Dave
The day went by so quickly and once I was done, I got a ride to the bar. I was meeting with my friends and I just couldn't wait to be with them.
The three of them were already there by the time I got there and I immediately joined in the fun too.
The sound of laughter echoed around our small corner booth as Vera flung her head back, practically choking on her drink.
"And then… then he actually asked the bartender if the tequila could be gluten-free!" she managed between fits of laughter.
I forced a smile, hoping it looked convincing enough to keep them off my back. It didn't work.
Vera's laughter faded, and she narrowed her eyes at me, leaning forward on her elbows. "Alright, what's up with you?"
I raised an eyebrow, pretending not to understand. "What do you mean?"
"What do I mean?" she repeated, tilting her head. "You've barely said two words all night, Dave. This isn't like you." She looked at Eli and Marco beside her, and jerked her thumb in my direction. "Is it just me, or does Mr. Cool over here look like someone kicked his puppy?" She teased.
"Definitely," Marco chimed in, leaning back with his beer in hand. "You've been weird since you got here."
"Yup," Eli added with a nod. "Spill it, man. What's going on?"
I sighed, running a hand through my hair. They weren't going to let this go. "It's nothing. Work stuff."
"Liar," Vera shot back immediately, crossing her arms. "This is not 'work stuff.' This is something else. You look... conflicted. Or guilty. Maybe both."
Damn it. She always had this unnerving ability to read me like an open book.
"I'm fine," I said, though my voice lacked conviction.
Marco rolled his eyes. "Look, man, you can either tell us what's eating you, or we'll just keep guessing until we land on something embarrassing."
"Like you're secretly in love with your boss," Eli suggested with a grin.
"Or you joined a cult," Vera added.
"Or you hooked up with someone you shouldn't have," Marco said with a smirk.
My stomach sank. The grin on Marco's face widened.
"Oh my God," Vera gasped, sitting up straighter. "That's it, isn't it? You hooked up with someone, and now you're all in your head about it."
Eli looked genuinely impressed. "Damn, Marco, you actually got it right?"
"It's not that simple," I muttered, slumping back in my seat.
Vera's eyes practically sparkled with curiosity. "Oh, this is going to be good. Start talking, Dave."
I hesitated, glancing around at the bustling bar. It wasn't like I didn't trust them. I do. They are my friends and we go way back. We always have each other's back and I do trust them but saying it out loud made it feel real, and I wasn't sure I was ready for that.
"Dude," Marco said, nudging me with his elbow. "We're your friends. No judgment."
I exhaled heavily. "Fine. But you have to promise not to make this a bigger deal than it is."
"No promises," Vera quipped, though she softened when I shot her a look. "Okay, okay, we'll behave. Go on."
So I told them. About Lisa, the first encounter that revealed we were roommates, the masked party, the kiss that had been so much more than just a kiss. About the shock of realizing who she was and how she'd bolted before I could say anything. And then, to top it all off, finding out the next day that we were work partners.
By the time I finished, Vera's mouth was hanging open, Marco was trying and failing to suppress a laugh, and Eli just looked stunned.
"Holy crap," Vera finally said, her voice barely above a whisper. "That's... wow."
"Yeah, 'wow' is one word for it," I muttered, taking a swig of my beer.
"Wait, wait… was it at the party yesterday?" She quizzed while I nodded and they all laughed.
"You f*cking… why didn't you tell us you hooked up with a girl?" Marco exclaimed while I just shook my head and ignored that. There was absolutely no need to tell them, especially with the way the kiss made me feel. They would have saw right through me in an instant. Vera would…
"And now you're working together? On a big project? For six months?" Eli asked, his brows furrowed.
"Yep."
"And you're pretending the whole thing never happened?" Marco said, raising an eyebrow.
"Pretty much," I said, setting my beer down. "We agreed to keep it professional. No drama, no distractions. Just work."
Vera let out a low whistle. "That's... ambitious. I mean, good for you guys, but still. You're sure you can pull that off?"
"I don't have a choice," I said, my voice quieter now. "Lisa has way more riding on this than I do. If the project doesn't go well, she could lose her job. I can't be the guy who screws that up for her. She seemed so harsh when she warned me but I saw the scare all over her. I can't f*ck things up for her." I added.
"You sound like you care so much about her, don't tell me you're in love with her already." Eli said, tilting his head.
I shot him a sharp look. "Of course I care. She's my roommate. And my work partner. What happens to her affects me too. And I'm not in love with her." I quickly corrected.
"Sure," Marco said, drawing the word out like he didn't quite believe me.
