05-14-2016, 04:51 PM
Julian entered the little coffee shop in the mall and saw Adonia wave at him from the back of the small line of tables. He gave a short wave as he moved towards her.
His heart beat rather rapidly as he became somewhat excited over the idea that she had called him. She had actually needed him to talk to, and he thought that maybe even after only one double date that he might be able to win her over.
She looked beautiful as always. Her hair always perfectly curled in the front and her make-up immaculately done. She looked like an angel who could cure anyone of their ailments with a single smile. Her laughter could remove all the pain in one's body. At least, he remembered feeling like that about her, but now he couldn't feel that tightness in his chest.
She smiled as she handed him a paper cup with a plastic lid. "I ordered you a latte, I hope that is alright. You don't seem like the guy who cares for sweet drinks too much."
"It's fine. I am usually a black coffee drinker."
Adonia chuckled, "I'll remember that for the future then."
Was she flirting with him? Was she suggesting that they would get together alone in the future? Something like that would be a date, right?
Julian nodded and took a sip from the plastic lid. "So, you said you needed my help?"
"Advice, yes." She opened her mouth to speak but slowly opened it. "I don't know how to say anything to you without making it seem like I am trying to cause trouble."
"Cause trouble for me?" He pointed to his own chest. "I highly doubt you could cause more trouble for me than I get into all by myself."
She chuckled, "I suppose not." She took a deep breath and stared down at her coffee cup for a couple seconds. She didn't know where to start the story or if she should just blurt it out.
"Adonia, it's alright, what happened?" Julian told her when he couldn't sit in the silence a moment longer.
"Has Riane told you that Blake had plans to move her into his apartment? He wants to pretend to be her fiancee until college is over." She held her breath as she regretted telling him immediately as she was afraid that Julian might become furious.
Instead, he smirked and nodded. "Yeah, it happened a couple months ago. Riane told him she wasn't interested, why?"
She swallowed, "Yes, he talked to Riane about it then, but he brought it up to me just over the weekend. He is still considering it."
"I see." His heart dropped in his chest and he tried to swallow to moisten his throat that had gone dry. When that didn't work he took a big drink of his coffee. "She hadn't told me that. I mean did she know?"
"I told her when I met with her last. I am sorry if I am causing any trouble between you two." She abandoned the warm cup of mocha and folded her hands on her lap. "You see, Riane told me that her answer was no, and I assume that means it is still no."
"I would assume so." He felt somewhat relieved to realize that.
"However, there is the issue of Blake."
"Blake? He's never seemed problematic to me." Julian took another drink from his cup and set it down gently.
"I confronted him. I told him that I thought he was in love with Riane all along, and that he just used girlfriends for the sex and what not. I think that Riane had always been his girlfriend. Do you know what he said?" Adonia tried to fight any tears welling up in her eyes.
"No." He barely mouthed the words as customers entered into the coffee chop and went over to the cash register to place their order.
"Nothing." She replied.
Julian didn't understand what she was trying to get at with that response. "Nothing?"
She nodded her head, "He didn't deny it, Julian. The woman he supposedly loves is accusing him of loving another woman, and he couldn't even bring himself to say that she was wrong. Could you imagine if Riane accused you of loving someone else, what would your response immediately be?"
"Of course not." The answer slipped out of his mouth before his brain processed what he was actually saying. His chest tightened as he thought of Riane. "I would do whatever was necessary to prove to her that I only loved her."
Adonia was taken aback by his answer. She expected him to hesitate. In fact, she had wanted him to seem reluctant, but he couldn't say the words fast enough. "Yeah." She cleared her throat. "That is the appropriate response."
"Well," His voice cracked for a moment, and he cleared his throat before continuing. "it seems to me that Blake is acting alone in this endeavor. Riane has said she declined and therefore we must trust her. She hasn't lied to me yet... except about being a guy, but that was a lie by omission really. I mean, I was the one that assumed that she was one... a guy that is."
Adonia could see that he was flustered, and part of her heart grew jealous though she couldn't understand why in that moment. "Uh, yes, we should trust her."
Julian was trying to think of a way out of this situation. He wanted to pick up Riane and talk to her about this as soon as possible. He needed to know that her answer was still the same as it had been before. She agreed to stay because part of their deal was that he would get Adonia in the end of the break up. Well, he had to remind her that if she just moved out with him that he wouldn't be getting his part of the bargain.
Granted that meant that Adonia would be single and he would be able to go after her. He had been trained how to deal with her more appropriately, but... he didn't want Riane to leave. He wanted his friend to stay... in his home... with him.
"Have you broken up with him?"
"No, he wants to end things then I am going to make him. He won't get to say that Riane ran me off like the others." Adonia sniffled and grabbed a napkin off the table before wiping her nose. "It's just that. It's not Riane that I am worried about, Julian. I am worried that I am right about Blake that he does have feelings for her, and that I was just a stand in all along. Do you know how cruel that is? To make a woman think that you love her when it was only about sex all along?"
Ivy came to mind as she spoke, and he gave a slight nod. "I do. Before Riane came along, I did that more than a couple times."
"You and Blake will be sorry one day. If the two of you ever have a daughter, and you watch someone play with her heart like that. You'll be sorry." A couple tears streamed down her cheeks but she was quick to wipe them away.
"I already am." He admitted with haste. "If I didn't act that way, maybe I would be more trustworthy. Maybe Riane would see me." He didn't mean to admit the last part, but his mouth had been taken over by his heart instead of his careful manipulations.
Adonia was quiet for a moment as she stared at him. "Riane doesn't see you? Like she doesn't love you or trust you?" For a moment there was joy in her heart that made him somewhat sickened by herself.
He shook his head, "It's a long road that she and I are walking, but I think I'll take a page out of your book and just cling until I am told to go away."
She forced a smile, "Good, than we are in this together? We cling to those we love, and call each other for support when needed?"
Julian gave a genuine grin, "Partners?" He offered out his hand to her, and she was quick to shake it.
"Partners." She responded him with tears in her eyes and a smile on her lips.
"Please, let's talk." Joe sent the text as she stood in Dalen's kitchen. She tossed the phone down on the island and sighed as she leaned her elbows onto the surface and placed her head in her hands. She had to spread her legs in order to lower herself to the appropriate height.
"Bombarding her with text messages is probably not the best way to go. Why not try actually going to see her?" Dalen asked as he mixed together the aoili in a large metal bowl.
They had to go out to get ingredients and by the time they returned it was nearing five in the evening, so they decided to have dinner together instead of what was meant to be an early dinner.
When they arrived at the grocery store, Dalen didn't like the pre-cooked roast beef so he decided to buy a roast for himself. He then realized he didn't have anything to slice it thin enough, so they had to make another trip to buy a meat slicer.
"You don't understand. She and I have talked everyday since we were born, even when she went on vacations and I was left behind she would call and we would talk for a couple hours a day." Joe's voice was uneven and she tried to prevent herself from crying.
"It hasn't been that long since it happened. Give her a minute and she'll come around, but still go talk to her in person. It's harder to ignore a person in front of you." He tasted the aoili. "Delicious. That girl might be after my own heart."
"Hey." Joe snapped.
"I am teasing." He smiled, "Hey, I told my sister about you."
Any humor on Joe's face was wiped away. "Why did you do that? I thought you didn't want to talk to your family about our relationship until we knew we are serious."
