I couldn't believe I nearly kissed her, it was so close… it was not part of the plan. The plan had been simple. Apologize and get Sharon off my back but I ended up telling her how I really felt, not that it mattered anyway because I wasn't going to do anything about it.
She hurried downstairs without a backward glance which left me no choice but to follow her. I traced her to the kitchen, she and her mother looked up at me from the grocery bag on the counter. Ms. Benson raised an eyebrow questionably. 'Erm…Ro..bert' Emily was stammering so I bailed her out with a little wave at Ms. Benson.
'Good day, Robert, it's been a long while. How are you?' she asked with a warm smile. I was a little embarrassed, it had been so long since I came over willingly. 'I'm good ma'am, I just came over to help Emily with an assignment she was having trouble with. I hope you don't mind,' I said.
'Of course, I don't mind. You're always welcome here but you know that, don't you?'
Guilt flushed through me. 'Yes ma'am, I know.' I checked the time and announced politely that I had to leave. Emily followed me to the door like I knew she would.
'Assignment?' she whispered harshly. 'We are on break!'
'Oops' I shrugged carelessly.
She rolled those lovely eyes and turned to leave. My arms reached out to stop her before I could process my actions. 'What?' she asked in a strained voice.
I had to swallow the lump in my throat before I could speak.
'Have you forgiven me?'
'For being an asshole?' she added with a smirk. I resisted the urge to pull her into my arms.
'Yes, have you? Shar would want to know.' I owed Sharon no explanation but I knew saying that would push her to answer. 'Fine. You're forgiven.' She answered and turned away but I stopped her again.
'What now?' she growled in frustration.
'Don't I get a goodbye kiss?' I teased.
'You wish.' she said with a smirk and walked away quickly out of my reach, shutting the door behind her. Laughter shocked its way out of me and I walked with a bounce in my steps home.
I was not surprised to find Sharon chatting away on her phone and I could bet my left foot that it was Em she was talking to. I ignored her motioning at me to sit beside her and headed to my room. It took less than a minute for her to barge into my room without bothering to knock.
'Knock Sharon, just knock.' She was just aching to be traumatized. I had lost count of the number of times I told her knocking before entering my room was for her safety.
'I did.' She answered and she let herself fall on my bed. I paused pulling off my shirt at her blatant lie causing her to chortle loudly.
'Mentally' she added with a shrug as she tried to get comfortable.
'What do you want?' It was hard to keep the irritation out of my voice. I was itching to take a shower and the earlier I fed the beast that was Shar, the earlier I could do that.
'Are you guys friends now?'
'Yeah, I guess,' I answered. I tried not to look like I did something wrong.
'I spoke to her, you know?' Her words made me tensed up. Fuck. Sharon would freak out if she found out that I nearly put my tongue in her best friend's mouth.
'Yeah?' I really hoped my poker face was steady. 'What did she say? Is she still mad at me?'
'I honestly can't tell, she was being cagey as hell. Definitely hiding something from me.' Shar pouted as she beat my pillow in frustration. I wrestled the poor pillow from her grasp and put it somewhere safe from her.
'Just give her time, she did just break up with that loser.' I may have added too much emotion in the word describing the idiot Em used to date. Shar looked at me with an eyebrow elegantly raised.
'Since when did you start to care?' She asked as she sat and wiggled her body to sit at the edge of my bed.
For the past three years.
'I'm still going to figure out what she is trying to hide from me anyway. That is what best friends are for.' She announced dramatically as she walked out of my room, closing the door with an unnecessarily loud bang.
I relaxed, at least I was safe for now but I highly doubted it would be for long. Shar was pushy and Em had no chance of keeping what happened to herself. My phone buzzed interrupting my thoughts. It was Marc, he was downstairs. So much for a quick shower.
~
We were taking a break from our one-on-one basketball game we had going. Marc made it a point to clear his throat, it was something he did when he was about to talk about something he felt was awkward. I had a feeling I knew who the subject of the topic was. With the way I've seen him watching her, this was bound to happen.
I tried not to appear tense.
'Spit it out.' I said, feigning a move to take the ball from his grasp.
'I want to ask Emily out,' he said as he stepped away and shot a wary glance at me.
"Go for it." I said. I hoped I didn't sound as tense as I felt. It's not like I had any rights to Emily anyway.
Fuck.
"Are you sure?' He asked with hesitation, this time around he was watching me closely. 'It's been three years, I thought you'd make a move but you never did even before she got with that asshole" he continued.
I knew what he was hinting at and he had a point, what was stopping me from making a move now?
I took a calming breath, ready to admit I wanted her to myself but a loud honk interrupted us and
I lost my chance. Marc was already making an escap
~
'I thought Sharon would greet us at the door, she normally does.' Mom asked after engulfing me in a perfumery hug. She was acting like she hadn't seen us in ages and Shar stopped racing to the door years ago.
'Sorry, mom. She is probably locked up in her room having meaningless girly conversations and… .' I stopped when dad shook his head and mum glared at me.
With an annoyed grunt I went to her room and hassled her out.
Mom handed her six bars of chocolate from her bag after a hug. 'That's for you and Emily, is she here?' she looked around expectedly.
'She had to go away' Shar answered with a pointed look at me. Mum shrugged and smiled. 'It doesn't matter, she'll be back anyway,' she said with glee. I must have looked confused because dad said, 'Meredith invited us for dinner.' That sort of explained the groceries the Bensons were unpacking earlier.
Mom took a stance that meant she was about to lecture me. 'Robert, don't give us a hard time. We know you don't normally join us but..'
'I'm actually looking forward to it' I interrupted with a grin of satisfaction at their stunned reaction.