Breaking Barriers - S.R.

6

"Are you alright?" Spencer asked cautiously, once we were inside my apartment.

I fell into the couch with a huff and placed my head in my hands, sighing. "Yeah, I'm fine."

I heard his footsteps approach me and caught a glimpse of his shoes as he sat down on the coffee table so he could face me. "You're angry."

I had gotten used to Spencer being able to read my emotions easily, not that I was great at hiding them anyway. "Very."

"I'm sorry he hurt you." He said softly.

I raised my head to look at him and sat up straight. "Could you hear anything we were saying?"

He glanced away quickly before looking back at me. "We heard enough of it."

I ran a hand through my hair, tugging lightly at the roots in frustration. "How could he say those things?"

"He was angry and mostly likely wanted you to feel the pain and rejection he was experiencing." He said calmly. "Not that it's an excuse for insulting you the way he did."

"I'm not even mad about that. I'm more upset at the things he said about you!" I huffed.

"Why?" He asked softly, after a short pause.

"Because he doesn't even know you! You're one of the kindest, most caring and least judgmental guys I've ever met. You're sweet and attentive and not the type to manipulate a girl into a hook up." I vented, standing up and pacing back and forth. "It makes me so angry. Miles is the type of guy that is used to getting whatever he wants no matter the cost. You are the complete opposite. You do everything to help others and you're one of the greatest guys I've ever met."

Once I finished my angry rant, I stopped pacing and looked down at Spencer, who was still sitting on the coffee table. I blushed immediately as I realized all the things I had just said about him. He had a small, almost surprised smile on his lips but he didn't say anything.

"I'm sorry." I sighed, falling back onto the couch in front of him. "This whole thing is my fault. I never should've tried to force you into this and I should have known something was off with Miles. You tried to warn me."

"You don't need to apologize. I wasn't forced to come here and he had no right to speak to you that way. You've known him longer than you've known me. It's only natural that you would want to believe your friend had good intentions. Any normal person would not be able to see this situation coming." He explained.

"I feel even worse that you heard him say all those things. If it's any consolation, I know what he said was bullshit, and I already trust you more than I ever trusted him." I admitted.

Spencer smiled. "It's alright, I've dealt with much worse. I can handle it."

"I know. It just makes me so mad. I don't understand what he thought he was going to accomplish by saying all those things." I sighed.

"Most likely his assumption was that his negative view point about me would get into your head enough to make you question our friendship, resulting in you distancing yourself from me and in return, becoming closer to him again." He rambled.

I blinked once. "So basically, he's jealous of you."

"He's jealous of our relationship...F-friendship, I mean." He stuttered, blushing slightly at his terminology.

An amused grin stretched across my face at his nervousness. "I wonder what he would've done if we actually were dating?"

Spencer immediately opened his mouth to reply, but snapped it shut quickly, rethinking his response. "He probably would've been a lot angrier."