The Friend

Rodney

The following morning, Rodney stood a few buildings down waiting for Alicia to come out of her building. Today would be the day she would return to Lotus to pick up the contract. As he waited, he whistled to himself, glancing at his watch. The bright glare from the sun didn't bother him nor did the loud music coming from an open, apartment window since he was in a good mood. He smiled to himself as he thought about the night before; he couldn't remember the last time he had smiled or laughed that much. Normally, he didn't enjoy drinking since Cortes or Michael always did something crazy to him since he was such a lightweight, but being able to let his guard down for once was freeing and it was all because of Alicia. He didn't expect her to be surprisingly understanding and thoughtful like that. He chuckled to himself and shook his head.

The door opened and Maxine came out, dressed in scrubs. Though it was the weekend, it looked like she was going to work. Quickly, Rodney ducked as she crossed the street. When she was far away enough, he stood up straight and strolled over to their building. He squinted up at Alicia's bedroom window, continuing to whistle a cheerful tune.

Finally, Alicia came down and when she noticed him standing there, he smiled brightly at her.

"What are you doing here?" she frowned.

"Aren't you going to sign those papers today?" he asked.

"Yes, but you don't have to be there for that," she said.

"Oh come on, you said you'd interview me too," he said.

She weighed this silently, tilting her head this way and that. When he woke up today, the first thing on his mind was to see her again, though he technically had no reason to. Subconsciously, he told himself that she still needed to interview him and wanted to make sure she got her venue. After coming up with that reason, he didn't question his motives anymore.

But perhaps his desire to see her again was there, birthed in the spaces between them from the day before. In the laughter, the silliness, the europhia they shared yesterday. He half-smiled lazily.

"I'm sorry," he said.

"For what?" she asked.

He twisted his body this way and that hesitantly before saying, "For acting out of character last night when I was drunk."

She shook her head, but smiled, "You didn't do anything wrong."

He nodded, wondering if he should push, if he should mention how he held her too. When he got home last night and all this morning, he kept replaying the moment in his head and how right it felt to be holding her like that, how perfectly she fit in his arms. She smelled so good and felt so soft. If he had to admit it, holding her like that felt better than any woman he's ever hugged or slept with in the past—which should've been alarming since she was so plain, but he had thought about the moment several times that he had come to terms with it.

And perhaps she wasn't necessarily anyone's 'dream girl' per se just by looking at her, but holding her sure did something to a man. Her skin smelled like jasmines, and was so smooth, so supple. Still, he doubted if she's ever had any experience with men with the way she darted away from him afterwards. He bit his lip, thinking about her encounter with that dumb basketball loser from yesterday and how she shyly smiled at him. He wondered if clowns like him founded her appearances appealing; he stuck his tongue into his cheek. Just to himself, he was able to admit that the little attention she got from men like that loser bothered him, but he quickly casted that thought aside.

"Rodney?" Alicia called and he shook out of his daze. "Let's go."

She led the way and he followed after her, putting to rest the situation. It didn't matter to him if she had experience dating or not. It wasn't like they would be hanging with each other for very long. Spending time with her these past few days was fun and the highlight of his day, but that was it.