Accismus | REEDITED

10

Elliot's POV

I've never heard silence quite this loud.

I'm aware I don't know many things about Molly, but something I never expected her to be is a person who holds grudges or who gives the silent treatment.

And as bubbly and as energetic as she is, her looks can most definitely kill.

And they fucking kill me.

We have been at work for two hours already and she hasn't said a word to me besides giving indications on what I have to do in the kitchen, which wasn't much so I spent most of my time today going outside the bakery and smoking.

I've smoked too much today, but I have to clear my mind somehow. It's not a healthy coping mechanism, but neither is Molly's.

This morning when I woke up at Carter's, I was expecting him to be at work, so I almost had a heart attack when I saw him in the kitchen, making breakfast.

—

"Why aren't you at work?" I asked annoyed, knowing my mom would be pissed at me if she found out.

"I talked with Molly at one point last night and we were joking about how drunk I was and she suggested she covers my shift for me." Carter explained, rubbing his temples because of his hangover.

"So you let Molly take a 15 hour shift? Just like that?" I asked in a sharp tone, hating the idea of her working that much.

"Whoa, why are you getting so worked up? It's not like I asked her to do that." Carter said, putting a plate of scrambled eggs and bacon in front of me.

I sighed loudly as Carter stood next to me at the table. He put a sympathetic hand on my shoulder, making me raise my head in confusion.

"What's the deal with you two?" he asked and let go of my shoulder.

I groaned in frustration, running a hand through my messy hair. Sometimes having best friends sucked, exactly because of this. He knows something is up, he knows something has been happening even if I hadn't told him.

It sucked because he asked the exact questions I didn't want to answer. Or the questions I didn't had an answer to.

"I don't know what's the deal." I said mocking him. "I just know things have...changed between me and Molly...Like...we get along, we're starting to get to know each other and-"

"And it scares you. I know." he interrupted me, making me look at him. He just gave a look that said I know you so well.

"You and your mind reading abilities." I rolled my eyes and he laughed softly.

"Look man, I know it's easier said than done, but you don't have to be scared. Being vulnerable is not a crime, Elliot." he joked, knowing how hard it is for me to open up to others.

"I know, you've told me that before." I shot him a cold gaze that amused him. "It should be a crime that she makes me feel like I actually want to talk more." I rambled.

"Then follow your heart." he shrugged, his mouth full of food. "It's good to have a friend other than me." he winked as if there was some unspoken truth he wanted to say but didn't.

—

Seeing Molly work so much after the conversation I had with Carter this morning made me feel like a dickhead for saying what I said last night. Now I'm overthinking that I was probably one of the reasons for this too. For her overworking to keep her mind occupied.

Maybe I was interpreting this wrong, and she wasn't affected by that at all, and she offered to cover Carter's shift just because she's a good friend. I know she was definitely mad at me, that was obvious from miles away. But maybe she wasn't working so much because of me.