Clocked Heart

Chapter 10 -June

"If you go out with me tonight, I will do anything you want for a week! No complaints whatsoever," Stella declared, standing before me as I tried to focus on my laptop.

"Come on, Hezzy, I promise we'll have fun," she urged, clearly unfazed by my attempts to ignore her. I hoped she would lose interest and stop nagging, but today wasn't one of those days. "Your idea of fun is different from mine, and I have work to do," I mumbled, still refusing to look up.

 "Oh, please, your idea of fun is as boring as this town, men," she exclaimed, her frustration evident as she stomped her foot like a petulant child.

"And your idea of fun revolves around getting wasted and stumbling into bed with a stranger," I shot back, glancing at her to gauge her reaction before returning my gaze to the blank screen. The lack of inspiration was gnawing at me, leaving me frustrated."Fuck you. At least I don't lock myself inside, avoiding men like they're bullets," she retorted, kicking my leg lightly.

"Ella, if this is your way of pushing my buttons to agree to one of your crazy schemes, you're failing miserably," I said, shutting down my laptop and placing it beside me on the couch. "Okay, but as my best friend, it's one of your duties to do reckless things once in a while," she argued, deploying her signature puppy-dog eyes, the same look she used to manipulate everyone when things didn't go her way.

"So, you do admit it's reckless?"

"Only this once. I swear, if you feel uncomfortable, we can leave anytime. You know, you should doll up and show everyone what a hot mess you are sometimes," she added with a sly grin.I sighed loudly, realizing I had no choice when it came to Stella.

Stella's idea of a good night out? going to one of the local bars on the other side of my house, to sit down and play Smash or pass while drinking. 

"look, that's the jerk I went out on a date with last month" Stella leaned and whispered while her eye was on the man who just walked in. " which one?" I asked as my eyes followed the same direction as hers. "the misogynist one" she responded chugging down her drink pissed off.

"do you wanna go out?" I suggested but she shook her head, "hell no! we have been here for only an hour, and I will be damned if I leave just because that jerk is throwing a dirty look in my direction" she said as her eyes focused on the said man who is sat few tables across from us.

I can feel their tension as they both glare at each other every few minutes. I quietly eat my fries as I check the time on my phone. "oh my God, June look who is here" Stella nudged me. I looked up following her gaze and looked at Graham walking in with another man who looked the same age as him. I quickly looked down to avoid him so that he wouldn't notice me, "Why are you covering your face?" Stella whispered looking at me in confusion.

I don't even know why I'm trying to avoid him if I'm being honest but it kinda feels weird meeting him. I haven't really met Graham much since the breakfast we had at his house which was now three weeks ago. and now it feels weird seeing him hereafter not running into him here.

"I don't know, but don't look in his direction" I whispered back as I peeked at him quickly to check where he was sitting. thank God his back was facing us while his friend facing our direction.

"Why are you acting all weird? did something happen?" Stella asked, "Nothing happened I just feel awkward whenever I'm talking to him" I admitted, taking another piece of my fries. "Geez you and your allergy to having a social life" Stella sighed as she stole one of my fries.