Dalen continued to smile, "She says you sound really nice. I told her that you were becoming a nurse, and she thinks my mom and dad wouldn't mind that so much."
"What? What are you saying?"
His own humor left his face, but it quickly returned when he formulated a reply. "You know if the time comes that we ever want to make it public to them. I mean the one day CEO of Hurstmart with a nurse girlfriend would look good, right?"
"Would look good?" Joe's eyebrows closed in on one another, and she looked disgusted. "You sound like Riane's dad when he was trying to get her to pick an arranged marriage." She began to mock Simon's voice. "You would make the family very proud if you were to be married to this dickhead from Fart Co and Associates."
Dalen took a deep breath, "We don't even know if this is long term, yet. So, let's change the topic. What kind of cheese do you want on your french dip?"
"What is with you people and your mad desire to marry to the perfect person not for yourself, but for the image of your family and your company? Is that all I am is someone your parents might approve of, even if I am nothing more than sewer garbage at least I'll be a diamond one day?" She hissed the words and slammed her hand on the counter.
"No, my parents are respectful of their adult child's decisions. However, I thought that perhaps you might think they wouldn't be. I thought knowing that they would love to meet my nurse girlfriend would ease any tension you might have about going public with them." He turned to the stove to check on the electronic meat thermometer and opened the oven to eye it briefly.
The woman behind him continued to frown and crossed her arms. "Whatever."
"I have had girlfriends in the past that felt intimidated because they weren't from some rich family, and knew in the bottom of their hearts they would never be accepted. They ended up ending the relationship with me because of that fear." He told her as he shut the oven door and turned back around to face her.
"So, you have a thing for dating women out of your financial league?" She posed the question with a higher pitched voice than usual. "Kind of like your way of being able to control them, then? Is that it?"
Dalen frowned as he had heard this argument before. "No, I choose girls that I like and want to date. Their financial situations are something that has happened to them, it is not what created them. It's not who they are. And, if I am being honest, I do like women who are not from the upper class because they can be difficult to please at times. Riane being an exception, of course."
He walked over to the fridge and pulled out the mayonnaise and then a couple cloves of garlic from the bulb sitting on the island.
"Mayonnaise, garlic, pepper, and parsley. Such an easy recipe just in case the aoili doesn't work out." He explained as he desperately tried to change the subject. "I made the mayonnaise fresh yesterday, so this should be delicious either way." He smiled as he grabbed a bamboo chopping block and his chef's knife.
"You never want to have serious conversations, do you? Everything needs to be light and fun, and you are always trying to head off the darkness before it arrives. The problem is the darkness is always first. People are fucked up and have problems they have to deal with, and you can't just discredit their feelings and tell them to be happy instead."
Dalen looked up from the chopping block, "It's better to light a single candle than to curse the darkness."
"Platitudes." She sighed.
He stared at her for a couple moment before exhaling. "Joe, I care for you deeply, but if this is the mood you want to be in, then please go home. I am sorry for whatever caused you to become distressed."
"You told your sister about me like I was a pet, and then told me that your parents would approve of your choice of pet." She dropped her arms to her side.
"I told one of my closest friends about my girlfriend. She thought you sounded amazing and simply said that our parents would like you too from the sounds of it. However, right now I would not like any of them to meet you. You are not being rational or kind. It's simply cruelty and anger for the sake of it." He put his knife down on the chopping block. "Come back tomorrow, when you have calmed down. I'll have plenty of food left over."
Joe stared at him in disbelief. She had never had someone ask her to leave their home before, especially not a boyfriend. "Are you serious?"
"Yes. Please go."
Without another word, she walked out of the kitchen and grabbed her coat and gloves off the couch. She put them on slowly in hopes that he would step out of the kitchen and tell her that he changed his mind, but he didn't.
Walking to the door, she opened and closed it with hope that he would still call her back, but he didn't. Getting into her car was the same, but he did not recall her.
A painful feeling of rejection washed over her, as she turned on the car and drove away. She wanted to text him and tell them that they were finished, but the thought of doing it hurt her heart. She wanted to call him and apologize then ask to come back, but her pride over being kicked out wouldn't allow that to happen.
Instead, she drove home to the Swithin estate and up to the guest house. She stepped out of the car and looked up at Riane's window. It was dark.
The guest house was dark as well, and she didn't want to go instead of be alone again. She didn't know why she had acted out towards Dalen, but she knew she was wrong in many ways. Her feelings for what he said were valid, but the way she had spoken to him had been incorrect.
Walking into the guest house, she didn't turn on the lights and sat down on the couch without taking her coat off.
The more she thought about it, the angrier she became over being kicked out. She decided in those moments that she had been broken up with, and it would be entirely up to Dalen to make amends with her. It was the only way her pride would allow her to see him again.
Riane didn't arrive home until after nine in the evening. She had walked from the bus stop, and though it had been cold and a bit frightening when she arrived at her destination she felt slightly freed in those moments alone. No one watching her or protecting her.
She knew she could have called for a driver, a taxi, or even gotten Julian to come get her, but she had wanted to spend a little more time with Emma. Her new friend had ridden on the bus half way with her.
Stepping into the house, she took off her snow gear and put it in the closet, before Nanette appeared at the bottom of the stairs. She was wearing a yellow sleeping gown with a black bathrobe. "Are you alright? It is terribly late to be getting home."
"Yes, sorry. I was doing homework with a new friend, and we lost track of time." She walked down the hallway to stand in front of Nanette.
"Please, call if you are not going to make it for dinner." She folded her arms and her brows came together.
"Ah, yes. I am sorry. It won't happen again." Riane knew she was wrong as soon as Nanette said it, and in truth she hadn't thought to call at all that evening.
Nanette demeanor changed as her face softened and her arms dropped to her side. "Are you hungry? I can warm up some leftovers or cut you up some fruit."
"No, Emma and I ordered Chinese food. She doesn't get to eat out a lot, so I decided to treat her." Riane knew what it felt like to be trapped, even though they were both held in different ways. Her by her father's control, and Emma by her fiances.
The older woman smiled, "Very well. I will have to meet this Emma sometime. You should get ready for bed. Goodnight."
"Goodnight." She said as she watched Nanette ascend the staircase with her close behind. She had to admit she was rather tired after her fun day.
Heading down the hall, she opened the door to her dark bedroom. The cold air hit her like a wave in the warm hallway, and she realized that a window must have been opened. Though she had not opened one that day.
Turning on the light, she saw the opened window from across the room, and moved quickly to shut it. Her bedroom would be freezing for a while until the heater had enough time to warm it up. Slamming the window shut, she knew that someone had to be in her room. Since this felt like a practical joke, her first thought was Zack as he still hadn't seem to warm up to her.
"Hey." A voice spoke from behind her.
Riane startled as she spun around to find Julian laying on her bed fully dressed. "What are you doing in here? Did you open this window?"
"It gets warm in here." He told her as he sat up and yawned. "I must have fallen asleep waiting for you." He stretched out his arms.
"You shouldn't be in my room without permission." She snapped.
Suddenly, Julian looked like he came awake and stood from the bed. "Why didn't you call me to come get you? I told you to call me."
She shrugged her shoulders, before she pulled off her brown sweater. "I wanted to take the bus. Emma rode with me halfway."
"The nearest bus stop from here is a couple miles away. You walked that?" He asked as he noticed her red cheeks, nose, and ears.
"Yeah." Riane told him with a smile on her lips and pride in her heart.
