I couldn't believe it when I found myself agreeing to marry my best friend that night.
**a ForthBeam short story**
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events, locales, and incidents are either the products of the author...
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The atmosphere had become strained once we returned home from the bar the previous night. The unexpected kiss had caught me off guard, but what bothered me more was Forth's subsequent behavior. He had become distant and detached, and despite attempting to resolve things when we got home, the awkwardness lingered. We eventually went to bed, but even with his back turned towards me, I could sense the tension in his shoulders and back, indicating that he was still awake.
"Forth?"
"Yeah?" His voice had a rough quality to it, almost like it had been sanded down.
"We are good, right?"
As he turned around, I caught a glimpse of his silhouette against the dark backdrop. His facial features were obscured by the shadows, and I longed for more light to reveal his eyes. I often relied on his eyes to gauge his emotions; they were a rich brown color and incredibly expressive, betraying his feelings even when he tried to conceal them.
"We're good, Beam."
His words may have been sharp, but his tone remained gentle. I briefly anticipated his hand reaching out to touch me as it hovered over the blanket before he pulled the covers up and turned away. Despite his attempt to comfort me, there was a noticeable change in our dynamic. I had wished that a good night's sleep would reset things between us, but upon waking up, Forth was nowhere to be found. I strained my ears to catch any sounds of him moving about the house or the shower running, but all was silent and motionless.
I shut my eyes and drifted back into slumber, too exhausted to even consider getting up and searching for his whereabouts. I knew he would return later, as we had plans.
When I woke up again, I suddenly realized that I had slept through the entire morning and a chunk of the afternoon. I forced myself out of bed and clumsily made my way to the bathroom to relieve my bursting bladder. The house remained silent, and as I flushed the toilet, it dawned on me that wherever Forth had disappeared to, he was still not back.
When he still wasn't home by three, I texted his cell.
Beam: You coming back soon?
My cell chirped to life a minute later.
Forth: It'll be a while. At the shop. Have dinner without me.
Beam: I thought we had plans tonight?
I made sure to include a question mark, even though I was aware that we had already made plans. Sure, going to a movie may not be the most thrilling activity, but Forth had never let me down in the past. I couldn't fathom the idea of him canceling on me now. The previous evening had been quite awkward, and it would only get worse if he continued to avoid me. I had a strong feeling that's exactly what he was doing..
Forth: Rain check? On a roll here and don't want to slow down.
I felt let down, but I tried to shake it off. I had no idea what he was thinking, but there was no point in guessing.
