Unrequited || N.C (#2) ONGOING

6

*Sent message from Kate- Hope you're not having too much of a good time (;*

What?!

***
I heard the shower turn off, the water dripping, Neal getting a towel from the rail. Message from Kate? Did he have her number all this time, he couldn't of, because he would've found her if so. So does that mean he got it on the plane? Why didn't he tell me? Did he feel like he had to hide something, I didn't want to go through his phone. I'm not that girlfriend.

"Hey, do you want to put a film on or anything?" Neal asked as he came out of the shower, a towel wrapped around his waist and he was holding another drying his soaking hair. Why did he have to be so attractive? Water dripping down his well toned torso, turning his back to face himself in the mirror and I was looking at his muscular back. I wonder how many times Kate was looking at this sight. I never knew what Neal was like before Kate, and neither did Peter I guess, only Mozzie knew. I was close to Mozzie but I wasn't to the point where I'd ask him for advice.... I don't need advice, everything is fine. They're just having a conversation, that's nothing weird at all; and when Neal wants to tell me he will. It's three weeks until Christmas I can't start any arguments.

"Yeah sure, a film sounds good" I said smiling as he turned back towards me, his smile meeting my own. "What we're you thinking of?" I asked, pulling the covers over so I could climb in my bed, turning my TV on. "Oh you left your phone while you were in the shower, so I just put it on the bedside table"

Suddenly Neal turned to me, and looked at me with wide eyes. Why was he so nervous? Why couldn't he just tell me? He looked at me and then at the floor and coughed, "did you urm.." urm... urm... why can't you just tell me Neal "see if anyone messaged me?"

I thought about telling him I did, but I knew what would happen we would have a fight and that would just result in embarrassment, I brought him home to meet my family. And what would they think if we suddenly had an argument. I've been thinking about coming home for months and I wouldn't let anything ruin this. I just knew it would end in regrets, I'd talk to him after Christmas.

"No, I don't think so, I just put it on the table." I said, looking at him as I saw a slight relief leave him. I laughed "Why? What are you doing? Did you forget my Christmas present and Peter has to go deliver it?" I joked, and Neal smiled and laughed.

"You wish Scarlet" he smiled jokingly, putting on some boxers and then jumping into bed with me. "I've made sure this is a Christmas you'll never forget" he said grabbing a hold of my waist and pulling me into his chest and kissing my cheek.

That's what I'm afraid of Neal.

***
Neal

I couldn't sleep, I looked over at the time at the alarm clock. 11pm, that meant it was 6pm back at home. I wondered why I was suddenly so hungry, I looked over at Lily and smiled she could sleep through anything. I reached for my phone and smiled.

*message from Kate- hope you're not having to much of a good time (;*

It was weird having Kate message me again, on one hand I felt a pang if guilt every time I sent or received a message. But on the other hand I had wanted to meet with her and find her for years, it was just a conversation.

But if messaging Kate is 'just a conversation' why did I hide it from Lily?

I was going to tell her but somehow I couldn't, she had been through so much traveling and being back home I couldn't drop that information on her. It wouldn't be fair. I opened my phone and typed a message back.

*sent message to Kate - I'm having a great time, Lily's family are really nice but quite intimidating considering her dad is a lawyer.*

Almost instantly I got a reply.

*message from Kate - that must be fun considering the Neal who I knew, are you feeling okay being a 'new' Neal?*

I knew she was hinting to when I was a con artist and yes, then I would've been scared shitless, I had Kate then. That was an old part of my life but somehow I still had this feeling of pining whenever she messaged me, I didn't have feelings for her but I didn't know how to describe them.

*sent message to Kate - I love Lily, and being this new, sensible Neal is better for her and me.*

And with that I turned off my phone and walked blindly towards the door shutting it behind me and walking down the stairs holding onto the wooden banister as I walked down, I needed a glass of water, I would've got one from the bathroom but there was no cups. Lily's house is certainly impressive and I don't know why she acted so impressed at mine and June's apartment. Mostly everything at Lily's was painted some shade of red, the frames on the artwork, the ornaments. I guess it was a family thing, they were called 'scarlet' after all.

I walked towards their kitchen when I realised the light was on ... shit. Maybe I should just go back upstairs. "Neal?" I heard a voice ask.

Damn.

I walked towards the kitchen and smiled, when I saw Ian, like me in his boxers which made me feel less self conscious, drinking some milk from the carton. "Hi Ian, I couldn't sleep the time difference is really messing with me." I laughed walking towards him as I noticed he was looking at me up and down. I forgot that Ian was gay, and realised that putting on a dressing gown would've been a good idea. I think Ian noticed my nervousness as he laughed at my scared face.

"Don't worry Neal, I'm not going to do anything." He laughed taking out his hand for me to shake which I did but he pulled me into a man hug, patting my shoulder and then stepping away from me. "You're my sisters man, I'm not going anywhere near you, she means more to me than she knows." He said sincerely "just don't tell her I said that." He laughed and I smiled.

"You're secrets safe with me." I smiled, as he smiled back and handed me some milk shaking it at me as an offer which I took gratefully.

"I'm just glad you're not like any other of the guys she dated, they only liked her for 4 months at best, they had sex and then they'd leave her afterwards." He stated, Lily's past had always made me anxious, what if she thought of me as one of those guys. "I think you and Lily have something really good, just don't mess it up okay? This is the happiest I've seen her."

I nodded and Ian smiled "I promise."

And with that I knew I had to tell her about Kate.