A Nice Guy

4

Fucking in our close friend's bedroom is exactly what I've been fantasizing about the entire time Hazel's been absent from my life. Something so personal, being tarnished by an affair. She was startled at first, and so fucking dry.

Before I'm able to do much, she stumbles forward, away from me. I watch her turn around, panicked, maybe even frightened. "Alex, I don't want this," she says, her eyes glazed as she adjusts her skirt.

I'm confused. This is as sporadic and crazy as it gets when it comes to an affair. "Last time," she continues, "Last time, it wasn't—I didn't..." she starts to sob, abandoning her words.

Fuck. I knew it; she regrets last time. I took it too far and of course I should've just pretended like it didn't happen, like she clearly was trying to do so herself.

I hug her, softly comb through her hair with my fingers. I hate seeing her cry. She's still my best friend and I love her, in a way. "We took it too far, I get it. You regret it. It'll never happen again. I should've taken the hint earlier. I'm an idiot, Hazel."

We eventually make our way back to the fire. She definitely enjoyed hearing me call myself an idiot for once. I'm far from an idiot, but if it makes her stop crying I'll call myself one.

She's been talking to me here and there, catching up. She's much more relaxed now, even smiling. I can't do it anymore, though. Being around her, acting like nothing happened. I want to, but I physically can't. So I leave early.

A few days later, she texts me; asks how I am. I don't reply, why would I? I'm only hurting myself keeping contact with her. Besides, I've got a girlfriend now. Cierra. She's cute. Good in bed. A good distraction.

Eventually I decide to bring Cierra around my friends. I make sure Hazel won't be at the restaurant we decide to meet at beforehand, and it's nice, introducing her to everyone. Mostly because this means she'll stop nagging me to introduce her to everyone. We drink, get slightly hammered, but I have the next day off so it's no big deal.

But of course Derrick and, you guessed it, Hazel, decide to show up last minute. So I introduce Cierra to them. It's a little awkward, but as long as I don't think about what happened between Hazel and I, it just feels like I'm introducing my girlfriend to one of my best friends. Which I am, of course.

But Hazel gives me a look. Like, a longing look. A "but what about us" type of look. I swear I'm not imagining it. I try to brush it off, but she comes up to me after everyone's been introduced and Cierra's chatting it up with Derrick about fuck knows what.

"She's cute," she smiles, nudging me with her elbow. I don't bother answering her. Whatever attempt at flirting this is, I'm not indulging in it. She wants a reaction, she's baiting me. It won't work. She's been fucking with my emotions, leading me on, confusing the absolute shit out of me.

I ignore her. Simply put. I walk over to Cierra and let her know it's time to leave. So we leave, and I get a text later that night from Hazel. "Did I do something?" Oh, how cute. Did she do something. Toying with me so obnoxiously, letting us fuck behind her husband's back, just to cry about how she didn't want any of it? Give me a break.