"Do you know how dangerous that is? Next time at least let me meet you at the bus stop." He left the room with haste.
Riane thought he was angry and had stormed out. "Thanks for the cold room, jerk." She mumbled to herself before finding her orange pajamas hanging in the closet on one hanger.
She tossed them onto the bed and removed her shirt before quickly putting the top on. It was too cold to linger. She quickly did the same with her bottoms. Walking over to her vanity she sat down to remove the make-up from her face.
At that moment, Julian returned with an electric blanket. "This should keep you warm until the room heats up." He spread it across the bed and began looking for an outlet.
"Oh, thank you." She said as she wiped the cotton pad across her face and thought nothing of his sudden act of kindness.
When he plugged it in and turned it on, he sat back down on the bed. "Adonia called me today and I met her for coffee."
"Oh, really. Like a date?" Riane asked with a bit of excitement in her voice that made Julian annoyed.
"You made it sound like Blake's idea to move you into his apartment was months ago, but Adonia said it is something he is still considering." He wasn't about to tell her that Adonia thought Blake might be in love with her. She needed more time... or perhaps he did. There was no plan in what he was doing just yet, so time was needed to formulate one.
"It didn't seem like something I should be telling others, since I wasn't involved this time and it was Adonia's private issue." She explained. "However, since she called you and asked you out, maybe she is starting to trust you."
"Or maybe she was trying to start shit between us." He could feel the blanket slowly heating up under him.
Riane threw the pad away and turned to face him. "Progress is progress. She never would have called to meet up with you before, and this is after just one double date. Imagine what we can accomplish with two."
"There will be no second date." He spoke firmly.
Riane chuckled, "Yeah, right."
"I don't like Adonia anymore, and I have no desire to continue lying to them or to myself." The words surprised him even as he spoke them, but he understood himself now more today than ever before.
"You are talking crazy." She stood up and walked over to the bed. "Now, get up. I want to go to sleep."
Julian continued to sit on the bed and stared up at her. "I am serious, Riane. I am not going on anymore double dates. I am not helping with the illusion anymore."
"This was your idea."
"I know. I started it and now I am finishing it." He stood up so he could be directly in front of her. "We aren't doing this, understand?"
"What's going on? What happened? Did Adonia say something?" She looked slightly concerned for him which made his heart hurt.
"She didn't say anything. I made this decision all on my own." He watched her sit down on the bed.
"Nice and warm." She smiled up at him before continuing the conversation at hand. "Anyway, just get some sleep. You'll feel better in the morning."
Deciding it was best not to continue this conversation, he walked over to the door. "Goodnight. We can talk more tomorrow."
"Alright, turn the light off as you leave." Riane pulled back the blankets and hurried to climb inside her warm bed.
Julian opened the door and placed his hands on the switch, before turning around and looking at the woman who was completely covered except for her head. She looked like a child who had just been tucked in.
"What?" She asked softly.
"I like you, Riane. I want you." He told her before turning off the light and heading down the hall.
Joe sat in the library in between classes. The smell of old books surrounded her and the faint sounds of people using the computer keyboards could be heard. There was a row of desks that had blinder walls up that she enjoyed sitting in. They allowed her a private work space even in public, and kept most people at bay.
With her laptop in front of her, she worked on an English paper. The nursing program required work to get into before she could actually be admitted, so for now it was a lot of regular classes no different from Riane's.
After a moment, turning on her laptop that sat on the desk and ignoring those that walked passed her, she found the paper and stared at the black and white of her screen. She didn't feel like actually working on this paper. There was no words coming to her mind.
She had an hour so she figured she would give herself a distraction for a moment. She picked up her phone and decided to send Riane a text message.
"You get to school alright?" She knew that Riane wouldn't respond to her, but she sent at least one a day. She did not believe that her actions were worthy of losing her friend.
She stared at her phone for several moments, before turning the screen over to Dalen's text message list. He had sent her a message that morning like he always did.
"Good morning! I can't wait to see you tonight." It was the usual from him and normally she would respond. They spent their free moments during the day sending a random text message to one another or sharing a story of something that happened.
Not this morning. This morning she did not respond. Which prompted a response around ten, "Hey, everything ok?"
It was not. She was still angry and sore after what happened. She didn't understand why he didn't see how insulting it was to get told that she would be approved. He hadn't said it that way, but that was exactly what he had meant.
As if Dalen could tell she was looking at the screen, she got another message. "Lunch time. I am going to get the salmon. Bet they don't sell that at your cafeteria. Probably get good sandwiches or pizza not pretentious crap, right? HAHA!"
A slight smile appeared on her lips and she thought she respond to him, but instead set her phone down. She refused to give in she thought to herself as tears started to swell in her eyes.
"You look sad." A male voice spoke as he approached her.
Dark eyes stared down at her. His hair a midnight black and a gentle smile on his lips. He looked like a vampire was her first thought. "I am fine." She told him and quickly wiped away the beginnings of her tears.
He leaned against the blinder. "A pretty girl sitting in a library and crying quietly. Either you just had someone pass away or this is about a guy."
Joe cleared her throat and looked up at the man with confidence. "And you must be the type of guy that likes to prey on women who look emotionally vulnerable."
He stood up straight, "Hey, I am just a human checking on another human who looks distressed. If you were drowning should I not try to save you?"
"Yes, you are a grand humanitarian. Go hunt elsewhere." She turned her eyes back to the laptop screen and folded her arms across her chest.
"It'll be hard to type like that." He said continuing to linger. "I'm Neil Cotton, not to be confused with..."
"I don't care." She interrupted.
"Oh, come on, I always do the Peter Cottontail joke when I introduce myself. It is like seriously my best ice breaker."
She snorted, "Why would anyone confuse Neil with Peter?" She pulled down the screen on her laptop and put it in her bag. "It's obvious I won't get any work done here." She mumbled as she stood up and tossed the bag handle over her shoulder.
"Want to get some coffee? My treat." He smiled at her as she stepped out of the desk's private area.
"What? No." She was trying to keep her voice low since she was in a library, but this guy was talking as if they were in a normal space.
Turning away from him, she headed down through the bookcases and towards the stairs that would lead her down to the first story. As she started to descend, he appeared beside her and continued to walk with her, so she stopped midway.
"You realize how creepy this is? You are following me. When shit like this happens to women they get scared and call for the police." She growled.
Neil shrugged his shoulders, "I am just leaving the library at the same time as you. Also, I didn't get your name."
She glared at him for a long moment, "Leave me alone."
He tossed his hands up in the air as she began to head down the stairs, when she was at the bottom he spoke. "You really don't remember me, Jolene?"
Joe stopped and turned to look up the stairs, "What?"
"Neil Cotton from Edison Elementary School. You were the one that started calling me Peter Cottontail." He slowly started to walk down the stairs. "You used to chase me around at recess, and tell me about your rich friend. You always wanted her to come to school, but she was being home schooled. We were best friends, and whenever I said that you said your other friend was your best friend not me, then usually punch me in the shoulder."
Joe stood with her mouth slightly ajar, "Oh, yes, I remember that now."
He made it to the end of the stairs and smiled as she told him she remembered him. "Whew, good, because for a minute there I thought I might have gotten the wrong person. Then that would have been really creepy of me."
She chuckled for a moment, "Yeah, you should probably just start with the part about being old friends. That was very stalkerish."
