Crossed Keys

Chapter Three - Dash

No amount of praying stopped the rain.

I'd finished selling my fish early and decided I'd shower at a nearby gym then make my way over to the mainland to visit my friends.

That plan hadn't been the smartest and now I was stuck on the mainland—I couldn't go home until the storm stops.

The sound of footsteps behind me caught my attention, but I didn't turn to see if it was Bank or Joy.

"Can you believe this storm?" I stood on the balcony and stared out at the blowing rain.

"I'm sure Strike will understand you not being there tonight." Joy told me. "You can go one night without talking to him. He'll understand."

"You don't understand."

"I do. You feel like he's the only one you have."

I shook my head. "No, that's not it. I have you and Bank, I know that. But this what I have with Strike—it's different. It makes me feel something—"

"Come inside." Joy told me. "The water is going to start coming onto the balcony soon. And beside, Bank is finished cooking."

Sighing, I backed in through the glass door and pulled it shut. I'd only meant to visit her for a few hours and spend some time with her and my other best friend Bank. But I hadn't been paying attention to the weather and the storm caught me there.

According to the report, the storm would be like that for a few days. That meant, I was stuck on the mainland for a few days as there wouldn't be any Ferry going across until the storm warning was lifted.

That was the law.

"I'm sorry I didn't check before I visited." I groaned, flopping down at the table.

Bank sat beside me while Joy took one of the chairs across from us. "Stop worrying. You can come back to my place."

"I need the company." Joy admitted, picking up her chopsticks. "I'm glad you're here and I'm secretly happy it's storming out."

I laughed.

"Have you told your boyfriend you won't be home tonight to talk to him because of the storm?" Joy wanted to know.

I blushed. "He's not my boyfriend. I didn't have a chance. I thought I would have been home tonight. Hopefully, he checked the weather in the area and see there is a severe weather alert and not worry."

"Have you seen what he looks like yet?" Bank wanted to know.

"Better question." Joy waved her chopsticks at us. "Have you sent him a picture of you?"

I shook my head. "No. I can't."

They sighed in unison.

"We're just friends." I pointed out. "But I like to imagine we're more."

"Why don't you ask him what he wants from this relationship?" Joy asked.

"He can't." Brank pointed out. "He refused to show this man what he looks like. We'd like to think we can fall for someone without hearing their voice or seeing what they look like, but the truth is, we're not that advanced. We're vane and we care about appearance."

"I hate to agree with him." Joy sipped her juice.

"But you do." I sighed.

She nodded.

They took pity on me and changed the subject and we got through dinner. Since they cooked, I settled into clearing the table and doing the dishes. While Joy went to finish up a proposal for her job and Bank stretched out on the sofa to play a game on his phone, I wandered into the guestroom to check things out. I settled on one side of it, staring at the app trying to load on Joy's internet.