track and quickly hide behind a tree. I didn't know why I need to hide but I did. A rush of embarrassment mixed with anger and disappointment ravaged my heart.
He kissed a girl! Not that it got anything to do with me but this was my first time seeing him standing so close to a girl and I didn't like it.
Rushing, I went back into my car that I parked on the next street and climbed inside. I took few deep breaths trying to digest what I was seeing a minute ago. I didn't stay there to wait till they were finished; my initial purpose to drive here was forgotten.
I felt like someone just stabbed me on the chest with a knife and twisted it. I bit my lip so hard trying to hold the tears that stubbornly came out from my eyes. Why didn't I call first? Why didn't I just stay at home and watch tv? Why didn't I...... oh god, I pushed my chest with my hand trying to stop the pain but I couldn't.
I cried my eyes out for solid thirty minutes, then I waited for another fifteen minutes for my eyes to be back to normal and not too puffy to drive to the city to have a lonely dinner.
I sat in a tinny restaurant alone and stared blankly on my half empty bowl. I felt my phone vibrating, shaking my tinny table and created ripples on my soup and by the ringtone I knew he was calling but I didn't bother to answer, I shoved it back inside my jeans pocket and continued my meal, slowly and painfully.
Finally I drove back to my apartment when I realized that the city started to flood with noisy teens and they were too happy to my liking. I would be fine if only Luke was here with me but the fact was he didn't.
I sighed in defeat when I walked out from the lift of my apartment building. I didn't want to go home yet but I didn't know where else to go. I didn't have many friends, and on Friday night like this, they would be out enjoying themselves and I didn't want to intrude.
I stopped at two doors before mine and contemplating whether I should knock or just went home. It was Val's door, my neighbor for more than five years. She became bartender not for nothing. She could be a good listener and right now I just wanted to unwind.
I knocked her door and waited but she didn't appear. I knew today was her day off and she usually stayed at home to catch up some sleep. I saw shadows moving under her door, did she have a visitor? I wondered. It was unlikely though. She was single, she didn't have boyfriend and she wasn't looking for one. She said she had enough with men and she decided to fly solo for a while. She told me that two years ago to be exact.
"Val? Let me in please....." I begged her. I could understand that she wanted to be alone at this hour but I desperately needed a company right now and I thought I could be selfish once in a while.
"One second." Her muffle voice came from behind the door. And finally after waiting forever I saw her happy face greeted me,
"hey Sam. What's.... oh my god! Did you just cry? Why? What happened? Come in.... come in...." she turned panic when seeing my puffy eyes.
"Are you in the middle of something? Did you have a guest?" I looked around her apartment trying to find maybe a naked man hiding in the corner.
"No... No.... I was just washing my dishes when you knocked.... My hands were wet...." She gave me an excuse and even though I knew she had a dishwasher, I decided to believe her.
I sagged on her couch and blew a heavy sigh.
"Tell me what happened? Do you want some tea?" she offered
I stared at her coffee table, I saw two glasses of wine there, both were empty."Wine will be nice." I mumbled. "Do you have a guest Val? You know I can leave...."
"No, no, it was from yesterday, I haven't got the time to clean up." She took the glasses away and carelessly shoved them inside her dishwasher.I didn't believe her, the glasses were pretty shinny not dull like yesterday's glasses. I shrugged. I came here to chill out, not to snoop around.
"So, tell me....." she came with a couple of wine glasses and a bottle of unopened red wine. She busied herself opening the bottle while throwing me a question that I didn't want to answer.
"Thanks..." I sipped the wine a bit and my body immediately warmed, I felt so much better. "I just...." I sighed, "I don't know where to start..."
"Okay Babe, did a man made you cry?" she cut the chase, her index finger pointed to my glass, "only problem with men can make you drink alcohol."
I smiled bitterly and took another gulp.
"Is this one of the jerk that you dated?"
"Uh?" I raised my head and I saw her smile. "What do you mean jerk?" I asked.
"Come on, we both know your ex were all jerks and looser."
"Do you think so?"
"It's the fact Honey."
"Fine." I admitted, she was right. I was just in denial back then, that was why I stopped dating all together. I thought me and her had the same problem, the difference was, I didn't want to have one night stand. I'd liked to have a good solid relationship and that might be the cause why men run away from me.
