My Best Friend's Brother (Completed)

Chapter 30

The awkward silence filled the room. We were just looking at each other, but speaking to each other, without actually using our words.

I didn't want to speak to him. I wasn't mad at him, I didn't want him to think I was. I was mad at myself. And how I handled the whole situation. And how I let the situation even become unraveled in the first place.

Eventually he decided to speak, breaking the silence after so long, " i'm not really sure how to go about this. I mean I've never been in the situation before. I doubt you have either, but I know you don't really want to talk about this. Honestly I don't want to either. But I feel like we need to."

" do we?" I asked him, hoping he would just drop the whole thing.

But I knew he wouldn't. Even though he was right, we did need to talk about this. Especially with the position that both of him and I are in. We work together. He is my boss. Are we just supposed to forget all of this? Act like it never happened? I wish we could. But I knew I couldn't. And I knew, he was not the type of person to forget it either.

" we do, we do need to talk about this. I don't really know how to, I've been trying to think of a million ways to go about this. But nothing seemed right. I don't want to upset you more than you already are."

I wasn't upset. Atleast not with him.I feel like he thought I was upset with him. I'm not.

" what happened happened, we really can't go back in time and stop it from happening. As much as I wish we could. Of course I had to get drunk and do that with you. I'm sorry though. I'm sorry I ruined everything. I shouldn't have opened up the liquor. We were just both having our little conversations, and I thought it would make it easier to talk. It did, clearly..."

" you don't have to be sorry Zachary. It's not your fault. It's mine. I mean I should've been the one to not drink, yeah you opened it, but so what? I'm sorry all of this happened. I'm sorry I ruined everything. I feel so horrible. I felt so sick yesterday, that I didn't even wanna be here anymore. I wanted to respond back to you after that text, and I'm sorry I left you. Especially in that position. But I was so confused about yesterday, I didn't even know what to say. Or how to say it."

" Marissa, I'm your boss. I'm the one that should've known better. Shit, I do know better! I don't really know what's supposed to happen now. Legally I'm just supposed to contact HR. But I know what will happen once that conversation goes."

I don't want him to tell anybody. It looks like he didn't really want to tell HR either. For some unknown reason, I wasn't sure why he didn't want to tell them. It seems like it was easier than just wanting to not admit it.

" so what now?" I asked him. Hoping he would have an answer.

" I guess really only time will tell. How we both handle this. Really we both need to kind of act like it never happened. We were doing so well before. We were getting great work done, and I was getting you ready. I mean we can do that, but we kind of just got to forget it happened. Because before then, we are always around each other. But if you're uncomfortable, we don't have to do this anymore. You can go back to your normal work. I just kind of felt like you would enjoy what I do a bit more, even though it's stressful, it's new, it's exciting. Especially with somebody like you."

He was right, I could go back to the same old bullshit that I used to do. The same old bullshit that I hated doing. I loved my job, I just didn't like what I did. It was boring, and repetativee. The same shit every day. I've really enjoyed this past few days with Zachary. Learning new stuff, becoming better and better at the new stuff that I am learning.

That was another reason why I was terribly mad at myself. Because I feel like I just destroyed my chance to do something cool, awesome, and different.

" you're right, only time will tell. But I would like to try and get back to our normal schedule. I enjoy what I do with you. I enjoy hanging out with you. I enjoy being your friend. And if there's a way, I want to forget about it."

After we mutually agreed that we would somewhat try and forget what happened. And continue on with our lives and work, we did. I brought all of my stuff back into his office, and we began to get to work. As much as I want to say it was back to normal, it really wasn't. The little inside jokes that we had with each other, were no longer said. The random questions were no longer asked.

The room was no longer filled with laughter, or little chuckles. It was filed with the silence, and the random pen or marker screech. And I hated it. I hated every second that went by that there was no sound. And I know it was driving him nuts too.

The rest of the day passed by very slowly. We got our work done, and we even got held back a little. It is now 7 PM, and once again we were all alone in the office. Finishing our work.

My back was aching, and I was ready to go home. I finished up the last paper in the folder that he had given me, and put it back inside. Giving up for the day. Once I organized my small little area, I put everything back so it was neatly organized.

" I guess I'll see you tomorrow, I'm heading home. I'm exhausted, and my back is killing me." I said to him. He looked up from his work just for a second, and nodded. Giving me the same silence that I had given Samantha earlier. But this time, I felt the pain of being ignored almost.

I didn't say anything else, but just walked out of his office. I had passed my office, and started to make my way to the elevator. I almost hit the elevator, when I heard footsteps behind me.

I turned around, and saw Zachary standing behind me. He just stood there, I half expected him to have something in his hands, to give me. Maybe something that I forgot.

But, he just stood there. I was unsure of what I was waiting for. But I was too afraid to ask him.

We just said they're looking at each other, what felt like an eternity.

But eventually he broke the silence.

" i'm sorry Marissa. I'm sorry for everything. I know you must think I'm an asshole for the way I behaved. How I'm handling this whole situation. But I've never been in this situation! I hate it. The whole room in complete silence for the rest of the day. That's not us! I want to fix things. But I'm not sure how to. And I know you don't know how to either." He began.

" I don't, but I would love things to get back to normal." I replied.

Zachary looked at me for a second again, contemplating what to say. And eventually, he spoke, " but, there is one more thing... Please don't hate me."

I was about to tell him I don't hate him, expecting that he was talking about the whole situation that happened a few nights ago.

But, before I could even say a word. He walked up even closer to me, put his hand on my cheek, and kissed me.

I was unsure of what to say or do. I was in complete shock. What to say, what to even think. What to do. But my natural instincts kicked in and I kissed him back.

But this time, my thought wasn't filled with oh shit I'm kissing my boss, it's oh shit, I'm kissing Zachary.

Because even though I've never admitted it to myself until now, I really like Zachary. He's a good person, he's smart, he knows what he's doing with his life. And he makes me laugh, he makes me smile, he makes me happy. I haven't enjoyed my life this much in a long time.

I genuinely enjoy coming to work, spending time with him, and doing work. Because he makes it fun, he makes it exciting.

This time, we didn't sleep together because we were wasted, we did it because we wanted to. And I'm glad I remember t this time, and I hate that I don't remember it the first time. Because it sure is fucking amazing.