"Who Is He?"

'Who is he?' - Part 25

The week carried on the same, as I continually got the feeling I was settling into a routine that made me happy. Dave managed to dodge any further encounters with Mark Smith and I felt I was making good progress with my job. Things with Andy were going steady and my friendship with Dave was developing - at least, as far as I could tell it was.

"I need to speak to you, Rebecca," Dave stated, interrupting the game of pool that Andy and I were playing in the game room, which I had previously not known to exist. I paused midway through a shot, relieved that I was to be rescued from the game that I was failing at so terribly.

"See you soon," I told Andy, who nodded his head, looking a little disappointed that he wasn't going to be able to continue beating me effortlessly.

"What's the matter?" I asked Dave as we headed up, out of the basement.

"Lucas rang me earlier."

"Oh," I said, realising I hadn't had much time to think about or miss him since he'd left.

"Yeah, he's coming back next month; I thought I should let you know."

"Why is he coming back?" I asked as he stood leaning against the wall with his hands in his pockets.

"It's Kelly's birthday in a few weeks, and her family live around here. I don't know where the two of them are staying but he's determined to come and visit."

"Well that's going to be awkward," I said out loud, imagining the conversations that we'd have to try and stumble through. "Are you missing him?"

"I don't know really, having you here and getting everything sorted has taken my mind off it."

I nodded and began to make my way back down the stairs. "Hold on Rebecca," he verbally stopped me. I turned to face him and he beckoned me back up the stairs, "How long are you staying here for?"

"I don't know, I haven't really thought about it, sorry."

"No, I don't mean it like that, I'm not asking you to leave." He tweaked his hair and folded his navy shirt sleeves up. "I mean there's enough room for you here, you could sell your place then you'd have some money from that."

"I don't know," I said hesitantly.

"Well don't feel you have to, I was only suggesting it. I mean, you'd only be living with us as a friend, like Andy and I do, so it's not really a big deal," he explained, making it seem completely rational. My cheeks began to heat up slightly, feeling guilty that Dave was completely oblivious to Andy and me, and that I hadn't told him. If I said no now, it would appear rude and as though I didn't consider them as friends.

"Yeah, I guess so," I said stupidly, dreading the consequences and the conversation that I would have to have with Andy.

"Great," he smiled before turning and walking away.

I headed back down the stairs to Andy with mixed feelings about the conversation I had just had and what I'd agreed to. I certainly didn't expect Dave to ask me to live with him - he was definitely full of surprises.

When I returned to the basement, Andy was leaning against the snooker table, watching me emerge from up the stairs. He smiled at me and questioned me about what dave had wanted. When I told him, his face lost the relaxed and laid back expression that it usually occupied. I could tell this was going to be a long conversation by the look on his face, mixed in with the emotions that were stirring around my head.

"Do you think that it's strange that he's asked me to move in permanently so soon?"

"Yes I do," he said, looking at me seriously, "Dave is a very selective person and doesn't accept many people as his friend, let alone housemate."