Val sat quietly next to me sipping her drink, giving me time to think. I loved sitting here with her, she never rushed me to talk. Maybe she had enough at work that our silent hang out became so natural and comfortable.
"Why men always like that?" Another gulp and my body temperature rose. I couldn't drink much alcohol. No, I couldn't drink, period or I would be drunk pretty soon I knew that but I didn't care. Val would let me crash on her couch or worst scenario she would drag me down to my apartment and locked me inside.
No big deal, she did it before and I woke up in my living room, on my timber floor. When I confronted her she said she couldn't carry me to my bed because I was too heavy. I knew she just wanted to embarrass me.
"Tell me about it. So, who is it this time. Do I know him?"
"Luke." I grumbled, pouring more wine to my already empty glass. She eyed me suspiciously.
"Luke? What did he do? I thought he's a nice guy."
"Nice my butts....."
Val held a laugh, "Oh?"
I drank the whole glass in a record time and poured another.
"Be careful with that." Val reminded me but I just shrug.
I was suddenly upset at Luke. It wasn't his fault, I knew it. He had every right to kiss another girl but somehow I felt that he should kiss me first.
"Kiss you first?" Val's voice woke me up a bit. I didn't realize I verbalized my thought.
"You didn't see it Val. I swore they kiss like there's no tomorrow....." I protested. Now I felt my head spinning. I stood up to pace. I knew I would feel a lot better when I pace, usually did. I loved my pacing. But My body went side ways and Val quickly pulled me down to my seat.
"Sit down you silly!" she held my wrist and stiffened a giggle.
"Aw Val.... don't laugh!" I sulked.
"Now, tell me exactly what did you see?" she asked and took my glass away from me. She might be scared that I dropped it and stained her carpet.
"I.... he.... He kissed her. That girl..... I went to his place to take him out... but.... But.... He kissed her...." I sobbed. Oh my god, please stop..... I clasped my mouth but my sob was getting louder and lauder that made Val ended up holding me.
"You better take her home." She looked beyond my shoulder.
Who did she talk to? "Who are you talking to......" I trailed when I saw Luke appeared behind the laundry door.
I used the back of my hand to wipe my face, "Why are you here? Why? Why is he here?" I shifted my eyes from Luke to Val and back to Luke. His face didn't give me anything to read and I hated him for that.
"Because you didn't answer his call. He wanted to check on you but you weren't home. He waited here, and I didn't want you to misunderstand his visit so I told him to hide. I was going to tell you to go home but you came with puffy eyes for god sake...."
"Traitor...." I called her but she just laugh.
"Come on, I'll walk you back home." Luke came closer and took my upper arm to help me stand up but I brushed him off.
"Don't touch me." I complained.
"Why not?"
"Because you just kissed a girl and now you want to touch me. I am not that cheap...." Ugh, what was that? I better shut my mouth before saying something silly like that again.
"I didn't kiss her." He replied.
"Hah!" I huffed and quickly stood up and as a result my head spinning and I had to close my eyes.
"Sam, go home! I have early shift tomorrow. Or should I sleep on your bed and you can argue here till your heart content?" Val tried to kick me out from her place.
"No! No one sleep on my bed. Just me.... Maybe him..." I pointed him with my finger before continuing, ...." but I don't like him that much today. So no, you can't sleep on my bed mister."
I swore he laughed in amusement before grabbing my arm again, tighter this time, "Come on, lets go home. I'll explain everything."
"No, you go home." I pushed his chest but I bounced back as a result. My hands frantically reached his shirt to steady myself. He looked down at me with big grin on his smug face, "jerk." I muttered.
"Come on, don't make me carry you."
"Make me!" I challenged him and placed my hands on my hips.
He shook his head before bending his body forward to take my waist and second later I was on his shoulder. I swung my legs menacingly and asked him to put me down but again, with just one lock of his arm around my thighs, I couldn't move.
"Luke, I swear to god, you will pay for this! Put me down!"
"Just two doors away and you can slap me if you want to. Now be quiet!" he tapped my rear gently and I became furious."How dare you!"
"Nite Sam." Val waved at me and closed her door.
