Sign Your Name Across My Heart

Chapter twelve

I wasn't really sure how to feel. Why did I agree to dance with him? And why did I like it? I tried to shake the feeling off, but it's hard with Bram here, still staring at me.

"Can I help you with something?" He licks over his lips.

"Um," I pause. Why is he being so kind all of a sudden? It almost makes me a little worried, like he's up to something. I hardly know him, but I can already gather that he doesn't have the best of interests in mind. "Yeah, you can take out some eggs and whisk them." I tell him. He does as I say, reaching into the fridge, searching before grabbing my carton of eggs. As he takes them out and cracks them and whisks them, I bring the vegetables over towards the stove.

"I'm sorry about last night." He mumbles.

I look at him, shocked that he's even saying that. I almost don't know how to reply. "Um..." I start. "Thanks for the apology."

"I was drunk last night, I uh, I'm not usually that forward." He says, but I can tell by his tone of voice that even he's trying to convince himself of that statement. I can tell he's very forward. Every interaction I've ever had with him has shown that he's forward.

"Well, it was wrong of you." I dispute.

"It was. I'm seeing Ivy, she's your friend." He answers, giving me the bowl of whisked eggs. I add in some seasoning, not sure where this conversation is going.

"Yeah, that's right." Maybe he's finally starting to understand. It's ridiculous that it's taken this long but at least it's finally happening. I pour some eggs into one of the pans, then the other, hearing them sizzle, and I add in some vegetables, watching the omelets start to cook.

"But, say Ivy wasn't in the equation..." He starts by saying. "What if I wasn't seeing Ivy?" He cocks his eyebrow.

I don't bother to look at him as I search for a spatula. "What about it?" My voice is like a jab at him.

"Then would I have a shot?" He's still staring at me.

"A shot at what?" I mumble, the frown coming back to my face, as I watch the eggs.

I feel Bram's hand graze my arm. "With you." He smirks.

Again, I'm left not knowing what to say. What was I supposed to say? The answer is no, but the answer is also 'I don't know', because I like Ash. I'm not sure what he wants me to say and I'm not going to just tell him what he wants to hear to get him to leave me alone, either.

"Mmm, it smells good in here." Ivy comments. I'm secretly bursting with joy that she's done with her shower. "What are you making?"

"Omelets." I quickly answer, stepping further from Bram, nervously checking on the omelets. They're nowhere near ready to be flipped, but I don't know what else to do. It feels like I'm getting caught doing something that I shouldn't be doing, even though I'm not.

"Yum." Ivy said, walking over to us, wrapping her arms around Bram. He put his arm over her shoulders, kissing the top of her head.

I don't understand how he can say those things to me, then act like this once Ivy comes around. It makes me a little sick. I have to tell Ivy. No matter how uncomfortable the conversation may be, she has the right to know this guy isn't who she thinks he is, and as her best friend, I would be a bad person if I didn't say anything.

"So, Bram... Can you believe Libby and Ash are fucking now?" Ivy banters. I quickly look at her, a disappointed look on my face. Why would she say that? It's not even true. Even if it was true, she has no reason to say that, let alone to Bram of all people.

"Ivy! Stop." I interject, a deep frown on my face, the one that never left back from when Bram asked if Ivy wasn't in the picture, if he'd have a shot with me. I still don't know what that means.