It was about a month after our very, very awkward conversation that lead to absolutely nothing, and resolved absolutely nothing. Thankfully, Chris had to go back to LA for some recording sessions for this super-secret movie that he wasn't telling anyone about. I had been avoiding his family too, which was easier said than done when all of them had keys to my house. Given that it was wedding season, I was staying most nights at my office downtown anyway, which they didn't have a key to.
Was it childish, hiding from your second family? Probably, but I didn't know what else to do. Chris wasn't talking and I was not known for breaking first. "You're being ridiculous." Tara, another one of our friends, says to me when she comes to visit while I go through this bride's venue checklist for probably the hundredth time.
"Why should I call him? He's the one that left things the way he did. He should reach out first."
"How about because you're both mature adults? Or at least should be at this point."
"It's always me Tara. And I'm tired of it."
"Do you really want to lose him over something as stupid as blowing you off for Lily?" Ah yes, the lie that I had told so that no one would really know why we weren't speaking.
"Yes. Bros before hoes." I say and we both laugh. As much as I loved Chris and the others, having Tara around was a necessity in our circle of way too many boys.
"Did you really call yourself a bro?"
"I mean, what else am I?" She gives me a look. "What?"
"You seriously need me to spell it out for you?"
"Yeah, cause I have no idea what you're talking about."
"You totally have a thing for Chris. You have since we were kids."
"Now you're just talking crazy." I say, going back to focus on the list in front of me.
"Yeah, sure. I think the only person who doesn't know is Chris. And that's cause he's just as oblivious about his feelings towards you as you are."
"Tara, stop. Please. Even if I might have feelings for my best friend, which I'm not saying I do," I add, seeing her face. "I certainly wouldn't think that he could ever feel the same for me... especially when he's sending dick pics to Lily James, or trying to at least." I add this part under my breath but in the silence of my office, she heard it.
"I'm sorry. He did what?" Tara asks, her eyes wide.
"Nothing." I answer quickly. "I have a conference call here in a bit."
"Umm... No, you don't. We're going to finish this conversation." Tara says, sitting in the plushy chair on the other side of my desk.
"Ugh. Fine. He woke me up one night, having accidentally sent me a... dick pic."
She scrunches her face up in disgust. "And it was meant for her?"
"Unfortunately. But I'm almost positive he didn't try and resend it afterward."
"So that's why it's been so awkward between you two?"
"Yeah, no. He was really upset afterward, because it could've been so much worse, and to make us even, I decided to send him a pic of my boobs..." I add.
"Maybe you guys aren't as clueless as the rest of us think." Tara comments after several moments of silence.
"And when we finally decided to have a conversation about it, he called me his best friend and I said we'd leave whatever the fuck that was in the past where it belonged."
"What an idiot."
"I'll admit it, not one of my finer moments."
"So, you're admitting that you like him?"
"Are we going to act like I didn't catch you reading my diary during one of our sleepovers in high school?"
"Fair point. You know he feels the same way, right?"
"No he doesn't. So, I'm going to put this behind me because I'm not ruining our friendship by pining for something that I was never meant to have to begin with."
"Hmm. I think you're both stupid, denying yourselves something that might make you happy." She says before leaving.
*Tara's POV*
"Hey, I'm surprised you answered. Typically you're always busy when you're out in LA." I say when Chris actually answers the phone when I get back to my house that night.
"Well you just happened to catch me at the right time." I could tell by his voice that something was bothering him.
"Ok, what happened?"
"It seems that not enough distance was put between me and Lily and my team is concerned that this negative press she's receiving is going to make its way back to me."
"Well, what do they want you to do about it?"
I can practically hear the grimace on his face. "They want me to do a PR relationship."
"That's awful. Who did they have in mind?"
"They didn't say, just that they'd get back to me before I leave tomorrow with some options."
"So probably some bubble head, wannabe actress?"
He laughs at that. "Probably."
"Might I make a more... realistic, suggestion?"
"I'm all ears."
"Artemis."
"Absolutely not Tara. That's one too many lines that I refuse to cross with her. Plus I can't ask that of her."
"Ok, 1, you didn't have a problem with those lines when she was sending you a topless selfie. And 2, you love her Chris. Maybe this is what you need to finally get your head out of your ass."
"I think you've been hanging out with Arty too long."
"And I think you call her Arty to try and separate your childhood best friend from the woman that she grew to be."
"I thought you were a real estate agent, not a therapist."
"Just... think about it. At least you wouldn't be faking it." I say before hanging up. Hopefully this was the kick in the ass that they both needed to finally admit what the rest of us had known all along.
*Artemis' POV*
I'm locking up the office for the night when my phone starts ringing. "What can I do you for?" I ask in my usual greeting when Chris calls.
"What if I had been a client?" he asks, laughing.
"I knew it was you. Your ringtone is Star Spangled Man with a Plan."
He groans. "You love to torment me."
"Always have, always will. But seriously, everything ok? I haven't heard from you since you left."
"Yeah, I just got caught up with work. I'm sorry."
"It's ok. I've been there." We lapse into awkward silence. "Ok, not that I don't love how we can be content with just not saying anything but I'm sure you had a reason for calling."
"You're right." He responds, before sighing. "So apparently my team and I haven't done a good enough job at putting some distance between me and-"
"Smelly James."
"We need to work on your filter. But yes."
"I'm sorry. What do they want you to do?" I ask, concern filling my voice.
"A PR relationship stunt."
"That does suck." I know how much he hated being plastered over every newspaper and gossip site.
"Yeah..."
"There's something else, isn't there?"
"I hate how well you know me sometimes. But yes, there's more."
"What is it Chris?"
"I have a huge favor to ask you."
"So ask."
"Will you be my girlfriend?"
YOU ARE READING
The Pic ✓
Fanfiction~Complete~ When you accidentally send your best friend a sensitive picture of yourself, you trust that things won't get out of hand. But this isn't a normal friendship and things start stirring between Artemis and her best friend, none other than Ca...