Vera reached across the table, placing a hand on mine. "Look, I get it. You're trying to do the right thing, and that's great. But be honest with yourself, Dave. Is this really just about work? Or is there something more going on here?" I just knew Vera would just further.
I didn't answer right away. Because, honestly? I didn't know.
The kiss at the party had been... electric. And yeah, I'd been surprised to see Lisa under the mask, but that didn't change how it had felt in the moment. Like nothing else in the world mattered. Like she was the only thing that mattered.
But now? Now it was complicated.
"I don't know," I admitted finally, my voice barely audible over the noise of the bar. "All I know is that I can't afford to mess this up. For either of us."
Vera nodded, her expression unusually serious. "Fair enough. Just... be careful, okay? It's easy to say you'll keep things professional, but feelings have a way of sneaking up on you when you least expect them."
"She's right," Eli added. "Play it safe, man. Don't do anything that could come back to bite you later."
"Yeah," Marco said, raising his beer in a mock toast. "No more masked make-out sessions. At least, not with her."
I rolled my eyes, but a small smile tugged at my lips despite myself.
"Noted," I said, clinking my bottle against his.
We laughed and moved on to other things but Vera's words stuck with me and I had a feeling it was going to be easier said than done.
The check came, and Marco leaned back, stretching his arms over his head. "Alright, I say we call it a night. Some of us have actual lives to deal with tomorrow."
Eli smirked. "You mean your cat, right?"
"Shut up, Eli," Marco muttered, though the corner of his mouth twitched.
Vera was scrolling on her phone, probably summoning a rideshare, when she glanced at me. "You coming, or are you planning to sit here all night and drown in your feelings?"
I shifted in my seat, rubbing the back of my neck. "I don't know. Maybe I'll hang out a bit longer."
Marco snorted. "You? Mr. Early Riser? Yeah, right."
"I just... I don't feel like going home yet," I admitted, my voice quieter.
Vera's eyes sharpened. "Ah. Lisa's home, isn't she?"
"Probably," I muttered.
"Dave," Vera said, sitting up straighter and folding her arms. "Are you seriously avoiding your own apartment because of this girl?"
I hesitated. "I'm not avoiding her. I just... It's awkward, okay? I don't know how to act around her yet. It's too soon."
Marco chuckled, shaking his head. "Dude, you live with her. You can't avoid her forever."
"Yeah, but I can avoid her for one more night," I said defensively.
"Or," Vera chimed in, a wicked grin spreading across her face, "I could go with you and fight her off if she tries anything."
Eli laughed so hard he nearly spilled his drink. "You? Fight someone? You'd probably trip over your heels before you even got close."
"Excuse me?" Vera shot back, pretending to be offended. "I am very capable of throwing hands if the situation calls for it. Right, Dave?"
I smirked, playing along. "Oh, definitely. You're terrifying."
"That's what I thought," Vera said with a dramatic flip of her hair. "So here's the plan. I'll come with you, and the second she even looks at you funny, I'll handle it." She mimed throwing a punch, which only made Marco laugh harder.
"Great plan," Marco said, wiping tears from his eyes. "Except for the part where you're more likely to injure yourself than anyone else."
"Don't listen to them, Dave," Vera said, her tone mock-serious. "I've got your back. Just say the word."
I chuckled, shaking my head. "Thanks for the offer, but I think I'll manage."
"Suit yourself," Vera said, shrugging. "But if you chicken out, don't come crying to me."
"Duly noted," I said with a small smile.
Eli clapped me on the shoulder as we all got up to leave. "You'll be fine, man. Just don't overthink it."
"Yeah," Marco added as we walked toward the exit. "She's probably just as weirded out as you are. You both agreed to keep things professional, right? So stick to that. Easy."
"Easy," I repeated under my breath. Sure.
As we stepped outside, the cool night air hit me like a splash of water. Vera's rideshare pulled up first, and she paused before getting in to give me one last look.
"Remember, Dave," she said with a smirk. "If she gives you trouble, call me. I'll be there in five minutes with boxing gloves."
"Goodnight, Vera," I said, rolling my eyes as she got into the car.
Eli and Marco walked off toward their own cars, leaving me standing on the sidewalk. I stuffed my hands in my pockets and started the slow walk down the street, their voices still echoing in my head.
It was ridiculous, I knew that. Lisa and I had already talked about keeping things professional. We were adults. We could handle this.
Eventually, my ride pulled up beside me and I got in. It was a quiet ahd satisfying drive home but as I got closer to the apartment, my chest tightened. Because deep down, I knew that no amount of pep talks or jokes could prepare me for seeing her again.
Lisa was definitely doing something to my head…