Where He Stands

Chapter Fourteen: The First Kiss

I woke up in the morning, my stomach grumbling. With a yawn, I stumbled out of bed in my pajamas and went out of my room. Just as I closed the door, I saw a note that was taped on it. I narrowed my eyes.

Gone to work. I have a surprise when you wake up. Hope you don’t get mad at me – just thinking about what’s good for you. Yeah, love yah, sis – Michael

Surprise? What surprise? I thought groggily. I scratched my head and continued walking to the dining room. There, Jane was sitting on a chair, eating cereals and watching TV. She was still wearing her dress that she wore last night. She didn’t hear me come in and she suddenly laughed out loud. I glanced at TV and realized she was watching the last episode of How I Met Your Mother.

“Ted ends up with Robin,” I blurted out. Jane turned around at my direction. “I know, I’m a spoiler. People hate it but thought you want to know.”

Jane managed a small smile. “That’s shocking. I’ve always rooted her with Barney.” Then she cleared her throat. “Michael called me early this morning. I don’t know how he knows I was with Chris, but he called the hotel to tell me that I should work things out with you. He said you were upset because of something and you decided to take it out on me, unfortunately.”

I sat down across her. So this was what Michael meant about the ‘surprise.’ “I’m really sorry about what I said. I really didn’t mean it. I was in a very bad mood because of somebody… It’s really none of your fault, Jane.”

She smiled. “Yeah, I know that now. I’m sorry, too, about what I said. I was mad at what you said.”

“I didn’t mean it,” I said apologetically.

“It’s okay. Let’s just forget about it, okay?” she said gently. Then she offered me a box of cereals. “Cereals?”

I smirked. “Why are you offering me cereals in my own home?” I said but took the box and poured some of its contents on an empty clean bowl. “So, you spent the night with Chris, eh? Did something happen?”

As I expected, Jane blushed. “No. He’s such a gentleman. I was so surprised.”

I thought about the day when I first met the three boys. Chris was far from a gentleman when I met him. Maybe he was different when he was with Jane? I hope so. I don’t want my friend to end up getting hurt. “So, you didn’t have steamy hot sex with him?” I teased.

Jane laughed, still blushing. “No, Rebecca, I didn’t have ‘steamy hot sex’ with him. He decided to sleep on the sofa while I sleep on the king-sized bed. Luke was on the other room.”

“Which reminds me. I need to apologize to Oliver about my horrible attitude last night, too,” I spoke up. “I also took out my anger on him, too. Ugh, I was such a wreck.”

She frowned at me. “What happened? What the hell happened that made you such a bitch – sorry, but you really were – last night?”

I turned to her and debated whether I should tell her. Jane was a trustable person, I know that, but should I tell her that Mr. Hoffman wants someone like her for Oliver? What if that would make her like Oliver? I fought the urge to vomit. The thought of the two of them together makes me literally sick.

“Will you promise you won’t tell anyone?” I asked worriedly.

Jane smiled softly. “Sure. I’m a pretty trustable person, Rebecca. You know that.”

I twirled a loose hair on my index finger. “Mr. Hoffman told me last night that he doesn’t want me to fall in love with his son – which is totally absurd because why the hell would I fall in love with him, you know? Oliver makes me angry and annoyed all the time. That’s not what I want with a man. He wants someone… someone more proper and… and richer,” I explained somewhat lamely.