A Beautiful Rock by Lilliana Anderson Page B

says as she drops the key in my outstretched hand.
    “I’m not,” I tell her, and it’s true. I’m not angry – right now, I’m just confused as all hell. I don’t understand what’s happening. We just had a fight over what seemed to be nothing. I don’t get it. I don’t get it at all.
    “You like this one, huh?” she asks, reaching out to adjust the collar of my leather jacket as if she’s my mother.
    I shrug one shoulder. “ I guess.” I walk outside with her to make sure she gets safely to her own car. “I have no idea what I’m doing here, Karen. I just feel… all weird. I don’t know, maybe I’ve just been working too hard.”
    “Maybe you should give her a call and let her know you’re not angry?”
    I lean forward and open her car door for her before giving her a friendly kiss on the cheek. “Thanks for your help today.”
    “I’ll make sure you aren’t dragged to any thing last minute without calling your first,” she says. “Craig was just very insistent that you needed to do this ASAP.”
    “It’s cool. It turned out well. I’ll let you know when I’m busy next time.”
    As she climbs in, I shut the door and step back as she starts up the car and exits the parking lot. I stand there for a moment, watching the red of her taillights as she turns and drives down the street and out of sight.
    I pull my phone out of my pocket and wonder if I should call Lisa. I really messed up this afternoon when I took off with her car. I should have kept my cool. I should have stayed and tried to find out what was making her so angry… or maybe I should have just stayed away in the first place.
    She keeps saying that I’m forcing the friendship on her. Maybe I am… but I have a hard time believing she isn’t feeling this too. There’s something there, and I really don’t want to let it go.
     

Lisa
    Sandra left not long after we had our ‘discussion’ about Marcus, and I’ve spent the rest of the evening wondering if I should call him. Then I realise he’s probably busy at some party.
    Instead I keep composing different text messages to him without actually sending them. Some of them have said ‘sorry’ for blowing up. Others have read more like a break up letter.
    The latest one simply says – Call me plz. Lisa x
    Initially it had three x’s there, but I ’ve deleted two, feeling worried that he might think I was trying to say that I’m X-rated or something… Now, I’m just staring at it, wondering if I should change the x to a smiley face or something. I don’t want to send him something that is going to give him the wrong impression, but I don’t want to send him something that’s going to make him feel like if he calls me I’m just going to yell at him again….
    Shit. I’m over thinking this. I know. I’m just struggling here. I need to talk to him and tell him that while I think he’s a great guy, I just can’t see him anymore. I think it will be best for both of us.
    Before I get the chance to send him any message , my phone jumps to life in my hand and Marcus’s face smiles at me in his hat and glasses as the word ‘Dude’ flashes up on my screen.
    For a while, I just look at him smiling at me. What is it about this guy? I already feel like I’m going to agree to anything he asks.
    “Stick to your guns Lisa. You know this can’t end well.” I take a deep breath and swipe my thumb across the screen to answer. “Hello.”
    “I’m so sorry about taking off with your car today,” he says in rush of breath. “I feel awful . I just… I feel like I’m messing this up Lisa. And I don’t want to.”
    “It’s not you Marcus. It’s me. I’m the one who started attacking you. ” I press my lips together as tears sting the backs of my eyes. “I…I do like you Marcus. I think you’re charming and funny, and if you weren’t who you are, then I could see us being great friends. But the fact of the matter is – you are who you are and I think we should end