~Joan~
I went back to work the following week after submitting my documents at an advertising company, hoping they’d call me soon. The coffee shop was busy as usual, the smell of fresh pastries and coffee lingering in the air.
“Hey,” Matthew greeted as he came around the counter while I attended to a line of customers.
“Hey. Help me out here, will you?” I shot him a glance before handing a paper bag to a customer, smiling politely as they left.
Matthew scratched his hair, hesitating for a moment, before moving around the counter to stand next to me.
“Uh, sure,” he said, grabbing a pen to take some orders. Together, we served customers in quick succession, the sounds of the register and muffled chatter filling the space, until we’d finally finished.
“That was… thank you,” I said, giving him a brief smile before grabbing a towel to wipe my face. My back ached from standing since the beginning of my shift, and I could feel a dull throb forming in my temples.
He gave a curt nod, his expression unreadable. I pressed my lips together, unsure what to say next.
“About that night, I’m sorry,” I began, folding the towel nervously in my hands. “It was something really personal, and…”
“Is he your boyfriend?” Matthew interrupted, his voice cutting through my apology. I blinked at him, startled. What?
“What are you talking about?” I asked, confused.
“The guy,” he said, shifting his weight slightly. “Is he your boyfriend?”
The question was sudden, no doubt, and I stared at him, unsure of how to respond.
“No, he’s not. He’s just…” I trailed off. What? What’s Aaron to me? My… hookup? No, that didn’t feel right, either. He wasn’t my boyfriend, though.
I licked my lips and placed both hands on the counter, gathering my thoughts.
“Then go on a date with me,” Matthew said, his tone even. I raised a brow, trying to gauge if he was serious.
“Matthew…”
“Just one date, Jo,” he pressed, his voice softening, but his eyes stayed locked on mine. “I’ve been asking you for a couple of months now.”
I shifted uncomfortably, his words making my chest tighten. We’d always been good as friends, hadn’t we? Stupid of me to think he wanted to stay that way.
“I’m sorry, I can’t,” I muttered, my voice low. And I meant it. I didn’t see Matthew that way. I just… liked men with darker eyes, like Aaron’s.
Matthew huffed and ran a hand through his hair.
“I knew it,” he said, his voice tinged with frustration. “He means something to you, doesn’t he?”
I inhaled deeply, trying to steady my nerves. If Matthew caught wind of my relationship with Aaron, there was no telling what he’d do. He could tell Rhoda, and that was something I couldn’t afford to happen.
“Fine. Just one date,” I murmured, the words tasting bitter as they left my mouth. His face lit up with a wide smile, and my stomach churned.
“You won’t regret it, I promise,” he said, his voice brimming with excitement. “Tomorrow by 8 p. m.” He touched my arm lightly, then turned and left me standing there, alone with my thoughts.
I stared at his retreating back, my stomach sinking. I already knew I was going to regret this.
—
My phone rang as I reluctantly prepared for my date with Matthew the next day.
My reflection in the mirror stared back at me, and I tried to ignore the sense of unease settling in my chest. I didn’t want to do this, but what choice did I have?
Turning away from the mirror, I grabbed my phone from the bed and swiped the screen without checking the caller.
“Are you home?” A deep, gravelly voice came through the line, and my pulse quickened. I pulled the phone away briefly to glance at the screen.
Aaron.
“Yeah. I’ll be leaving soon. What’s going on?” I asked, trying to sound casual as I applied mascara.
There was a brief pause. “You’ll be leaving soon? Where are you going?” he asked, his tone curt.
I paused, staring at my reflection, debating whether to tell him the truth or come up with an excuse.
Things between Aaron and me were… shifting. After last week, the texts, my period – our relationship was crossing a line, becoming something else.
I sighed. “I’m going on a date.”
“A date,” Aaron repeated, his voice hard. “Are you being serious?”
“Aaron, don’t make a big deal out of this. I’m just trying my luck at the dating pool,” I muttered, fiddling with a loose strand of my hair. The silence on the other end stretched longer this time, making my stomach twist.
“Dating pool,” he finally said, his voice colder.
“Aaron…”
“Who’s the guy?” he interrupted, his tone clipped. And I knew he was already thinking something, and I didn’t want to give him more ammunition.
“Don’t do whatever it is you’re thinking,” I said, my voice firm. I would say I knew Aaron well enough to recognize when he was plotting something.
He gave a dry chuckle, the sound not enough to ease my suspicions.
“I’m not making any promises, kitten,” he said softly. “Just tell me who he is.”
I stared down at my nails, my chest tightening. “That’s not your problem,” I said firmly.
He had no right to question who I was going on a date with. Knowing him, he’d try to ruin everything.
Silence followed, heavier than before. Well, this was awkward.
“Okay. Enjoy your date,” Aaron said, his voice like ice. The call ended abruptly, and I dropped my phone onto the dressing table, staring at my reflection in the mirror.
Aaron wasn’t the kind of person that talks much. He was going to do something. I had no idea what he was going to do, but I knew one thing for certain: it was coming.