He Was a Friend

/13/ She starts to notice. /

Louise shrugged.

"So you're telling me — that Eric dropped by, entered the staff room, brought me in my room and left afterwards? And then Art woke up just an hour ago and also left already?" she asked Robin as they chatted on one corner of the counter after serving the order of one of their regulars.

Robin is, apart from being the cafe manager, one of her friends in college. He's actually in the same course as her and Eric, though they only become close after he joined in the cafe. He's one of her gay friends – and he acts and speaks a lot more feminine than her.

Robin placed his palms on his cheeks.

"Seriously, girl – I didn't know what to do then. Especially Eric! I mean he wasn't saying anything then, but believe me, his aura was murderous," Robin tried to fan his face with his hands as he tried to recollect his memories of that morning's incident.

She closed the cash register and crossed her arms.

Murderous. Why? She mumbled.

Urgh, he's probably on his protective father mode again, she figured, shaking her head endlessly.

Robin waved his hand and added, "Art also asked me what happened. I mean — I don't know! So I just told him that, and he went out in deep thought. He looked so tired, by the way."

Louise sat on the bar stool and tapped her fingers in the table.

"Gosh, when will that guy Eric ever have a girlfriend anyway? He's acting like this because he has so much free time."

Robin suddenly become silent, and looked at her intently, as if she's under the microscope. It looked like he was struggling on whether he'll say something or not.

"I don't think that's the case, Lou. I mean, I've been meaning to tell you this after observing for quite a while now and I'm sure you're tired of hearing this but... Didn't you consider any possibility of Eric... you know, having the hots for you?"

Louise' shoulders dropped.

"Like? As in that kind of like?" She gasped, disbelief all over her face.

"Yeah, as in romantically speaking," Robin added casually.

Louise raised both her hands, admitting defeat.

First, mom and aunt. Now, Rob joined in. This topic is reeeaaallly trending today.

"Rob, you do know, that Eric and I have been together since we were 5 year olds, and that was 25 years ago right? Why would he suddenly have feelings for me now? Why not 5 years ago, why not 10 years ago, why not 15 years ago?"

Robin sighed.

"Why not now? Has there ever been a formula for something like this?" he asked in a pragmatic tone, eyebrows raised.

It was Louise' turn to sigh.

"He probably didn't notice it himself. I mean when you're together with someone too much, you'd really feel like it's so natural to be with them – that you forget there's a future chance that you'll both have to travel your own ways later," Robin added as he drank his second coffee that morning. His first coffee was when he tried to calm himself down after Eric stormed off without as much as a glance.

Was it really like that? She frowned.

"I mean, I can't just suddenly think of Eric as a possible match, when I can still remember how we showered together when we were kids—"

Robin gasped in an exaggerated way and their conversation ended there – with Louise whacking Robin's head and his evil laugh echoing in her ears.