Page 31 of Be With Us: An Urban Foursome Love Story

‘We should, it’s been really nice,’ said Emilia, smiling at their new friends.

‘There’s one question I still have about you and Cass, though,’ said Amy, and Emilia cringed waiting to hear it. ’Haven’t you ever wanted to sleep with anyone else?’

‘That’s enough,’ said Mark.

‘No I’m just curious,’ she said. ‘I’m not being mean. I just, like, how do you know it’s good? You know, fucking? If you haven’t shagged anyone else but each other?’

‘Come back to ours then,’ said Emilia, suddenly and seriously.

Amy stopped walking. Mark and Cassian walked past and then stopped a few paces further on. For a moment, Amy laughed, and then her expression changed. She looked at Emilia and frowned.

‘You’re serious aren’t you?’

Emilia didn’t respond. Mark looked over at Cassian and back towards the girls, but said nothing.

‘No, of course I'm not serious,’ said Emilia, feigning laughter. She looked nervously at Cassian, begging him to back her up.

‘You are serious, and you're a shit liar. Is this what tonight was about for you guys? Make friends and then try and see if you can get us into bed?’

Emilia looked petrified under Amy’s ire.

Cassian walked up behind his wife and put an arm on her back gently.

‘No, I just-’ said Emilia, deflated and confused.

‘Mark, I think we need to go now,’ said Amy and she turned to cross the street. A car honked its horn and swerved around her as it drove by, a fine mist of water spraying up from its tyres.

Emilia looked on as the rain came down, watching as Amy’s heels clicked away across the road. Mark stood awkwardly and then turned to Cassian.

‘It was great to see you guys again, sorry,’ he said, setting off after his wife and turning back briefly. ‘Thanks.’

He continued after her at a slow jog, his feet splashing in the surface water as he went. Emilia watched as they got into their car, pulled out and drove off down the street. Amy turned her face away as they went past.

Cassian put his arm around his wife and held her kindly as she stood still, her eyes wide and hurt, as Mark and Amy’s car drove around the corner and disappeared from sight.

‘Come on Em, you’re getting soaked. Let’s go home.’

*

‘Cass I’m so sorry,’ said Emilia. ‘I fucked up so bad.’

‘Yes you did,’ he said, putting the car into first gear and pulling away from the curb.

‘Should I text her?’

‘No, definitely not.’

‘Oh gosh, I feel sick.’

‘Don’t be sick in the car,’ he said, slowing down.

Emilia had leaned forward, her head in her hands. She started crying.

‘I’m sorry,’ she said. ‘I shouldn’t have said that. I should’ve listened to you.’

‘It’s fine Em, you said something stupid in the heat of the moment, after a few too many drinks. You didn’t mean it. We can square this away. It’s fine.’

‘It’s not fine though, I like her and I like him. I feel like I’m fifteen again, I’ve got butterflies in my tummy and I feel like I just asked out my crush and they said no. I really like her. I’m going to text them.’

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