When We Met

Thirty Nine

|Martin|

Cheryl eyes the huge metallic blue building warily and I try to swallow the chuckle that is trying to escape from my lips. She's been so confident about this interview, but the moment we laid our eyes on this ginormous building that will be a home to her new career, she threw her hands up in the air and started shaking her head vigorously.

"Nope. I can't. I can't even picture myself working inside this huge ass building. Nope, nada. Not happening. Let's go back and take another shower. Maybe two showers, who cares? It'll all be–"

"As much as the idea of two showers is enough to haul you over my shoulder and get the hell out of here," I cut her off. "I know how much you want this, and there's nothing in this goddamn world that'll make me distract you from the one thing that you've always wanted to do." Her eyes soften at my words and her breathing shifts to normal. I smile. That's a good sign. "I might've been in your life for only a few months, Cheryl, but I think I do know you better than anyone else. Correct me if I'm wrong."

"Well..."

"Okay don't. Let me be in my paradise for a while." She giggles.

"Dylan, you do know me well enough. Don't be so hard on yourself." She winks. Wow.

"Go up there, Donovan. Take that building down with your talent. They'll be lucky to have you work for them."

"What if it's a mistake?"

"Then you'll learn from your mistake and come out stronger. There's nothing wrong in making mistakes as long as you let yourself grow as an individual. And I think going for that interview is more of an opportunity than a mistake. Even though I hate forcing things on you, this is an exception. I'll literally push you out of the car and drive away, but you don't have an option of not giving the interview."

"How romantic." Her sarcasm is strong, but I know what I'm doing.

"Go. Give me a call whenever you're done." I lean towards her and kiss her forehead. She closes her eyes and gives out a deep sigh.

"Kiss me." She pleads and I don't have to be told twice. My hand fits perfectly between her jaw and the crook of her neck as I pull her towards me and kiss her passionately. She's a brilliant young woman, I can't even imagine why she's having second thoughts. Maybe the overt structure of the office is intimidating her and I can totally understand. When I was told that I would have to take over my dad's company, I freaked out to another level. It was insane, yet the most sensible thing to do.

Cheryl slowly pulls away and rests her forehead against mine. I smile at her confidently and nod my head in appreciation.

"You can do this." I kiss the corner of her mouth and unlock the car. "Go."

"Okay." She looks at me once again and my smile only grows for the best. Her eyes travel to the building and she gulps down whatever that was holding her back. "Okay."

I watch her red and black bodice get embraced by the metallic blue building.

*****

While Cheryl breaks the ice with her future employer, I grab Deborah's favorite tub of strawberry ice cream and drive to our apartment. Last night, I took Cheryl out for dinner and we ended up at her place. It was too late for me to disturb Deb so I decided to stay over instead. It's Thursday today and Deb will be spending the weekend with mother. As much as I hate the thought of them bonding over prenatal care and what not, I can't make decisions on my sister's behalf. If she wants to spend some time with her mother, she sure as hell can.

I park my car in front of the apartment and carry the ice cream tub upstairs, hoping that it doesn't melt. Deb hates melted ice cream. I chuckle at the memory of me taking out her ice cream bowl from the freezer and putting it in the sun for solid twenty minutes before placing it in front of her. We were preteens back then and I remember tasting the dirt under her running shoes as she took out her angst on my body. We've busted each other's faces so many times that our neighbours back then would find it hilarious and shocking to not locate a black bruise somewhere along our jaws or under our eyes.