Finding myself (18+)

Chapter 22

"Hi, honey." Gia's face appears on my open door on Monday. She enters my office and closes the door right after.

"How are you?" She asks, placing a cup of tea on my desk.

"Fine," I answer. Sending a fake smile on her way.

She takes a place in front of my desk, with another cup of tea in her hands, watching me. She's doing it a lot lately. Watching me, as she would like to say something.

"Was it a permanent goodbye?" She asks and I gawk at her. Before I could invent any response, she gives me a warning look.

She knows. And being sad about Andrew's departure is suddenly not the only feeling taking over me. Anxiety and shame are crawling up my guts.

"I don't know." I stare at my desk, waiting for her judgment. Wondering who else knows about it. Is it already spread around the office?

"He's difficult, but he's a good man, you know?" I nod at her question, finally taking the hot beverage on my desk and taking a sip. She takes a long breath before continuing.

"I never saw that boy smile so much before." I raise my eyes, finally having the courage to stare at her. She's smiling, she isn't judging.

"Or have so many meetings with the same person." She smiles and then gives me a pointed look, like proving her point.

"I know he made you smile too," she says, standing up. "Such a shame. You two were good together." She tells me before leaving my office.

I remain to stare at the door after her departure. I small and truthful smile forming on my lips. As if I needed a confirmation I did him good somehow. That we were good for each other.

***

"Are you leaving?" I ask Char, closing the door behind me.

"I have a date." He grins.

"A date?" I raise my brows.

"Don't act so surprise."

I raise both of my hands in surrender. It's not the first time he has a date, but he rarely informs me about it.

"You ok?" He frowns.

"Yeah, I'm fine." I look away to respond and bite my lip to avoid asking if he knows Andrew is gone or if he has heard from him.

"Liam is taking a shower," Char informs me while taking his coat from a chair. "You can have dinner with him, he'll enjoy some company."

He takes his keys, before turning to me again.

"I've bought a beer crate the other day. I haven't touch it, is on the fridge. You guys can enjoy it."

He kisses me on the cheek and leaves.

I walk to the kitchen opening their fridge, admitting that a drink would be good right now. I frown, staring at the almost empty fridge. Char mentioned he bought a crate of beer, but I find only one beer inside.

I don't give it too much attention. Taking the last beer from the fridge and opening it. I savor it on my way to the couch. Waiting for Liam to finish his shower and make me company.

Liam and I go out to have dinner in a restaurant close to our building. Neither of us wants to cook or walk. Pay for a taxi isn't included in our budget. So, we end up in a cheap pizza place.

"She asked you to do this?" He asks, after my third attempt to talk about what's going on with him.

"No. She doesn't know I'm here. I haven't talked to her this week." I affirm when I see he isn't comfortable with the fact Dani has something to do with our talk.