Gypsy

Chapter 14

·Adam·

"I said I don't want to talk about it." I stand at the counter in Micah's kitchen, trying to drink my coffee in peace. 

But my friends are having none of that, insisting on aggravating the shit out of me until I buckle. They know I had a couple drinks with Zara last night and that I'd come home less than grumpy afterward, but now they won't leave me alone. I should have acted miserable and told them I'd had a rotten time with her. But even if I'd had the foresight to lie like that, I don't think I could have kept up the charade for long. Eventually my face would have given me away.

Micah is sitting with Craig at the table and I can feel both their eyes on my back, but I refuse to turn and give them the satisfaction of seeing the flush on my skin. Christ, why was I cursed with such awful friends?

"Come on, man," Micah finally says, his voice carrying a whiny note that's just as irritating as it is unnecessary. "You just gotta fill us in. You're not dead, so I'm guessing it went well."

"And I'm assuming you've still got both the boys, 'cuz you're not walking funny." Craig's bluntness draws an amused chuckle from Micah.

"Jeez, would you two just grow up already?" I turn and flash them an angry scowl, but that doesn't help me in the slightest. 

As they study my face, I know I've just made things significantly worse. A vein pulses in the middle of Craig's forehead with the laughter he's struggling to contain, and Micah's face is aglow with his own deep amusement.

"You look like--" A laugh escapes Craig and he bends over his knees, loud guffaws consuming him. 

Micah pats him on the back as if he's choking, and I guess in a way he kind of is. Good. I hope this shit kills him. Unfortunately for me, it does not. He sits back up, actually wiping tears from his eyes. Though he wraps his arms around his ribs to ease the pain that outburst must have caused him, he continues anyway. His words are breathless, but nonetheless intelligible.

"You're like a kid with a crush, man. The name calling? The insults? I bet you pull her hair too, don't ya?" With that, he falls apart again. 

I feel the deep timbre of his laugh all the way to the roots of my teeth, and I grind them against it, trying to turn it to dust. I don't know why in the hell they find this so amusing. So I had a drink with a girl. I find nothing funny about that.

At the very most, I had expected them to be surprised. I'm not ready to start dating again, but last night had been a nice change of pace for me. It's been a while since I could even look at a woman without having some kind of unpleasant thought about them. Kylie had done a real number on me, and the whole of the female population has been taking the brunt of my anger for that.

But they obviously don't understand that at all. To them, this is a game. Who can embarrass Adam the most? I wonder if they secretly took bets behind my back. If they did, Craig just won. I hope he chokes to death on his victory.

I let out a harsh sigh then move to join them at the table. I guess if I have to endure this I can at least do it in physical comfort, if not mental or emotional. When Craig finally regains control of himself, Micah takes over. I have a feeling this is going to be so much worse.

"Look, buddy," he says, "we're just really happy for you right now."

"It was just a couple drinks, Micah. Don't read too much into it, okay?"

"It was more than just a couple drinks, my friend. She's getting to you. You might not be able to see it yet, but she's definitely getting to you."