All My Courageous Lies

Wednesdays Are the New Saturdays

It had been a few days of work before I realized just how much I needed him – and just how much I hated that. I looked forward to his texts, his calls, his voice surrounding me every night as I doodled and read. He just made existing a little bit easier.

To make matters worse, I didn't even notice until I was sad to see Mars come in to work with me one day instead of him. She was my best friend, and she had done nothing to deserve the change in favoritism. She just couldn't protect me...

"So what's been going on with you? I thought when you came home I'd get to see you like, all the time and I feel like I haven't!" She gave me a caring smile, but her complaint still made me laugh.

"It's literally been a week!"

"Still! I don't know, guess I'm just jealous," she emphasized the last bit, giving me a taunting eye and sauntering off to no where in particular.

I followed her to the back kitchen, confused by her tone. "What are you talking about?"

"I haven't seen you in months, but I'm your best friend. I know you, girl. So I know damn well you aren't staying home every night. You hate being cooped up! And so naturally, I'm jealous of whoever has been stealing your time away from me."

"Actually, I have been staying home," I protested. "My parents wanted me to see them over the weekend, and I've been working closes all week, so..."

Halfway through my testament, I started fiddling with the dishes, wiping off the drying cups and anything else I could to hide my face, and help me camouflage the little white lie. Of course, I wasn't lying – I had been home every night. But there was a little fact I was keeping from her.

"Yeah, she has been actually." As calm as it was, his voice felt like thunder from behind me. Clearly he'd been there for a moment. I looked up to see a shocked face on Marie. Her cheeks were as red as her hair, and her eyes were planted on the tall figure that hovered over my shoulders. I turned into his chest and immediately took a step back. His t shirt was so soft, and the moody red of it somehow brought out a rosy tint to his caramel complexion.

"Like what you see, Angel?" His playful wink brought a comfortable smile to my lips, one that I regretted for more reasons than just Mars.

"Oh? So Angel here hasn't been with you all week?"

I turned to her quickly, trying to take control of the situation before he could mess it up anymore. "It's not-"

"Oh, I never said that either," he teased, letting his arm snake on top of my shoulder, just as slow as his teasing words fell out of his mouth.

Rolling my eyes, I shoved his arm off with a step forward. "We were just on xbox. It's nothing like he's making it sound."

Still, Marie's eyes followed me in shock and betrayal. "So you play video games with him and not me?!"

"Oh GOD no!" He laughed as loud and as hard as he possibly could.  "She doesn't play. I watched her once it was AWFUL."

With a shake of my head, I gave up and pushed past him, trying to keep myself from being cornered in the back office. "What do you want Ayden?" I chimed as I walked away.

"Oh you know what I want," he shouted from the back. Both him and Mars refused to leave the kitchen, which only made me more nervous. I didn't want to offend her, and I definitely didn't want to have to explain myself to her for the rest of the night.

So I made his drink. It kept my hands busy, as I tried to focus all the energy building up in my chest on something physical. Large Iced cup. Four pumps of Vanilla Bean two pumps of Mocha. What are they talking about? Espresso shot. Are they snickering back there? Why won't they come up here? What's he telling her? Three Splenda, two splashes of milk. Fill to the brim with cold brew. Get him out of here.