Stuck with a Punk ✔

No. 24.: Changing his mind

I fucking know why Austin invited me over.

Annabelle and I stare at each other and it's hard to determine who is more confused. We're both still struggling to form any sensible sentence.

I am the first one to recover from this and I hand Devon out to her "Could you...?"

Like a robot, she automatically reaches out and places the baby on her lap as I thank her "Thanks."

I never said the recovery was awesome, by the way.

I leave the living room backwards, so I end up in the hallway again, in the middle of which Austin is still standing and glaring at me blankly.

I stomp towards him and when I speak, I sound like a Gestapo, completely merciless "Are you trying to set me up with your girlfriend's sister?!"

Austin shrinks in his shoulders and sighs "I saw how well you and Annabelle pulled it off when we went out."

Oh yeah, Annabelle and I also braided each other's hair that evening!

"Which part of 'I don't do dates' is hard to understand, Austin? I did you a favour when I went out with you and the girls." I try to keep it quiet. I don't want Annabelle and Caitlin to hear this conversation. I don't know which one of them would have a worse reaction.

"It was Caitlin's idea!" Austin erupts. Not does he only ruins my plan to keep this low key, his defence also lures his girlfriend from the kitchen.

Caitlin's cold eyes spot me and when they hook with mine, she draws her lips in a suggestive smile "I didn't hear you arrive! How are you?"

She throws her arms around me and I wonder if the Caitlin I met at the restaurant was a different one. "I-uh" I give her a quick and brief hug and shoot a glare at Austin "Been better."

I can see the lack of empathy and sympathy on Caitlin's face, which only proves she really is a psychopath "Awh, but now you're here and you'll cheer up."

Did you have to practice that whole evening?

"You, guys, get comfortable and I'll be back shortly," With that, she goes back to the kitchen and I'm alone with Austin once again.

He's peering at me with guilty dog's puppy eyes "I'm sorry, man, but Caitlin's been worried about Annabelle. She wouldn't tell me, but-"

"Yeah, she's lonely, it's not that hard to notice. Inviting me and giving her false hope won't help! I want your girlfriend to realise that and I want her to break the news to Annabelle! I won't be the bad guy again or accused of playing with people's feelings!"

With a fabulous move I turn on my heel and like a boss, I go to the living room where I face Annabelle.

I walk through the door and slam my head against the frame.

This fucking arch gets me every fucking time!

Could it be worse? Yes! How? Someone could see it. Has someone seen it? Annabelle!

This isn't a case where I am embarrassed because I did something stupid in front of a girl I like it. This is a case where I did a stupid thing and now I have a fucking witness to that!

Annabelle knits her eyebrows worryingly and asks softly "Off, you okay? it must've hurt."

"What? no, I'm used to it." With that response, I want to talk under that frame thirty times more and slam my head just as many times. 

Maybe then I'd realise I need to shut up. Now, she probably thinks I have a chronic disease that gives me an irresistible urge to hit every arch with my forehead. With a woman of her calibre, I can imagine her saying something like that to me.