Stay With Me

Chapter Nine

I was in Lisa's room for another five minutes, frozen in shock. She kissed me. Why did she do that? I got up from the bed and slowly walked to the door. I walked downstairs in a mysified daze.

As I took the last step, Bambam walked out of the kitchen. We both stopped and stared at each other in an awkward silence.

"Um, hey," Bambam said and he continued to stand there.

"Hi," I said in a quiet voice.

He took a deep breath and nodded. "So, you and my sister..." he trailed off.

I quickly shook my head, no. "Um, no. I don't know what you're talking about. That was nothing. Amista-it was nothing." I didn't want to call it a mistake, I actually liked it. I just didn't want him, or anyone, to know that.

"Nothing." He seemed to mull the thought over in his head. "So, what? You're not like her?"

I assumed he meant gay. "No."

He nodded. "That's too bad." He started walking to the living room, but I followed him.

"Wait, why do you say that?" I asked

He shrugged and plopped himself on the couch. "I don't know. She talks about you a lot."

I felt shocked, but a small smile made its way to my lips. "She likes me?" I tried keeping the excitement out of my voice. Its weird to ask your best friend's brother if she likes you.

"I don't know. She talks about Sorn more. I think she really likes her," he said bluntly.

My smile immediately dropped. "Oh," was all I said

"I mean, she talks about Sorn a lot," he continued.

"Yeah, I get it." He just nodded and continued flipping through the channels. Obviously, this conversation was over, so I grabbed my bag and walked out the door without another word.

It was foolish to actually think she liked me. She was dating Sorn now, why would she start liking me? Not that I'm upset that she doesn't like me. I convinced myself that isn't the reason for the feelings that I'm feeling. I felt angry and confused and upset and hurt all in one. But, I should have seen it coming. She's dating Sorn for crying out loud!

I walked into the nearest little coffee shop at the end of the road. I loved this place. It smelled so good and it was always so warm.

"Rose!" I heard a deep voice say my name from the front of the shop. I looked up and quickly looked back down. I wanted to turn around and leave the shop right then and there, but that would be rude.

"Rose," Jimin's voice was coming closer. "Hey, I was just thinking about calling you."

Lisa had my mind all mixed up, that was true. But Jimin was sweet and, who knew, maybe things with him could be simple this time around. Lisa was dating Sorn and there was no harm in me dating Jimin, if only for a little while.

I tried to give Jimin a meaningful smile but I think it came out more weak than not. "Looks like you don't have to waste your data, now."

Jimin lifted his head to one side, studying me for a moment. "You look beat. Did something happen?" I opened my mouth to answer but he held up a hand before I could. "Let me buy you a coffee and we can have that date."