Take My Hand by Nicola Haken

Coke while I hang my jacket in the back?” I heard Jared say while I was
bending down counting the mixers below the bar.
    “Sure,” I said simply, rising to my feet and
wiping the condensation from my fingers on the cloth draped over my shoulder.
“Ice?” I chucked a smile Emily’s way before plucking a glass from the shelf and
picking up the nozzle for the draught Cola.
    “Please.” She smiled back but it was different
than usual. For the first time since I’d met her she didn’t look uneasy. She
looked… content.
    Ah shit. They’d just fucked for the first time.
And now it was all I could think about.
    “So what time are you moving back tomorrow?”
Emily asked and I had never been so grateful to hear another voice. The subject
change instantly erased the vile image of Jared… Ugh I can’t even finish that.
    “I get the keys back at eleven. Not sure if I’m
gonna make sociology yet so if not can you take notes for me?” I asked, setting
her drink on the bar.
    “Course I will,” she replied before taking a sip.
Jared returned before I could respond so I gave her a grateful nod and made my
way to the other side of the bar to serve one of the regulars. I didn’t want to
watch while they ogled each other all flushed and gooey-eyed.

 
    Emily stayed, perched on the same stool at
Jared’s end of the bar, for a couple of hours or so. I tried really hard not to
watch them interacting but I couldn’t seem to help stealing the odd glance.
Oddly I didn’t see them touch one another once. Jared usually had his eager
paws all over her. If it wasn’t for the fact he kept making her giggle I’d have
sworn they’d had an argument.
    “I’m getting off, Dex,” Emily announced,
wiggling over to where I was pulling a lager. Like I needed any more reminders
of what she and Jared had been doing earlier.
    “K, doll. Catch you later.” She smiled that
innocent smile of hers and then hollered a goodbye to Jared. What, no kiss?
What was with them tonight?
    When Emily left I decided I wouldn’t ask Jared
what was going down between him and Emily. It wasn’t my business and I didn’t
particular care.
    “So what’s going on with you and Emily?” Yeah
okay so that lasted all of five seconds.
    “You noticed huh?” Hard not to. Though don’t ask
me why ‘cause I don’t have a fucking clue. “She broke up with me tonight.” Was not expecting that answer. Was he that bad in the sack? There I go again
torturing myself with images that made me want to vomit violently. Maybe I
should vomit. The sight of it had to be more pleasant than what I was
picturing now.
    “Ouch, man. What’d ya do?”
    “Wow thanks for the vote of confidence,” he
deadpanned. “She said I didn’t do anything. To be honest I just think she’s a
little too… I dunno… innocent?” She was definitely that. “I can’t say
I’m all that disappointed. Don’t get me wrong she’s cute and sweet. She makes
me laugh and shit but, Jesus if I don’t get laid soon my balls are gonna
fuckin’ explode.” I kinda felt his pain but hearing it out loud… were us guys
always such assholes?
    “And you’re doing the friends thing I take it?
You think that’ll work?” I’ve never seen how it could be possible to be friends
with an ex lay before.
    “Yeah I reckon so. I think that’s what we
should’ve been from the start to be honest. In fact, that’s probably all we
ever were. It’s not like we slept together or anything.” Hmm. I felt my mood
pick up immediately. That little statement pleased me more than it should. I
don’t know what the fuck is going on with me lately but it’s confusing the hell
out of me. I don’t fancy Emily. No seriously. Really I don’t. Actually I’m
pretty sure it’s just the loneliness. Yeah that’s definitely it. Another day or
two and I’ll probably start crushing on Jared.
    Therefore I’m bumping up getting laid to the top
of my list for when I move back home tomorrow. That’ll sort me out.