Page 56 of The Comeback

"Excellent. I'll be calling you. Now get in there and make amends. This fairy has places to be."

"Yes. Get out of here. Don't waste your time on me." Although if she has any fairy magic hidden in there i could use some of it. Maybe travel forward in time and bypass this conversation all together.

"Toodle oo." She blows me a kiss from crimson painted lips and vanishes around a corner.

***

"Were you flirting with my girlfriend?" Aspen's glowering face greets me through the door.

"Were you spying on her, stalker?"

His glower doesn't hold up. He's flashing a grin that lights up his entire face. “Of course. Gotta make sure my lady gets to her carriage safe and sound.”

“She’s wearing off on you. Weirdos.”

“I hope so.”

His contented smile smooths into more serious lines and I’m already dreading this conversation.

I’ve got arm stretched up leaning on the doorframe, not quite ready to enter his apartment. “Why didn’t you go with her? You two are usually joined at the hip. I’m surprised she doesn’t strap on a pair of skates and join us for hockey practice.”

He rolls his eyes at me. "When you're in a healthy relationship you don't need to be together all the time. She's got her own life. All her book besties are going to be at the shindig tonight. She doesn't want me there messing up the vibes."

He turns his back on me, strolling away. "Gonna hang in the doorway all night?"

I hesitate for one more moment before fallowing him in.

"Wanna drink?"

"Am I going to need one."

He doesn't even answer me just heads to the kitchen. A hissing pop sounds out and he returns, passing me a beer before flopping down on his couch. He takes a long swig of his own beer.

I drop into the chair across from him and down half of mine, searching for a little liquid courage to try to explain my obnoxious behaviour at practice today.

The silence stretches between us until my knee is bouncing. I can't stand it anymore. "Why'd you have me over here if you weren't planning on talking?"

He settles back giving me a long look over the brown neck of his bottle. "Oh, I'm planning on talking. Just waiting for you to be ready. What's going on with you?"

Finally. "Well there's this girl."

"And?"

"I've known her for most of my life."

That gets his interest. He leans forward in his chair again, eagerness lighting up his eyes. "Like Jordan and I?"

I wish. I shake my head. "Nothing like you and Jordan. Abby. That's her name. We were best friends when we were kids. Like did everything together. Us and one other guy."

"Ooh, love triangle? Did she choose him and break your heart?"

"No, dude nothing like that. Seriously, stop reading Jordan's romance books."

"You have no idea the things I've learned from those books. Things that keep Jordan very happy if you know what I mean."

"Obviously I know what you mean." Dude has zero chill anymore.

He pushes his lips out. "Sorry. Continue. Best friends."

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