"You think that is stalkerish? I've been seeing you here for the last two weeks and been unsure if you were who I thought you were. I've been hoping to catch a glimpse of a paper with your name on it or something." He brought his brows together, "Wow, that sounded a lot more funny and less awkward and weird in my head."
Joe chuckled, "You've changed a lot. Whatever happened to you? I remember first day of middle school, you said you would find me, and you never did."
"Yeah, we moved away before middle school and I moved back here because I missed it. Also, for a community college this place has a really good computer program. Nursing for you, right?"
"Yeah, how did you?"
He shrugged, "In another ill conceived attempt to figure out who you were, I may have overheard a conversation or two. I don't know if I have made this abundantly clear or not, but I am an incredibly awkward person."
"I think that painting has been completed." She continued to smile.
"So, do you have time for coffee? The school's coffee shop isn't the best, but they can make a mean latte." He motioned towards the door.
"Alright, I guess it would be nice to catch up." She began to walk beside him towards the large double glass doors.
"So, Jolene or Joe? I remember you hated one and wanted to be called the other, but I pretty sure I always called you Jolene. Probably because it bothered you." He smirked as he opened the door for her to step out.
"You mean you called me it because you got your crush to pay attention to you." She stepped out into the open court of the community college.
Neil laughed, "Yeah, I thought I was pretty obvious. Good news though, I no longer pull hair or spit, unless I am asked politely or commanded, whatever she is into."
"Hello, Emma." Julian said as he walked up to Riane's classroom door. He had been doing it all day right along side Emma and for the classes that Emma had to miss. "Ready for lunch?"
Emma had witnessed this man being completely rude and disrespectful to her and everyone else just the day before, and she couldn't place why he had a sudden change of personality. "Yes, I made a turkey club sandwich with avocado. I hope that avocado didn't brown too much."
"Didn't you have turkey yesterday?" He asked with what appeared to be genuine curiosity.
She nodded her head, "It was on sale so I bought a couple pounds to last me two weeks." As she spoke she could see that he didn't clearly understand why she would do such a thing. "It is cheaper to buy in bulk."
"I know. I just can't believe that after two weeks you wouldn't vomit at the sight of turkey. I can't even eat leftovers." He shivered before looking at the door that lead to Riane's classroom. "Wonder what is taking so long."
"This professor runs long and he never wants to let people leave until he finishes, which makes his next classes from there on out late as well. Hopefully, he'll be reset due to lunch, because I have him at the end of the day." She sighed and played with the loose hairs that fell from her winter cap.
"I have him too, but I only show up for exams." Julian explained.
"I know, you are in my class. It's always a lot of loud whispers whenever you come to the classroom, because they don't know how you can be passing and not hear the lectures." Emma pressed her lips together, "Also, you take the tests in like less than ten minutes."
He nodded, "Yeah, I have a 4.0, so don't worry about me passing my classes. The professors know I don't need them, and just let me get my homework at the beginning of the week and I turn it all in on Fridays."
"Oh." She was about to add more when the door opened and the group of students poured out from the classroom. Most had a look of annoyance as he had taken away some of their lunch time.
"Hey, Emma." Riane said when she popped out of the room, but her excitement and smile was short lived. "Damn it, Julian. What are you doing?"
"Escorting my fiancee to lunch, and her lovely friend." He offered out his elbows to both girls and Emma took it to be polite, but Riane glared at him. He quickly grabbed her hand and turned to Emma. "It looks like she is the rude one today."
Emma couldn't help but smirk as the two walked together with Riane being dragged behind them.
When they arrived at the cafeteria, Emma found Seth and Dalen who had already gotten their lunches and left Julian and Riane to go through themselves.
Julian stood in line behind her and kept holding her hand even when she tried to pull away. "If you want your hand back, I'll be glad to walk with my arm around your shoulder."
That was a threat if Riane had ever heard one. She had seen Adonia and didn't know if Blake was nearby, so she didn't want to cause a scene with him.
Julian had woken her up that morning with a cup of her favorite tea, he had gathered her things for her, opened every door he could, and had even carried her backpack to her first class for her. He had been friendly and pleasant every time she had seen him. It only made her remember the stunning confession he had made, one which she wanted to forget.
When they had paid and gone through the line, he had tried to take her tray to carry it for her, but she refused as they made their way to the table to sit down.
"Hey, are you talking to Joe?" Dalen asked.
Riane shook her head, "No, but I probably should. I am not even mad at her anymore, well I am but... I don't know."
"I've been texting her all day and she hasn't answered me once. I mean we got into a bit of a tiff last night, but I don't think it warranted the silent treatment." He said as he stared at his phone.
Seth had been smiling at Emma since she had sat down, and had made a couple jokes to make her smile and feel comfortable. However, Riane could see his iris slowly turn into little hearts with each giggle she offered him.
Looking down at her bowl of chili, she found Julian's hand place a candy bar next to her bowl and immediately looked towards him.
"Sweets for my sweet." Julian said loudly in front of the entire group.
Dalen couldn't close his mouth and Seth looked confused with his brows together.
Riane decided the best course was to ignore him and took a bite of her chili. "Yuck, really bland."
"I'll get some salt packets." Julian announced before heading back into the food distribution area.
"What the hell is going on with him?" Dalen asked when he was out of earshot. "Are you two officially together? Did you sleep with him? Also, if you slept with him and made him that nice, it has to be life altering and I offer myself up."
Riane felt the embarrassment, but didn't want to show it so she simply pressed her lips together. "Shut up, Dalen. Nothing is going on. He's just confused."
"Confused about what?" Seth's eyebrow was raised and he still looked stunned. "I mean he looks pretty confident in what he is doing."
Emma giggled, "I think he likes her now. He's been waiting at all of her classes all day, and he gets there before me. It's like he just waits outside the classroom like a little puppy waiting for it's master to come back out."
The guys laughed, but Riane remained deadpan. "That's enough. I don't want to talk about this anymore."
"Alright." Emma could see that her new friend was serious and she turned to Seth. "You look very nice today."
"Thank you. I had a date last night and it felt nice to be dressed up so I wanted to keep it going." He explained but regretted telling her that he went on a date.
"I got you a bunch, since I didn't know how much you wanted." Julian announced as he returned to the table with a handful of salt packets.
"Damn, Julian, she could fill the whole bowl with that much salt." Dalen reached across the table to take one, but Julian quickly smacked his hand away.
"Ask her before you take anything off her tray. Are you a barbarian?"
Riane grabbed one and handed it over to Dalen, "What is with you?" She mumbled to Julian, but he didn't seem interested in answering.
"How was your date?" Emma asked when the two love birds had settled down to eat their meal.
Seth shrugged, "I always thought she was nice before but I think it was because I wasn't really serious about dating her. Now that I want to get serious, I realize she is kind of overbearing and rude, but I don't know how to end it."
"Can't you just say you want to see other people?"
Riane leaned in towards her friend, "Arranged marriage alert."
"Another one?" Emma looked between her and Seth. "Is it really that common and only I don't know about it."
Seth hated that she told Emma that but continued to add to the conversation. He would have a discussion with Riane later. "More common than most people think. It's often good for the company."
"That's kind of sad." Emma frowned.
"Is it too hot? Do you want me to blow on it for you?" Julian asked as he reached over to her bowl.
"No! Stop it!" Riane barked as she smacked his hand away.
