Method Acting || Joe Keery

T H I R T Y E I G H T

Sitting inside the cafe, I start tapping my fingers on the table anxiously.
I look around the room, wondering if she'll show up.

What if she doesn't come? She doesn't owe me anything. I wonder how she felt when I messaged her. I can't imagine I'd be too thrilled if I was her.

My phones dings with a text, and I check my messages.

Maya:
I thought I told you to turn your location on!!!

Charlee:
???

Maya:
So I can see where she buries the body 🙄

Charlee:
PLEASE stop being so dramatic

I laugh to myself as I turn my location on to appease her, and put my phone away.

"Funny meme?" I hear a thick, and sweet voice say to me.

I look up, and see Gemma dressed in a tank top and long flowing skirt, her blonde hair down and the tan I saw in her Instagram still glowing on her skin.

An insecure voice inside myself tells me I was crazy to think Joe would leave someone like her for me, but I squash it down and remind myself that he did choose me. I was the one who backed away.

The sharp pain of guilt, from everything I'm putting him through overrides the insecurity I was just feeling.

"Ah, Maya," I tell her, "She makes me laugh like 15 times a day,"

Gemma chuckles sweetly as she sits down across from me.

"I'm still not sure what was happening at that dinner party,  but I stand by what I said. You two would have made a good couple. Though, Robert seems to handle her well," Gemma says to me.

I cringe at the memory of my drunken behaviour that night, and Mayas desperate attempt to save the situation, before Joes little tantrum.

I can't believe this is how we'll remember Maya and Roberts anniversary.

I laugh to myself, then smile at Gemma.

"Thank you, I'll keep that on hand whenever Robert is annoying me,"

Gemma smiles, then sits there looking at me expectantly. I chew on my lip as I fight my anxiety.

"You're probably wondering why I asked to meet..." I say to her.

"Well, I'm gathering it's to do with Joe," She says.

I give a small nod. My mouth begins to go dry at the mention of his name, and the reality of who it is I am talking to.

I reach for my glass of water on the table, taking a sip before I continue.

"I guess... I just saw how happy you looked on Instagram, and I have been just so... miserable," I tell her.

"From the breakup?" Gemma asks me gently.

I nod, avoiding her eyes and looking at my fingers as I pick at my nails.

"I think I'm happier, because I was ready to move on. Breaking up from a long term relationship is difficult, but it's kind of freeing. Especially when you realise it wasn't working long before it ended, and you were only together because you were used to each other," She explains.

"You and Joe though..." She continues.

I lift my head and look up at her.

"You're not ready to move on. You have no closure with why, or how the relationship ended," She says.