The Pic ✓

Desperate Revelations

"I need you to come over to my office right now! It's important." I cry into the receiver.

"Do you want to take a chill pill? Whatever is happening cannot be that serious." Tara laughs on the other end.

"Wanna bet? Chris got back from L.A. and showed up here when I came in. We're meeting at his house for movies and take out and before he left he said it was a date before kissing my cheek and leaving."

"Holy fucking shit! He finally ballsed up and said something. I didn't think he would. Shit! I owe Scott $20."

"You were betting on my friendship?"

"Not technically, no. We were betting to see who broke first, you or Chris."

I sigh deeply before pinching the bridge of my nose. "And who else is in this little pool of yours?"

"I've been sworn to secrecy."

"Convenient. Well gather your merry band of asshats and take them all to my place. I'm closing up shop for the rest of the day and you all are going to hear about it."

"We'll all be there in 15." She says cheerfully before hanging up. I grumble as I pack my things away. "Ana, I'm closing shop for the day. Go home, relax, unwind. I'll see you back here tomorrow morning."

"Sure thing boss." She smiles.

"Quick question, before you go. Are you a part of this pool too?"

Her smile drops. "No, but I was aware of it."

"Thank you, for not lying, and also for not partaking. I'll see you tomorrow." I say before setting the alarm and locking the door behind us.

*30 Minutes Later*

"Seriously?! All of you?" I ask when I see just how many people are inside my living room. Scott at least has the decency to look ashamed. The others (Tara, Lisa, Shanna, and Carly) look mighty damn proud of themselves.

"Yup. We're tired of you both dancing around what has been, for quite a long time, the obvious." Tara says.

"Do none of you see just how badly the two of us will get hurt if this ends badly? I have loved Chris forever, as a friend, and if I were to lose him to something that could have been avoided, I'd never forgive myself."

"And what are you going to do when this charade is over and he finds someone else?" Carly asks.

"Honey, I have known from the first day you and Chris met when your family moved in next door to us that you and Chris were going to end up together one day." Lisa speaks up for the first time that afternoon.

"We were four..." I say under my breath.

"And instantly your worlds shifted and I could see the other become the center of your universe. For him... and for you."

"I don't know about that." I grumble.

"It's true. Trust me, a mother knows."

"Even if it were true then, it's not anymore. Chris said flat out that he doesn't want to ruin what we have, so that's the end of it. I love him! But I refuse to lose him, so I'm going to have to live quietly with that for the rest of my life. Now please, no more bets, no more pools. Just let it go." They look at me sadly before leaving.

...

I grab pizza from Leone's on the way to Chris's that night, trying not to think about the "intervention" that I left behind at my house. I love Lisa but she didn't know what she was talking about, mother's intuition or not. Chris made it abundantly clear that he only saw me as a friend.

I hit the clicker he gave me and waited as the gate opened before driving through and up to the house. I smile slightly when I see he's waiting for me. "I come bearing gifts." I get out of the car, handing him the pizza so I could grab the beer.

"Thanks! You're the best."

"You've been saying that a lot lately."

"And I mean it every time."

"So I believe I was promised my pick for movie night." I remind him as we walk inside, trying to change the subject.

"Whatever you want."

"Whatever I want?"

"I'm going to regret this aren't I?"

"Probably."

...

"I cannot believe you picked this." He whines as I howl with laughter.

"Did you not receive a dialect coach? I hear the people of Memphis want to sue you over this travesty."

"Did you only put this on to make fun of me?"

"No. I genuinely enjoy this movie. Bryce's performance is beautiful." I'm silent for a moment as I watch Bryce lose herself in the song she was playing on the piano. "Yours wasn't bad either, all jokes about the accent aside."

"Thank you." I smile as I watch his ears turn pink.

When the credits roll I turn to him. "You'll never believe what our families and friends have been doing."

"What?"

"There's a pool going."

"For what?"

"How long this awkward thing between us will last. Your mom seems to think we're stupid... actually everyone seems to think that."

"What did Ma say?"

"That you've been in love with me since I moved to Boston." I reply quietly. "Tara seems to think so too."

"Well Tara seems to think you've been in love with me since high school."

"Why didn't you ever say anything?"

"Why didn't you?"

"it may have something to do with the fact that I've been in your phone as Arty since we got cell phones. I've always felt like I was only one of the guys. Not to mention the slew of Hollywood starlets you've seen. How could dorky Arty compete with that?"

"It wasn't ever a competition." I turn to look at him, shocked by what he's saying.

Before I can respond though, he crashes his lips into mine, lifting me up onto his lap as I return the kiss with as much fervor as him. His hands come up and cup my ass and I moan a little when I feel him start to harden when I unintentionally grind down on him. He groans, bucking his hips up into me. "Not that I don't like this, but we should stop." Chris mumbles into my skin.

"Oh, sorry." I go to move off his lap.

"It's not because I don't want to Artemis. I don't think I can express how much I want to. But I owe you more than a quick hook up. I owe it to the both of us."

"Oh."

"Would you stay the night?"

"I've spent the night before Chris. I'm not sure why you're all of a sudden bashful about it."

"I meant with me... in my room. No funny business, just sleeping."

I smile at him. "Sounds good." We head to his room, Dodger on our heels. Chris rummages through his drawers before tossing me one of his t-shirts. It's from an Aerosmith concert we went to together.

I chuckle as I put it on and crawl into bed. "Night Chris." I mumble as I snuggle into his chest.

"Night Arty." I grumble. "Do you really hate the nickname?"

"Do you still see me as that little kid who wouldn't leave you guys alone?"

"I haven't for a long time."

"Then no, I don't hate the nickname." He laughs and kisses the side of my head before turning off the lights and we settle in to sleep.