Emma watched them briefly before looking over at Seth and pointing at them before rolling her eyes. He smirked at her reaction and then returned to their meals.
His heart beat rather rapidly as he became somewhat excited over the idea that she had called him. She had actually needed him to talk to, and he thought that maybe even after only one double date that he might be able to win her over.
She looked beautiful as always. Her hair always perfectly curled in the front and her make-up immaculately done. She looked like an angel who could cure anyone of their ailments with a single smile. Her laughter could remove all the pain in one's body. At least, he remembered feeling like that about her, but now he couldn't feel that tightness in his chest.
She smiled as she handed him a paper cup with a plastic lid. "I ordered you a latte, I hope that is alright. You don't seem like the guy who cares for sweet drinks too much."
"It's fine. I am usually a black coffee drinker."
Adonia chuckled, "I'll remember that for the future then."
Was she flirting with him? Was she suggesting that they would get together alone in the future? Something like that would be a date, right?
Julian nodded and took a sip from the plastic lid. "So, you said you needed my help?"
"Advice, yes." She opened her mouth to speak but slowly opened it. "I don't know how to say anything to you without making it seem like I am trying to cause trouble."
"Cause trouble for me?" He pointed to his own chest. "I highly doubt you could cause more trouble for me than I get into all by myself."
She chuckled, "I suppose not." She took a deep breath and stared down at her coffee cup for a couple seconds. She didn't know where to start the story or if she should just blurt it out.
"Adonia, it's alright, what happened?" Julian told her when he couldn't sit in the silence a moment longer.
"Has Riane told you that Blake had plans to move her into his apartment? He wants to pretend to be her fiancee until college is over." She held her breath as she regretted telling him immediately as she was afraid that Julian might become furious.
Instead, he smirked and nodded. "Yeah, it happened a couple months ago. Riane told him she wasn't interested, why?"
She swallowed, "Yes, he talked to Riane about it then, but he brought it up to me just over the weekend. He is still considering it."
"I see." His heart dropped in his chest and he tried to swallow to moisten his throat that had gone dry. When that didn't work he took a big drink of his coffee. "She hadn't told me that. I mean did she know?"
"I told her when I met with her last. I am sorry if I am causing any trouble between you two." She abandoned the warm cup of mocha and folded her hands on her lap. "You see, Riane told me that her answer was no, and I assume that means it is still no."
"I would assume so." He felt somewhat relieved to realize that.
"However, there is the issue of Blake."
"Blake? He's never seemed problematic to me." Julian took another drink from his cup and set it down gently.
"I confronted him. I told him that I thought he was in love with Riane all along, and that he just used girlfriends for the sex and what not. I think that Riane had always been his girlfriend. Do you know what he said?" Adonia tried to fight any tears welling up in her eyes.
"No." He barely mouthed the words as customers entered into the coffee chop and went over to the cash register to place their order.
"Nothing." She replied.
Julian didn't understand what she was trying to get at with that response. "Nothing?"
She nodded her head, "He didn't deny it, Julian. The woman he supposedly loves is accusing him of loving another woman, and he couldn't even bring himself to say that she was wrong. Could you imagine if Riane accused you of loving someone else, what would your response immediately be?"
"Of course not." The answer slipped out of his mouth before his brain processed what he was actually saying. His chest tightened as he thought of Riane. "I would do whatever was necessary to prove to her that I only loved her."
Adonia was taken aback by his answer. She expected him to hesitate. In fact, she had wanted him to seem reluctant, but he couldn't say the words fast enough. "Yeah." She cleared her throat. "That is the appropriate response."
"Well," His voice cracked for a moment, and he cleared his throat before continuing. "it seems to me that Blake is acting alone in this endeavor. Riane has said she declined and therefore we must trust her. She hasn't lied to me yet... except about being a guy, but that was a lie by omission really. I mean, I was the one that assumed that she was one... a guy that is."
Adonia could see that he was flustered, and part of her heart grew jealous though she couldn't understand why in that moment. "Uh, yes, we should trust her."
Julian was trying to think of a way out of this situation. He wanted to pick up Riane and talk to her about this as soon as possible. He needed to know that her answer was still the same as it had been before. She agreed to stay because part of their deal was that he would get Adonia in the end of the break up. Well, he had to remind her that if she just moved out with him that he wouldn't be getting his part of the bargain.
Granted that meant that Adonia would be single and he would be able to go after her. He had been trained how to deal with her more appropriately, but... he didn't want Riane to leave. He wanted his friend to stay... in his home... with him.
"Have you broken up with him?"
"No, he wants to end things then I am going to make him. He won't get to say that Riane ran me off like the others." Adonia sniffled and grabbed a napkin off the table before wiping her nose. "It's just that. It's not Riane that I am worried about, Julian. I am worried that I am right about Blake that he does have feelings for her, and that I was just a stand in all along. Do you know how cruel that is? To make a woman think that you love her when it was only about sex all along?"
Ivy came to mind as she spoke, and he gave a slight nod. "I do. Before Riane came along, I did that more than a couple times."
"You and Blake will be sorry one day. If the two of you ever have a daughter, and you watch someone play with her heart like that. You'll be sorry." A couple tears streamed down her cheeks but she was quick to wipe them away.
"I already am." He admitted with haste. "If I didn't act that way, maybe I would be more trustworthy. Maybe Riane would see me." He didn't mean to admit the last part, but his mouth had been taken over by his heart instead of his careful manipulations.
Adonia was quiet for a moment as she stared at him. "Riane doesn't see you? Like she doesn't love you or trust you?" For a moment there was joy in her heart that made him somewhat sickened by herself.
He shook his head, "It's a long road that she and I are walking, but I think I'll take a page out of your book and just cling until I am told to go away."
She forced a smile, "Good, than we are in this together? We cling to those we love, and call each other for support when needed?"
Julian gave a genuine grin, "Partners?" He offered out his hand to her, and she was quick to shake it.
"Partners." She responded him with tears in her eyes and a smile on her lips.
-***-
"Please, let's talk." Joe sent the text as she stood in Dalen's kitchen. She tossed the phone down on the island and sighed as she leaned her elbows onto the surface and placed her head in her hands. She had to spread her legs in order to lower herself to the appropriate height.
"Bombarding her with text messages is probably not the best way to go. Why not try actually going to see her?" Dalen asked as he mixed together the aoili in a large metal bowl.
They had to go out to get ingredients and by the time they returned it was nearing five in the evening, so they decided to have dinner together instead of what was meant to be an early dinner.
When they arrived at the grocery store, Dalen didn't like the pre-cooked roast beef so he decided to buy a roast for himself. He then realized he didn't have anything to slice it thin enough, so they had to make another trip to buy a meat slicer.
"You don't understand. She and I have talked everyday since we were born, even when she went on vacations and I was left behind she would call and we would talk for a couple hours a day." Joe's voice was uneven and she tried to prevent herself from crying.
"It hasn't been that long since it happened. Give her a minute and she'll come around, but still go talk to her in person. It's harder to ignore a person in front of you." He tasted the aoili. "Delicious. That girl might be after my own heart."
"Hey." Joe snapped.
"I am teasing." He smiled, "Hey, I told my sister about you."
Any humor on Joe's face was wiped away. "Why did you do that? I thought you didn't want to talk to your family about our relationship until we knew we are serious."
Dalen continued to smile, "She says you sound really nice. I told her that you were becoming a nurse, and she thinks my mom and dad wouldn't mind that so much."