I might be drunk but I knew that I had to be quiet in the hallway, so I slumped against his shoulder. Counting his steps he must be in front of my door right now. He tapped my butts to find my key and mumbled sorry before pushing his finger into my pocket to fish it out.
I should be upset, I should be furious that he crossed the line touching me like I was his, but I had to admit that I liked it. He knew me very well, he knew where I kept my key, inside my back pocket....
He gently kicked my door close then put me down carefully on my couch before sitting next to me, pushing my hair away from my face he asked if I wanted coffee but I stubbornly refused.
"Sam..." he held my hand still and didn't let go even when I tried to pull away. "Listen to me...." He pleaded.
"You don't have to explain." Oh wow, I was proud of myself for being able to say something logical that I wasn't able to think let alone say it since I saw him kissing that girl.
I cringed when memory of how their lips locked to each other resurfacing but this time I didn't cry, I was mad.
"How could you?!" I yelled at him.
He stared at me, didn't know what to say, and I snorted in triumph. It was rare occasion to see him speechless. I struggled to stand up. His hands hovered next to my hips ready to catch me.
"Don't touch me!" I raised my index finger to warn him and he pressed his lips, either he suppressed a laugh or he actually followed my order.
I was successfully paced this time, my knees were a little wobble but I managed to maintain my balance.
"You know, you are my friend, You should tell me!" I started my ramble. "And don't carry me like that again, you hear me!"
He raised his hands, agreeing to my complaint, "I won't, I promise. Now remind me what should I tell you?" he asked me, as if he challenged me. I didn't really like him tonight, he agitated me a lot.
"About your girlfriend!" I yelled again.
"She's not my girlfriend."
"Oh really?" I folded my arms on my chest but soon I pulled them out to hold the backside of my couch, my head went light.
"We went out once and I only let her kiss me out of politeness, I didn't want to embarrass her. I didn't kiss her back, I swear."
"Smiling is polite but let someone who liked you but you don't like her....." I trailed off, trying to make sense of my messy words structure, but when I understood, I continued, "......to kiss you is mean. You don't let random girls kiss you, do you? Have some dignity!" I punched his shoulder.
"Ouch!" he protested but then he threw me an annoying question, "why are you upset?" his eyes narrowed. "I can kiss whoever I want."
His last retort made me furious, "because.... Because..... " I lost track of my thought. He sat there staring at me, waiting for my answer. "Because.....you won't kiss me..." ugh... what was that? He wouldn't kiss me? Why did I suddenly want him to kiss me?
"You want me to kiss you?" he looked stunt, "Why?"
I went back to my seat and slammed my butts on it. He jumped a little. "I don't know..." I sighed.
"Yes you do." He moved closer to me till our thighs rubbed each other and I felt tingles traveled along my spines.
"Because... Because.... I love you...." I blunted. Ups? I placed my hand on my mouth and stared at him. His mouth hung open and his eyes rounded.
I waited for his next smart comment but he just gapped at me.
I nodded, feeling happy that I finally won the argument and made him shut up, my muscles relaxed and I suddenly felt really tired.
I stood up grudgingly, "I am sleepy. Good night Luke." Swayed to the left, I was trying my hardest to maintain my balance so I could reach my bedroom. With so unlady like leg work, I kicked my shoes off my feet. One of them flew under my bed and I didn't see where the other one went, I shrugged.
Next I climbed onto my bed carefully and still my knee slipped the first attempt to land on the corner of the bed, but finally I was able to plant my body into my mattress, I sighed in satisfaction. I saw him shook his head slightly before approaching me and help me pull the blanket up to my tummy. His usual gentle loving brown eyes stared at me and his lips twitched up. "You're cute when you drunk."
"And you are not my favorite person tonight..." I sighed in disappointment, he nodded and his mouth pronounced an apology.
He sat on the edge of my bed and arched forward, to plant a long wet kiss on my forehead, all my anger went away without a trace.
"I love you too Sam...." He whispered but I was too drunk to digest what he just said.
"Will you do something nice for me tomorrow?" I slurred, struggling to open my eyes.
"What do you want?"
"Maybe kiss me?"
He smiled widely, "I will."
"Good night Luke." I sighed happily.
"Good night Sam."
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