𝐏𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐞 𝐋𝐨𝐯𝐢𝐧' 𝐆𝐮𝐲 ➺ 𝐵𝓇𝒾𝒶𝓃 𝑀𝒶𝓎 & 𝒬𝓊𝑒𝑒𝓃

(18) 𝘬𝘦𝘦𝘱 𝘣𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨

"You do know about the birds and the bees, don't you?"

I gave Emma an unamused look. "Emma, hun, I'm 22. I know about the birds and the bees."

"I'm just looking out for you! Now that you and Brian are a thing." She grinned at me and squealed a bit, seemingly happy for me. "It's all good knowing how it works but... You have to know how to do it, Maria."

I sighed, quickly becoming embarrassed by the conversation. It was true: I didn't know the ins and outs of sex or how to make it not awkward. Emma had more than enough experience with the opposite sex, and she did have a lot of sex appeal – both of which I lacked a great deal of.

It had been a good week after bonfire night and Brian had become more and more affectionate by the day – he called every morning and every night, with the purpose of making sure I was okay, wishing me a good day and sending me off with sweet dreams.

It was still weird accepting the fact that I had someone in my life in that way. It had only been a week and I was already feeling more complete. I sometimes hate to admit I am the type of girl who can't function without a special someone giving me that special attention. Before Brian, I relied on myself to take care of the loneliness and it didn't end very nicely... But let's not spoil the mood, shall we?

"Maria." I heard Emma's voice in sing-song, snapping me out of my thoughts. "Did you hear what I said?"

No.

"Uh..."

"I'll take that as a no." She shook her head, plonking down next to me. She took my hands in hers and stared deep into my soul – something she always did whenever she wanted to give me serious advice. "If it's going to happen with Brian, it will happen. There's no use forcing it, but don't turn it away if the opportunity comes."

"But how do I know when the opportunity comes?" I whined.

"You'll want it more than you're scared of it." She shot me a comforting smile. "Right." She inhaled, standing up from her position on the sofa. "I'm meeting Roger before class, you okay making your way up on your own?"

My face fell a little at the mention of Roger's name, but I did my best to retract my automatic reaction by nodding and forcing a smile. "No, yeah, I'm fine doing that. I need to go and get some more pasta for tonight before class, so it didn't matter anyway."

As I got up, I noticed the still expression on Emma's face, her eyebrows scrunched up and her head tilted to one side.

"What?"

"Are you sure you're okay?"

"Yes, I'm fine." I let out an airy chuckle that seemed to be a bit more convincing. "Go get your man."

She squealed and once again retreated to that safe, giddy school girl persona she inhabited when she was in deep with a boy. All I could do was shake my head playfully at my best friend, trudging over to the sink to wash out my glass from the night before.

It was only in the corner of my eye did I catch a glimpse of the circular bit of metal on the draining board. I picked it up, bringing it closer to my face.

"Oh, yeah, I don't know who's ring that is, by the way, so I just left it there." Emma said, opening the fridge.

A small smile spread on my lips, the corners threatening to tug up even further. "Yeah..." I started, rolling the accessory round to look at the patterns on it. "It's Brian's."

"Ahhh...." I looked over at Emma, feeling my cheeks only burn up when she wiggled her eyebrows up and down. "And why did he have to take his ring off, Maria, dear?"