"What? What are you saying?"
His own humor left his face, but it quickly returned when he formulated a reply. "You know if the time comes that we ever want to make it public to them. I mean the one day CEO of Hurstmart with a nurse girlfriend would look good, right?"
"Would look good?" Joe's eyebrows closed in on one another, and she looked disgusted. "You sound like Riane's dad when he was trying to get her to pick an arranged marriage." She began to mock Simon's voice. "You would make the family very proud if you were to be married to this dickhead from Fart Co and Associates."
Dalen took a deep breath, "We don't even know if this is long term, yet. So, let's change the topic. What kind of cheese do you want on your french dip?"
"What is with you people and your mad desire to marry to the perfect person not for yourself, but for the image of your family and your company? Is that all I am is someone your parents might approve of, even if I am nothing more than sewer garbage at least I'll be a diamond one day?" She hissed the words and slammed her hand on the counter.
"No, my parents are respectful of their adult child's decisions. However, I thought that perhaps you might think they wouldn't be. I thought knowing that they would love to meet my nurse girlfriend would ease any tension you might have about going public with them." He turned to the stove to check on the electronic meat thermometer and opened the oven to eye it briefly.
The woman behind him continued to frown and crossed her arms. "Whatever."
"I have had girlfriends in the past that felt intimidated because they weren't from some rich family, and knew in the bottom of their hearts they would never be accepted. They ended up ending the relationship with me because of that fear." He told her as he shut the oven door and turned back around to face her.
"So, you have a thing for dating women out of your financial league?" She posed the question with a higher pitched voice than usual. "Kind of like your way of being able to control them, then? Is that it?"
Dalen frowned as he had heard this argument before. "No, I choose girls that I like and want to date. Their financial situations are something that has happened to them, it is not what created them. It's not who they are. And, if I am being honest, I do like women who are not from the upper class because they can be difficult to please at times. Riane being an exception, of course."
He walked over to the fridge and pulled out the mayonnaise and then a couple cloves of garlic from the bulb sitting on the island.
"Mayonnaise, garlic, pepper, and parsley. Such an easy recipe just in case the aoili doesn't work out." He explained as he desperately tried to change the subject. "I made the mayonnaise fresh yesterday, so this should be delicious either way." He smiled as he grabbed a bamboo chopping block and his chef's knife.
"You never want to have serious conversations, do you? Everything needs to be light and fun, and you are always trying to head off the darkness before it arrives. The problem is the darkness is always first. People are fucked up and have problems they have to deal with, and you can't just discredit their feelings and tell them to be happy instead."
Dalen looked up from the chopping block, "It's better to light a single candle than to curse the darkness."
"Platitudes." She sighed.
He stared at her for a couple moment before exhaling. "Joe, I care for you deeply, but if this is the mood you want to be in, then please go home. I am sorry for whatever caused you to become distressed."
"You told your sister about me like I was a pet, and then told me that your parents would approve of your choice of pet." She dropped her arms to her side.
"I told one of my closest friends about my girlfriend. She thought you sounded amazing and simply said that our parents would like you too from the sounds of it. However, right now I would not like any of them to meet you. You are not being rational or kind. It's simply cruelty and anger for the sake of it." He put his knife down on the chopping block. "Come back tomorrow, when you have calmed down. I'll have plenty of food left over."
Joe stared at him in disbelief. She had never had someone ask her to leave their home before, especially not a boyfriend. "Are you serious?"
"Yes. Please go."
Without another word, she walked out of the kitchen and grabbed her coat and gloves off the couch. She put them on slowly in hopes that he would step out of the kitchen and tell her that he changed his mind, but he didn't.
Walking to the door, she opened and closed it with hope that he would still call her back, but he didn't. Getting into her car was the same, but he did not recall her.
A painful feeling of rejection washed over her, as she turned on the car and drove away. She wanted to text him and tell them that they were finished, but the thought of doing it hurt her heart. She wanted to call him and apologize then ask to come back, but her pride over being kicked out wouldn't allow that to happen.
-***-
Instead, she drove home to the Swithin estate and up to the guest house. She stepped out of the car and looked up at Riane's window. It was dark.
The guest house was dark as well, and she didn't want to go instead of be alone again. She didn't know why she had acted out towards Dalen, but she knew she was wrong in many ways. Her feelings for what he said were valid, but the way she had spoken to him had been incorrect.
Walking into the guest house, she didn't turn on the lights and sat down on the couch without taking her coat off.
The more she thought about it, the angrier she became over being kicked out. She decided in those moments that she had been broken up with, and it would be entirely up to Dalen to make amends with her. It was the only way her pride would allow her to see him again.
Riane didn't arrive home until after nine in the evening. She had walked from the bus stop, and though it had been cold and a bit frightening when she arrived at her destination she felt slightly freed in those moments alone. No one watching her or protecting her.
She knew she could have called for a driver, a taxi, or even gotten Julian to come get her, but she had wanted to spend a little more time with Emma. Her new friend had ridden on the bus half way with her.
Stepping into the house, she took off her snow gear and put it in the closet, before Nanette appeared at the bottom of the stairs. She was wearing a yellow sleeping gown with a black bathrobe. "Are you alright? It is terribly late to be getting home."
"Yes, sorry. I was doing homework with a new friend, and we lost track of time." She walked down the hallway to stand in front of Nanette.
"Please, call if you are not going to make it for dinner." She folded her arms and her brows came together.
"Ah, yes. I am sorry. It won't happen again." Riane knew she was wrong as soon as Nanette said it, and in truth she hadn't thought to call at all that evening.
Nanette demeanor changed as her face softened and her arms dropped to her side. "Are you hungry? I can warm up some leftovers or cut you up some fruit."
"No, Emma and I ordered Chinese food. She doesn't get to eat out a lot, so I decided to treat her." Riane knew what it felt like to be trapped, even though they were both held in different ways. Her by her father's control, and Emma by her fiances.
The older woman smiled, "Very well. I will have to meet this Emma sometime. You should get ready for bed. Goodnight."
"Goodnight." She said as she watched Nanette ascend the staircase with her close behind. She had to admit she was rather tired after her fun day.
Heading down the hall, she opened the door to her dark bedroom. The cold air hit her like a wave in the warm hallway, and she realized that a window must have been opened. Though she had not opened one that day.
Turning on the light, she saw the opened window from across the room, and moved quickly to shut it. Her bedroom would be freezing for a while until the heater had enough time to warm it up. Slamming the window shut, she knew that someone had to be in her room. Since this felt like a practical joke, her first thought was Zack as he still hadn't seem to warm up to her.
"Hey." A voice spoke from behind her.
Riane startled as she spun around to find Julian laying on her bed fully dressed. "What are you doing in here? Did you open this window?"
"It gets warm in here." He told her as he sat up and yawned. "I must have fallen asleep waiting for you." He stretched out his arms.
"You shouldn't be in my room without permission." She snapped.
Suddenly, Julian looked like he came awake and stood from the bed. "Why didn't you call me to come get you? I told you to call me."
She shrugged her shoulders, before she pulled off her brown sweater. "I wanted to take the bus. Emma rode with me halfway."
"The nearest bus stop from here is a couple miles away. You walked that?" He asked as he noticed her red cheeks, nose, and ears.
"Yeah." Riane told him with a smile on her lips and pride in her heart.
"Do you know how dangerous that is? Next time at least let me meet you at the bus stop." He left the room with haste.
