Kira: Still “fake dating”?
Macey: Hm
Ariadne: Still fake dating and unable to express your true emotions. Got it.
“I have a problem.”
I buried my face further, my arms pressing againstmy words. The bright industrial light of The Burrow Café did nothing to ease the headache creeping into my temples.
I didn’t sleep last night. Hardly slept the whole weekend. Every time I laid my head on the pillow, all I could think about was Noah and everything we did behind closed doors. Then I thought,I should call him.It was only after my phone was unlocked and in my hand that I realized it was 3:00 a.m.
And that Noah wasn’t even my boyfriend. Technically.
Hence, the problem.
“Which one?” Britney called from the other side of the counter. Her hair was pulled into a tight bun as she frothed milk in a container.
I lifted my head and imagined I looked as pathetic as I felt. No amount of concealer could hide these baggy eyes. “First of all, rude. Second, you know which one.”
Britney hummed as she poured the milk onto the cappuccino. I eyed it carefully, curious what latte art she’d create this time. “Yeah, I do.”
I sighed. A few months ago, things were turning around for me. My column was successful, I was single and sufficient, and I had hit a new 5k record time.
Now Victoria continued to treat me unfairly despite my success, I was in a fake relationship with a guy I liked for real, and blogging took up most of my free time. Oh, and the cost of inhalers went up again.
“Life sucks.” I dropped my chin into my hands, well aware I was being dramatic. But I deserved a few minutes to vent.
“Correct.”
Britney passed the cappuccino to me. A heart stared back.
My hands wrapped around the cup as I let it warm me up. “You’re supposed to tell me everything is going to be okay.”
“If you wanted that, you would’ve gone to Kira or Ariadne,”she said. “Now that you’re well aware you’ve dug yourself into a hole, what are you going to do about it?”
Britney was right—that was why I subconsciously sought her out. Everyone needed a kick in the ass from a friend every now and then.
“I’m going to be honest about my feelings,” I grumbled.
“Hell yes, you are.” She encouraged me with a large smile. “But first you’re going to drink the amazing coffee your friend made you.”
I took a sip and glanced at the time. Fifteen minutes before I had to be back upstairs and in the office. I didn’t usually come to the café during my lunch break, but I had struggled to concentrate all morning.
“Besides,” said Britney, “I’ve seen the way Noah looks at you. There’s no way he doesn’t reciprocate your feelings.”
“I didn’t say?—”
“You didn’t need to.” Her emerald eyes softened. “Try not to worry about it too much. Your pinky has more chemistry with Noah’s big toe than Kira and her new boyfriend do.”
I choked on my coffee. Suddenly grateful I was wearing a black blouse, I dabbed at the spill with a napkin. “Don’t say that. You know it’s hard for her.”
Xavier seemed nice. Sure, he didn’t have much of a personality besides that, but Kira was content with her choices. And we needed to support that.
“I know, and I get it. That doesn’t mean she needs to settle.”
Also a fair point.
Ugh. Why were relationships so complicated?
