“Work Colleague?” Daisy and I say in unison. Like what the fuck? I thought I might have been introduced as at least a friend. Elijah pats me on the back and flashes me a smile.
“Well, this is going great so far,” he jokes, leading me inside.
Their flat is small but cosy. The living room is at the front of the flat. Candles and plants surround multiple couches and bean bags, with a large TV at the front. Cat from the boba tea shop is also here. Cat and Eli are chatting on the couch.
“Noah, I told you to buy a book. How did you end up getting a job?” Daisy laughs, guiding me to the kitchen. Teddy follows behind, just watching this unfold.
“It just sort of happened,” I tell her as she takes a sip of her wine. “Teddy couldn’t resist my charm, I guess,” I add, not realising how flirty that sounds until I say it. Teddy sips his cider, his face going red. Cat comes in from the living room and starts pouring herself a glass of Rosé
“Ted has been saying a lot about you. Like,a lota lot,” Cat says as I feel a soft smile appear on my face.
He talks about me?
Wait. What has he said?
“I hope it’s all good things!” I laugh, and everyone joins in. Their flat is lively but not too loud. I feel my shoulders slowly relax as I let myself breathe like a normal human being.
“Oh, it is. Trust me,” Elijah says as he grabs some crisps from a big bowl. Teddy looks incredibly embarrassed. He continues sipping on his cider.
“Well, Noah, you’re welcome to have burnt pizza and some uncut garlic bread,” Cat tells me, pointing to the dining room table. There’s a small spread of food, but it doesn’t look very appetising. A bouquet of yellow roses in a gorgeous glass vase catches my eye. Mum would have loved them.
“No one told meIwas supposed to cut them! And it’s your girlfriend that decided to one v one me on Mario Kart.”
“Eli, you were in the middle of cooking!”
“But it’s Mario Kart,” Elijah mumbles with a mouthful of crisps. Everyone moves to the living room while Teddy opens the fridge for me.
“Pick your poison,” he says with a smile. I look in the fridge and see all sorts of alcohol, but I hesitate. Do I really want to get drunk with a bunch of strangers? I see a bottle of rosé, though, and I can’t help but take it. One glass won’t hurt, right?
“Do you have a glass?” I ask Teddy, who reaches into a cupboard up high and grabs me one. He hands it to me with a smile. He’s done nothing but smile since I got here. But then again, so have I.
“So what do you think of them? Crazy, right?” Teddy says, pouring me a glass. He places the bottle back in the fridge. I grab the glass and look over at the three of them playing Mario Kart together.
“Crazy is the right word. But I like crazy,” I tell him, taking a sip of my wine. The flavours of cranberries and strawberries fill my mouth, and I can’t help but do a double-take.
“Oh, that’s really nice, actually.”
“Yeah, we have good taste,” Teddy laughs as he finishes his cider. He places it in a recycling bin and grabs another. It’s peach-flavoured and has a picture of a snake on it. We clink our drinks together, our eyes catching one another’s. We flash each other a smile before Elijah comes over to us with a controller in one hand and a cider bottle in the other.
“You guys better not be flirting, I’m not ready to be the third wheel on shift,” he laughs as he grabs another handful of crisps.
“Oh my god, Eli,” I say, covering my face.
“Anyway, if we’re going to be friends, you need to tell me something,” Elijah says. I feel my palms become slick. What is he going to ask me?
“Do you play Mario Kart?” He asks.
Why did I think it was going to be something worse?
“No, definitely not. Never,” I say sarcastically. Everyone laughs, especially Elijah. His laugh is loud too. I love that. He pats me on the back and looks at Teddy.
“He’s funny too? Maybe I’ll date him,” Elijah jokes.
“We’re not dating, guys, he’s a work?—”
“Not yet you’re not,” Cat retorts, waving her controller in the air. The three of them laugh among themselves as my mind races through all their jokes. Something is apparent.
Teddy definitely has a crush on me.