Riane thought he was angry and had stormed out. "Thanks for the cold room, jerk." She mumbled to herself before finding her orange pajamas hanging in the closet on one hanger.
She tossed them onto the bed and removed her shirt before quickly putting the top on. It was too cold to linger. She quickly did the same with her bottoms. Walking over to her vanity she sat down to remove the make-up from her face.
At that moment, Julian returned with an electric blanket. "This should keep you warm until the room heats up." He spread it across the bed and began looking for an outlet.
"Oh, thank you." She said as she wiped the cotton pad across her face and thought nothing of his sudden act of kindness.
When he plugged it in and turned it on, he sat back down on the bed. "Adonia called me today and I met her for coffee."
"Oh, really. Like a date?" Riane asked with a bit of excitement in her voice that made Julian annoyed.
"You made it sound like Blake's idea to move you into his apartment was months ago, but Adonia said it is something he is still considering." He wasn't about to tell her that Adonia thought Blake might be in love with her. She needed more time... or perhaps he did. There was no plan in what he was doing just yet, so time was needed to formulate one.
"It didn't seem like something I should be telling others, since I wasn't involved this time and it was Adonia's private issue." She explained. "However, since she called you and asked you out, maybe she is starting to trust you."
"Or maybe she was trying to start shit between us." He could feel the blanket slowly heating up under him.
Riane threw the pad away and turned to face him. "Progress is progress. She never would have called to meet up with you before, and this is after just one double date. Imagine what we can accomplish with two."
"There will be no second date." He spoke firmly.
Riane chuckled, "Yeah, right."
"I don't like Adonia anymore, and I have no desire to continue lying to them or to myself." The words surprised him even as he spoke them, but he understood himself now more today than ever before.
"You are talking crazy." She stood up and walked over to the bed. "Now, get up. I want to go to sleep."
Julian continued to sit on the bed and stared up at her. "I am serious, Riane. I am not going on anymore double dates. I am not helping with the illusion anymore."
"This was your idea."
"I know. I started it and now I am finishing it." He stood up so he could be directly in front of her. "We aren't doing this, understand?"
"What's going on? What happened? Did Adonia say something?" She looked slightly concerned for him which made his heart hurt.
"She didn't say anything. I made this decision all on my own." He watched her sit down on the bed.
"Nice and warm." She smiled up at him before continuing the conversation at hand. "Anyway, just get some sleep. You'll feel better in the morning."
Deciding it was best not to continue this conversation, he walked over to the door. "Goodnight. We can talk more tomorrow."
"Alright, turn the light off as you leave." Riane pulled back the blankets and hurried to climb inside her warm bed.
Julian opened the door and placed his hands on the switch, before turning around and looking at the woman who was completely covered except for her head. She looked like a child who had just been tucked in.
"What?" She asked softly.
"I like you, Riane. I want you." He told her before turning off the light and heading down the hall.
-***-
Joe sat in the library in between classes. The smell of old books surrounded her and the faint sounds of people using the computer keyboards could be heard. There was a row of desks that had blinder walls up that she enjoyed sitting in. They allowed her a private work space even in public, and kept most people at bay.
With her laptop in front of her, she worked on an English paper. The nursing program required work to get into before she could actually be admitted, so for now it was a lot of regular classes no different from Riane's.
After a moment, turning on her laptop that sat on the desk and ignoring those that walked passed her, she found the paper and stared at the black and white of her screen. She didn't feel like actually working on this paper. There was no words coming to her mind.
She had an hour so she figured she would give herself a distraction for a moment. She picked up her phone and decided to send Riane a text message.
"You get to school alright?" She knew that Riane wouldn't respond to her, but she sent at least one a day. She did not believe that her actions were worthy of losing her friend.
She stared at her phone for several moments, before turning the screen over to Dalen's text message list. He had sent her a message that morning like he always did.
"Good morning! I can't wait to see you tonight." It was the usual from him and normally she would respond. They spent their free moments during the day sending a random text message to one another or sharing a story of something that happened.
Not this morning. This morning she did not respond. Which prompted a response around ten, "Hey, everything ok?"
It was not. She was still angry and sore after what happened. She didn't understand why he didn't see how insulting it was to get told that she would be approved. He hadn't said it that way, but that was exactly what he had meant.
As if Dalen could tell she was looking at the screen, she got another message. "Lunch time. I am going to get the salmon. Bet they don't sell that at your cafeteria. Probably get good sandwiches or pizza not pretentious crap, right? HAHA!"
A slight smile appeared on her lips and she thought she respond to him, but instead set her phone down. She refused to give in she thought to herself as tears started to swell in her eyes.
"You look sad." A male voice spoke as he approached her.
Dark eyes stared down at her. His hair a midnight black and a gentle smile on his lips. He looked like a vampire was her first thought. "I am fine." She told him and quickly wiped away the beginnings of her tears.
He leaned against the blinder. "A pretty girl sitting in a library and crying quietly. Either you just had someone pass away or this is about a guy."
Joe cleared her throat and looked up at the man with confidence. "And you must be the type of guy that likes to prey on women who look emotionally vulnerable."
He stood up straight, "Hey, I am just a human checking on another human who looks distressed. If you were drowning should I not try to save you?"
"Yes, you are a grand humanitarian. Go hunt elsewhere." She turned her eyes back to the laptop screen and folded her arms across her chest.
"It'll be hard to type like that." He said continuing to linger. "I'm Neil Cotton, not to be confused with..."
"I don't care." She interrupted.
"Oh, come on, I always do the Peter Cottontail joke when I introduce myself. It is like seriously my best ice breaker."
She snorted, "Why would anyone confuse Neil with Peter?" She pulled down the screen on her laptop and put it in her bag. "It's obvious I won't get any work done here." She mumbled as she stood up and tossed the bag handle over her shoulder.
"Want to get some coffee? My treat." He smiled at her as she stepped out of the desk's private area.
"What? No." She was trying to keep her voice low since she was in a library, but this guy was talking as if they were in a normal space.
Turning away from him, she headed down through the bookcases and towards the stairs that would lead her down to the first story. As she started to descend, he appeared beside her and continued to walk with her, so she stopped midway.
"You realize how creepy this is? You are following me. When shit like this happens to women they get scared and call for the police." She growled.
Neil shrugged his shoulders, "I am just leaving the library at the same time as you. Also, I didn't get your name."
She glared at him for a long moment, "Leave me alone."
He tossed his hands up in the air as she began to head down the stairs, when she was at the bottom he spoke. "You really don't remember me, Jolene?"
Joe stopped and turned to look up the stairs, "What?"
"Neil Cotton from Edison Elementary School. You were the one that started calling me Peter Cottontail." He slowly started to walk down the stairs. "You used to chase me around at recess, and tell me about your rich friend. You always wanted her to come to school, but she was being home schooled. We were best friends, and whenever I said that you said your other friend was your best friend not me, then usually punch me in the shoulder."
Joe stood with her mouth slightly ajar, "Oh, yes, I remember that now."
He made it to the end of the stairs and smiled as she told him she remembered him. "Whew, good, because for a minute there I thought I might have gotten the wrong person. Then that would have been really creepy of me."
She chuckled for a moment, "Yeah, you should probably just start with the part about being old friends. That was very stalkerish."
