Sebastian slept here last night.
And today, I messed up big time.
I feel worse than ever. Not just because of what I said, but because of how much his reaction gutted me. The anger. The pain in his eyes. His storming out.
In the past, it was normal to treat him as nothing more than Aziel's brother.
I'm conflicted. It feels right, and it feels so wrong to see him as a man.
Fuck.
I don't know what to do and I need advice. Grabbing my phone, I text the only person I trust. The only one who didn't abandon me after the divorce.
Me:Hey, man. Are you free?
Nico:Just finishing in the gym. Want to grab coffee?
Me:Sure. I'll meet you at the usual place?
Nico:See you in half an hour.
Luck is on my side. At least when it's connected with my best friend. He's a police officer, and his working schedule can be unpredictable.
I shower, dress, and head out, though I nearly forget my wallet. I'm too distracted. Locking my door, I run into Charlie, my neighbor. He's got soft, rounded cheeks that flush too easily, a compact build that makes him look younger than he is. He's always shy, always avoiding eye contact.
His innocence reminds me of Sebastian. Maybe that's why I liked the guy as a neighbor from the second he moved in.
"Hey, Charlie. How is it going?" I ask
"Good. Thank you." He stares at the floor, fidgeting.
I smile, but then he adds, "Heading out?"
"Yes. Meeting a buddy for coffee."
Once or twice, I invited Charlie to join me and Nico, but he refused, so I don't pressure him again.
"That's good. The weather is nice. Well, I'll leave you to it. Bye."
He shut his door before I could say anything. Wasn't he going to go out, or did he open his door just to greet me? By this point,I shouldn't be asking questions when it came down to Charlie. He has his own ways of being.
It takes me less than ten minutes to arrive at Nico and mine's favorite shop. The cafe is small, but cozy. Most importantly, at this time of the day, it doesn't have a lot of people since privacy will be important for our conversation.
As soon as I enter, I notice Nico. He's hard to miss with his broad shoulders and stern face.
"Hey, man. Did you wait long for me?" I ask.
"Nah. Just sat down. What's going on with you? I haven't seen you in a long time."
"I got promoted to manager at the club."
"Wow, that's amazing. Congratulations! You deserve it."
"Thank you. But that's not why I wanted to talk."
He turns serious in the blink of an eye. "Are you in some kind of trouble?"
"No. Nothing like that. Or maybe I am. I don't know."
