“Drop the act!” Ernest looked chill.
“Ernie, believe me!” Serina was anxious.
Serina grabbed Ernest by the arm.
Ernest finally sat up straight, “Serina, seriously, do you think we can be lovers?”
“Ernie, are you still angry with me?” Serina was about to collapse.
“No, I am not angry. I am very calm now. Think about it carefully. Don’t you think that we are too familiar with each other to be lovers?” Ernest looked serious.
Serina pondered for a moment and suddenly shook her head. “I don’t know.”
“You don’t know? Alright, I’ll tell you then. We’re too familiar with each other, to the point that before you open your mouth, I already know what you want to say. So familiar that even if you don’t speak, I know what you’re thinking.”
Serina carefully thought about what Ernest said. It was indeed like this. Before she knew Derek, she and Ernest had a rare tacit understanding when they played games together.
After her pregnancy, giving birth to a child, and all these years of nurturing, they seemed to have become even more tacit with each other.
It felt like they’d known each other since they were born.
“But there are many couples who grow up together.” Serina still did not give up.
“But their relationships are based on love. And ours is different.”
Ernest shook his head, his expression very firm.
His previous frivolous attitude had faded.
Serina was suddenly afraid. She rarely saw Ernest act this way, if not never.
“Ernie, what do you mean?”
“Don’t you understand what I mean? Serina, we are so close. You should know what I want to say.”
Serina shook her head. “But, I … I’m not sure what you want to say now.”
Ernest nodded, “Okay, then I’ll say, the two of us started from being friends. Our familiarity was built on the foundation of friendship, which means that the two of us can only be friends but not lovers, let alone get married.”
Serina pursed her lips. There was a flicker in her eyes. She took a deep breath and lowered her head.
“Serina, you don’t have to be sad. I know that you have never let go of Derek. Never…”
Ernest repeated the words “never” in a firm tone, which Serina can’t refute.
Serina sighed.
“Serina, you should face your own heart. Don’t escape anymore. It won’t solve the problem.” Ernest put one hand on Serina’s shoulder.
Serina’s eyes were full of tears. “I’m so messy. Ernie. I’ve never been so messy before. I don’t know what to do…”
Ernest put an arm around Serina’s shoulder, “If you want to cry, just do it. Anyway, it’s not like I haven’t seen you cry before. It’s not shameful in front of me.”
Serina’s tears streamed down. “When Derek was not here, I was angry. I was angry that he left without saying a word. But when he came back, I suddenly didn’t know how to face him.”
Ernest listened quietly.
“I don’t know what to do with Cherry and Blueberry. I wanted to start over with Derek, but I was scared when Cherry was hospitalized that day. The resentment that I had accumulated for many years exploded at that moment.”
“Ernie, did you know? I thought I had made up my mind. I was not impulsive at all, but when I saw Derek’s cold eyes, I was very sad!”
Ernest hugs Serina, “Well, well, in fact, you just care too much about him.”
Serina sniffed. “I shouldn’t be with you. I hurt you. Ernie, you are my best buddy, but I hurt you!”
“Who said that you hurt me?”
“Isn’t that so? I knew you wanted to be with me, but I … let you fall in. I…”
Ernest suddenly laughed, “In fact, I also gained something. Serina, we have known each other for ten years. And I have liked you for almost ten years. Sometimes I even dream to be with you, but when I am actually with you. I suddenly think it through.”
” Think it through?” Serina wiped the tears on her face and was a little confused.
“Before I was with you, I had been fantasizing about what it would be like if we were together every day. But when I was actually with you, Serina, I feel uncomfortable all over!”
Ernest was relieved after telling his thoughts.
“Did you know? But don’t hit me after I tell you.”
“Speak.”
“I don’t even have the lust to have sex with you!”
“Fuck!” Serina raised her arm.
“Hey! Don’t hit me!”
Serina put her hand down again.
“Everything I said was the truth!” Ernest spread out his hands, showing that he was very innocent, “Do you know what does it mean if a man doesn’t have any sexual interests in a woman?”
“Nope.”
“It means that in my eyes, you are my same-sex! Although in theory, we are of different genders, in my subconscious, we are of the same gender. How can I sleep with you? I don’t feel anything at all!”
Serina was really about to collapse.
“That’s why I’m very happy right now. It’s as if I’ve finally recovered from my illness!” Ernest leaned back on the sofa, relaxed.
He felt so good after all was said.
“Ernie!” Serina suddenly patted Ernest on the shoulder, “It’s great to have a buddy like you in this life! I’m such a lucky girl!”
“Oh my god! Serina, am I dreaming? Didn’t I bring you bad luck?”
The two of them looked at each other and suddenly burst into laughter.
It seemed like nothing had ever happened.
Serina pursed her lips and patted Ernest on the head like before, “Ernie, then let’s be friends forever.”
Ernest nodded.
Serina suddenly stopped laughing. “Ernie, what did you say just now? You don’t have any sexual interests in me? What do you mean? Am I not hot? Or am I not good-looking, which turned you off? Tell me!”