sex, love or friendship

After hours

**POV EMA**

"David!" Ema's voice echoed down the hallway.

"You don't need to shout my name like that," David responded, turning around with visible annoyance.

Ema ignored his irritation and continued, her gaze piercing into his. "I've been calling you for a while, and you didn't even bother to answer."

David stopped abruptly, his eyes narrowing slightly under the tension. "What do you want?" he asked curtly, his patience clearly wearing thin.

Ema also halted, trying to maintain her composure. She looked him straight in the eyes, determined to get some answers. "What's going on between you and Margo?" she asked in a calmer voice, though no less pressing.

David looked away, his expression hardening. "It's none of your business," he replied coldly.

Ema felt anger rising within her but suppressed it. "Of course it's my business," she retorted, her voice trembling slightly with emotion. "Margo is my friend."

David then stared at her with a disconcerting intensity, a mocking smile playing on his lips. "Are you sure you're just friends?" he asked in a tone that seemed to hide much more than it revealed.

Ema held his gaze for a moment, trying to unravel the mystery behind his words. "Don't tell me you're doing with her what you've done with others..." she murmured, her voice betraying a hint of concern.

David rolled his eyes, clearly exasperated by Ema's suggestion.
"Believe me, Maya has nothing to do with this," Ema added, a note of weariness creeping into her tone. "Stay away from her."

"Maya's not a child; she knows what she's doing," he retorted, trying to keep his cool.

Ema stared at him for a moment, a cold gleam in her eyes. "Maybe," she conceded, "But she doesn't yet know what a jerk you are."

Those words hit David like a slap, and he turned on his heel and walked away briskly, apparently offended by what his sister had just said.
******

I preferred to leave Ema's now-empty apartment to avoid a confrontation I knew was inevitable. The heavy atmosphere that hung in that space, laden with tension and unspoken words, had become unbearable for me. Once at home, I found myself facing an overwhelming silence, alone with my thoughts that kept swirling endlessly. I kept dialing Alex's number, hoping he would finally pick up and we could have the conversation I had dreaded but which was now necessary. However, my calls went unanswered, leaving my phone to emit repetitive tones of failure, each one reinforcing my sense of helplessness.

The idea of going directly to his place crossed my mind, but I quickly dismissed it. Perhaps it would be wiser to let some time pass, to allow the situation to calm down before rushing into a face-to-face that might only make things worse. Yet, despite this reasonable decision, one question continued to haunt me, coming back over and over like an incessant wave: why had David kissed me in front of everyone? Had he acted deliberately, as some kind of provocation? Or was his gesture motivated by something related to Maya? The mystery of his intentions gnawed at me, and I knew I wouldn't find peace until I got some answers.

Determined to clarify the situation, I picked up my phone and quickly typed a message to David:

Hi, can I come over?

The message sent with almost mechanical speed, and I stood there, heart pounding, staring at the screen waiting for his reply. I didn't have to wait long. The phone vibrated almost immediately, and his message appeared on the screen:

Yes.

******

"Do you want something to drink?" David offered, looking at me with his usual nonchalance.