Fate is a Funny Thing

Hope-ing

"You want to take me on a date?" I question Rafael as the heat bubbles up in my cheeks.

"With that blush, I definitely do," he teases reaching out to pinch my cheeks. Slapping his hands away, bring both my cold hands to my cheeks and press down, hoping to make some of the redness go away.

"What's brought this on?" I ask when my cheeks feel cool.

"What kind of question is that?" he rolls his eyes, "I want to take my girl out. That's not a crime is it?"

"You did Criminology, you're more knowledgeable on what crimes are and aren't," I shrug stupidly. Shooting me an annoyed look that tells me to stop being daft, he asks again and of course, I happily say yes. "Where are we going to go?"

"I thought we'd finish work early and then go to a restaurant to eat, and then meet the group at the Opera house," he decides aloud and I nod in agreement. I like this plan. A thought occurs to me and I break out into a giggle.

"What's funny now?" he asks trying to hide his amusement but I can tell he thinks this is funny.

"The thought of you guys at the opera house," I laugh harder, "I can't even imagine it."

"We don't go into the great hall," he facepalms at my assumption, "we head straight for the music room and stay quiet until it's near to closing time. They have CCTV like ours, and Zahlee figured out the pattern not too long ago. As long as we stick to that pattern, we won't get caught and we'll have a blast."

"You know, if you had told me you did this when we first met, I would have run a mile," I sigh.

"Yeah?"

"Mhmm," I reply, "you've slowly built me into this woman who doesn't have heart failure at these things anymore, even though I still think you're all crazy."

"Now you're crazy too," he smirks and I nod in laughter, "welcome to the dark side, we've been eagerly awaiting your arrival."

I'll just bet he has.

Shuffling around in his chair, I raise my head in awareness at his hesitancy to tell me something. I spin to face him and raise my eyebrow expectantly, giving him a pointed look. Realising that I clicked on to his nervous shaking, he rubs the back of his head sheepishly and laughs.

"Come on Raf, spit it out," I prompt him, looking back at the computer.

His cheeks go crimson and he shrinks into his chair, "it's nothing."

"Raf!" I interrupt.

Clearing his throat, he sits up and attempts to cover up his lack of comfort by assuming a 'cool' position. "It's nothing, really."

"Yet you look like you're constipated," I joke and he lightly punches me on the arm.

"It's Asher," he admits finally.

"What's wrong with Asher?" I ask getting worried instantly.

"No! Nothing's wrong with him," he quickly says, "erm... did you tell him about us?" When I give him a confused look, he continues, "well, you told the girls and I was just wondering if you told Ash?"
I shake my head in response. This answer perturbs him and he stares at the ground, "any particular reason why?"

"Not really," I reply feeling confused, "I mean Ash and I don't really do girl talk. Why?"

Redness emerges on his cheek again, and his gaze stays fixed to the ground. Jigsaw pieces fall together in m head and an amused smile appears on my face. Thinking back to the last few times Asher, Rafael and I were in the same room, I realise why he's asking this.