The Beast

T W E N T Y F I V E : S A M E O L D S H I T

It had been two weeks. Jessie hadn't made any move towards Theo. She knew he was waiting for her. But she was shy. She didn't know what she was going to tell him. Hey, let's go out?

It didn't help that Karina was always with him—always. And when she wasn't, she was talking about him. Plus, people gossiped. Jessie had found out that Karina had basically put a claim on Theo even though Theo hadn't extended the same courtesy.

All thoughts of liking Karina had vanished out of the window. It was really hard not to like her though. She was a sweet person and she had made Jessie feel extremely welcome.

"Hey, Theo and I are going for lunch, care to join us?"

And there was this. Karina liked taking jabs at Jessie when it came to Theo. It was like she had sensed that there was something—or had been something between the two and she was doing everything to show Jessie that Theo was hers. It was almost like Gracie all over again but less malicious.

"I'm good," Jessie said. She was not going to sit and watch the man she had feelings for canoodle with another woman. There was a level of pathetic that she wasn't going to cross.

"Are you sure?" Karina insisted.

Jessie cocked her head at her superior. What exactly was she playing at? It was weird that she tried to include Jessie in everything that involved Theo when it was clear that she wanted Theo to herself.

"I'm good, Karina. Thanks for the offer though," Jessie insisted, then dismissed the woman by opening up a window on her computer.

"Okay," she heard Karina say, but Jessie didn't lift her head until this one had left.

Jessie scoffed and crossed her legs. All Theo had was big talk. He was supposedly still madly in love with her but here he was, with another woman, clearly leading her on. It seemed like some things never changed.

***

"Hey." It was Theo. Figures.

"Hey." Jessie's response was dry. She just wanted to go home and sleep. She didn't need any unnecessary drama or anything.

"Should I drop you off?" he asked, holding her hand.

Jessie wanted to say that his touch didn't make a difference to her and that she was completely over him. But she couldn't. Theo still affected her, even though they had been separated one year. He still very much affected her like it was the first day they had met.

"I'm fine Theo. I'll take the bus like I always do," Jessie replied tiredly. She wanted peace, she wanted stability and the last thing she was craving was relationship drama.

"Please Jessie. Let me just drop you off. So we can talk," he pleaded. Jessie looked at him. Theo looked sincere. Then again. Theo was never one to hide his feelings.

"Okay," she said finally.

A proud grin spread on his face. He took her bag and led her towards his car. Jessie got in when Theo opened the door for her and stared straight ahead even when he got into the car.

It was quiet for some time until Theo asked for Jessie's address, which she gave. She wasn't scared of Theo. That wasn't it. She was scared of her feelings and she was scared of the mess that they could create.

"I've missed you," he said in that deep voice of his.

Jessie sighed. "It sure doesn't seem like it," she replied.

Theo was confused and the expression on his face was testament to that fact. "What do you mean by that?" he asked.

"I mean Theo—" Jessie started, then she interrupted herself with a sigh. "You miss me but you spend the majority of your time with some other woman, flaunting yourself in my face. So forgive me if I don't believe that you've missed me."

Theo stared at Jessie for a while. She was jealous. "Karina and I are strictly friends."

"That's the same thing you said about Gracie," was Jessie's quiet retort.

Theo winced. There were a lot of things that they needed to talk about and a ride in the his car to her home didn't give them enough time. It was clear that Jessie still held some resentment for him. But it was also clear that their feelings for each other had not changed at all.

"I promise you Jessie, I have never once thought of Karina as more than a friend and I have not once extended anything more than friendship her way."

"It's about making out or anything Theo! It's about the way you act with her. It's obvious that she likes you and the fact that you're doing nothing to make her know it's not reciprocated is what makes everything complicated!" Jessie exclaimed finally.

This was the same thing that had happened with Gracie. It was obvious that she liked him, that she loved him even. But Theo didn't think to set any boundaries with her. And that was what made her feel they could be more eventually.

"Damn," Theo said lowly. All what she said was right. He had never thought to set boundaries with Gracie. He had just thought treating her in a platonic way was eventually going to kill her feelings.

And it was the same thought that he had with Karina. He treated her like a friend. He was careful not to hurt her feelings but he hadn't set any real boundaries either.

"I will make things right," Theo promised.

Jessie looked at him. She didn't want to hang on that promise and keep hoping then nothing happened. Especially since all three of them worked in the same place.

"Don't forget we work together," Jessie reminded.

"My contract finished today. I am independent contractor, I can work from anywhere," Theo replied.

Interesting, Jessie thought but she didn't say it out loud. And the rest of the ride was silent.

They reached Jessie's place. Theo stopped the car but he did not unlock the door. "Go out to dinner with me," he said.

"Pardon?" Jessie didn't think she had heard right. It was just surprising after the talk they had had.

"Go out to dinner with me," he repeated. Before Jessie could say anything, Theo continued, "We have a lot to talk about and this ride just didn't cut it. Let's talk. Go out with me."

"I... okay," Jessie said. A big smile spread on Theo's face.

After taking her number and making sure that she had gotten to her place, Theo drove off. Now it was time to have that dreaded talk with Karina.