"You think that is stalkerish? I've been seeing you here for the last two weeks and been unsure if you were who I thought you were. I've been hoping to catch a glimpse of a paper with your name on it or something." He brought his brows together, "Wow, that sounded a lot more funny and less awkward and weird in my head."
Joe chuckled, "You've changed a lot. Whatever happened to you? I remember first day of middle school, you said you would find me, and you never did."
"Yeah, we moved away before middle school and I moved back here because I missed it. Also, for a community college this place has a really good computer program. Nursing for you, right?"
"Yeah, how did you?"
He shrugged, "In another ill conceived attempt to figure out who you were, I may have overheard a conversation or two. I don't know if I have made this abundantly clear or not, but I am an incredibly awkward person."
"I think that painting has been completed." She continued to smile.
"So, do you have time for coffee? The school's coffee shop isn't the best, but they can make a mean latte." He motioned towards the door.
"Alright, I guess it would be nice to catch up." She began to walk beside him towards the large double glass doors.
"So, Jolene or Joe? I remember you hated one and wanted to be called the other, but I pretty sure I always called you Jolene. Probably because it bothered you." He smirked as he opened the door for her to step out.
"You mean you called me it because you got your crush to pay attention to you." She stepped out into the open court of the community college.
Neil laughed, "Yeah, I thought I was pretty obvious. Good news though, I no longer pull hair or spit, unless I am asked politely or commanded, whatever she is into."
-***-
"Hello, Emma." Julian said as he walked up to Riane's classroom door. He had been doing it all day right along side Emma and for the classes that Emma had to miss. "Ready for lunch?"
Emma had witnessed this man being completely rude and disrespectful to her and everyone else just the day before, and she couldn't place why he had a sudden change of personality. "Yes, I made a turkey club sandwich with avocado. I hope that avocado didn't brown too much."
"Didn't you have turkey yesterday?" He asked with what appeared to be genuine curiosity.
She nodded her head, "It was on sale so I bought a couple pounds to last me two weeks." As she spoke she could see that he didn't clearly understand why she would do such a thing. "It is cheaper to buy in bulk."
"I know. I just can't believe that after two weeks you wouldn't vomit at the sight of turkey. I can't even eat leftovers." He shivered before looking at the door that lead to Riane's classroom. "Wonder what is taking so long."
"This professor runs long and he never wants to let people leave until he finishes, which makes his next classes from there on out late as well. Hopefully, he'll be reset due to lunch, because I have him at the end of the day." She sighed and played with the loose hairs that fell from her winter cap.
"I have him too, but I only show up for exams." Julian explained.
"I know, you are in my class. It's always a lot of loud whispers whenever you come to the classroom, because they don't know how you can be passing and not hear the lectures." Emma pressed her lips together, "Also, you take the tests in like less than ten minutes."
He nodded, "Yeah, I have a 4.0, so don't worry about me passing my classes. The professors know I don't need them, and just let me get my homework at the beginning of the week and I turn it all in on Fridays."
"Oh." She was about to add more when the door opened and the group of students poured out from the classroom. Most had a look of annoyance as he had taken away some of their lunch time.
"Hey, Emma." Riane said when she popped out of the room, but her excitement and smile was short lived. "Damn it, Julian. What are you doing?"
"Escorting my fiancee to lunch, and her lovely friend." He offered out his elbows to both girls and Emma took it to be polite, but Riane glared at him. He quickly grabbed her hand and turned to Emma. "It looks like she is the rude one today."
Emma couldn't help but smirk as the two walked together with Riane being dragged behind them.
When they arrived at the cafeteria, Emma found Seth and Dalen who had already gotten their lunches and left Julian and Riane to go through themselves.
Julian stood in line behind her and kept holding her hand even when she tried to pull away. "If you want your hand back, I'll be glad to walk with my arm around your shoulder."
That was a threat if Riane had ever heard one. She had seen Adonia and didn't know if Blake was nearby, so she didn't want to cause a scene with him.
Julian had woken her up that morning with a cup of her favorite tea, he had gathered her things for her, opened every door he could, and had even carried her backpack to her first class for her. He had been friendly and pleasant every time she had seen him. It only made her remember the stunning confession he had made, one which she wanted to forget.
When they had paid and gone through the line, he had tried to take her tray to carry it for her, but she refused as they made their way to the table to sit down.
"Hey, are you talking to Joe?" Dalen asked.
Riane shook her head, "No, but I probably should. I am not even mad at her anymore, well I am but... I don't know."
"I've been texting her all day and she hasn't answered me once. I mean we got into a bit of a tiff last night, but I don't think it warranted the silent treatment." He said as he stared at his phone.
Seth had been smiling at Emma since she had sat down, and had made a couple jokes to make her smile and feel comfortable. However, Riane could see his iris slowly turn into little hearts with each giggle she offered him.
Looking down at her bowl of chili, she found Julian's hand place a candy bar next to her bowl and immediately looked towards him.
"Sweets for my sweet." Julian said loudly in front of the entire group.
Dalen couldn't close his mouth and Seth looked confused with his brows together.
Riane decided the best course was to ignore him and took a bite of her chili. "Yuck, really bland."
"I'll get some salt packets." Julian announced before heading back into the food distribution area.
"What the hell is going on with him?" Dalen asked when he was out of earshot. "Are you two officially together? Did you sleep with him? Also, if you slept with him and made him that nice, it has to be life altering and I offer myself up."
Riane felt the embarrassment, but didn't want to show it so she simply pressed her lips together. "Shut up, Dalen. Nothing is going on. He's just confused."
"Confused about what?" Seth's eyebrow was raised and he still looked stunned. "I mean he looks pretty confident in what he is doing."
Emma giggled, "I think he likes her now. He's been waiting at all of her classes all day, and he gets there before me. It's like he just waits outside the classroom like a little puppy waiting for it's master to come back out."
The guys laughed, but Riane remained deadpan. "That's enough. I don't want to talk about this anymore."
"Alright." Emma could see that her new friend was serious and she turned to Seth. "You look very nice today."
"Thank you. I had a date last night and it felt nice to be dressed up so I wanted to keep it going." He explained but regretted telling her that he went on a date.
"I got you a bunch, since I didn't know how much you wanted." Julian announced as he returned to the table with a handful of salt packets.
"Damn, Julian, she could fill the whole bowl with that much salt." Dalen reached across the table to take one, but Julian quickly smacked his hand away.
"Ask her before you take anything off her tray. Are you a barbarian?"
Riane grabbed one and handed it over to Dalen, "What is with you?" She mumbled to Julian, but he didn't seem interested in answering.
"How was your date?" Emma asked when the two love birds had settled down to eat their meal.
Seth shrugged, "I always thought she was nice before but I think it was because I wasn't really serious about dating her. Now that I want to get serious, I realize she is kind of overbearing and rude, but I don't know how to end it."
"Can't you just say you want to see other people?"
Riane leaned in towards her friend, "Arranged marriage alert."
"Another one?" Emma looked between her and Seth. "Is it really that common and only I don't know about it."
Seth hated that she told Emma that but continued to add to the conversation. He would have a discussion with Riane later. "More common than most people think. It's often good for the company."
"That's kind of sad." Emma frowned.
"Is it too hot? Do you want me to blow on it for you?" Julian asked as he reached over to her bowl.
"No! Stop it!" Riane barked as she smacked his hand away.
Emma watched them briefly before looking over at Seth and pointing at them before rolling her eyes. He smirked at her reaction and then returned to their meals.