One Plus Two

Anxiety radiated from the door as I pressed the doorbell. Alexis’ Noise was blasting full **** all morning and had been quite the distraction getting ready today. It was understandable considering the circumstances. Today we would discuss things moving forward, but not right away. Before any decision was made, I wanted to go out. It was a date of sorts, only instead of it being just Chloe and I, Alexis would be joining us.

I **** a smile as the door opened. There was no surprise when it was Natalie standing there, her Noise clear to me.

“Well, well,” she said with an appraising look. She had a teasing edge to her smile as her eyes ran over me. “Who is this strange, handsome man showing up here? Let me guess, you are here for Alexis.”

My gaze shifted past Natalie, the spike in Alexis’ Noise distracting me from deeper in the apartment. I **** my gaze back to her sister. “She never mentioned having such a lovely sister,” I said, playing along. “Perhaps you’d like to come along? Always room for more.”

She snorted, unable to keep her **** expression. “Thanks, but no. I have a feeling this isn’t something I want to be involved in.” She paused, looking me in the eye. I took a moment to glance at her Noise. Worry wove itself through her emotional state, but there was an undercurrent of what I suspected was hope. I suppose that was valid considering the importance of all this. I had hoped making a date out of this would help ease the tension and worry, but maybe that had been the wrong play here. I would have to reserve judgement when we went to pick up Chloe. I was sure once the two were together, things would naturally fall back into the familiar. I wished I could tell her that everything would be okay and that she didn’t need to worry, but I couldn’t lie to her. I wasn’t sure how today would go.

The bedroom door swung open and I blinked, momentarily thrown by the sight of Alexis. Gone were the tight clothing that strategically showed off skin. A light, airy chiffon blouse the color of spring lavender was paired with a black knee-length skirt that seemed a bit snug. The outfit screamed ‘borrowed,’ strikingly similar to the style of a certain older sister. The only thing that hadn’t changed were the black Converse she wore.

As she anxiously approached, I noted the modest amount of makeup enhanced her natural beauty. The most notable change was her hair. No longer the natural curls I had grown accustomed to, she had tamed them into straight locks that made it appear longer than what I was used to. Her bright eyes flitted over to me, her cheeks warming as I stared.

Natalie had stepped back, smile on her face as she gave us space. “You look great,” I said as I focused on Alexis.

Alexis smiled weakly, brushing at her bangs. “Thanks.”

“He’s right,” Natalie added, glancing over at me for a second. “You two have fun today.”

“Three,” Alexis said as she looked away from me.

Waves of unease crashed against my mental fortress as we walked to the elevator. It wasn’t until we were on our way down that I finally broke the silence. “You didn’t have to dress up. This is supposed to be casual.”

She let out a sound that was a mix between a huff and a laugh. “Says the man who remembered he owns hair product and button downs.” That sounded like the Alexis I knew, but I could still see the tension in her Noise. Her emotions were ridged and sharp, not the gentle flow I was used to. Her head turned slightly to look at me. “Why, don’t like it?”

“It’s different.”

“You say that like it’s a bad thing.”

My eyes briefly swept over her Noise before focusing on her. “I’m just concerned that you are forcing yourself to be someone you’re not.”

“I am.” The elevator reached the bottom floor, the door opening as she stepped out. I followed her, a few steps behind as she walked without waiting for me. “I know this isn’t who I am, not yet anyway.” She slowed enough for me to catch up, shooting me a sideways glance as we walked side-by-side. “But isn’t that what today is supposed to be? I know I’m not relationship material. I sleep around, run from most problems I face, and I haven’t had an actual, functional relationship before.” Taking a deep breath, she looked forward. “But... this is important to me. Probably the most important thing I’ve ever done. So, maybe this isn’t me, but it is someone I want to be. Hoping the fake it till you make it is true.”

I took her hand as we walked, surprising her. She didn’t resist, but there was a noticeable distance. It was interesting to see her reaction. For years, she had always teased me, pushing herself and finding all sorts of reasons to touch me in seductive ways, yet the innocent act of holding hands seemed to unsettle her. I released her hand after a few steps, not wanting to make her uncomfortable. Her Noise roiled, fear and alarm filling it.

“Sorry, I—”

I cut her off, hoping to relieve some of the stress she was feeling. “You don’t have to apologize. We can take this as slow or as fast as you want.”

Her gaze fell to my hand, but she made no move to take it. Her voice was soft. “It was easier when I just wanted to sleep with you.”

“I have that effect on women.”

The statement took her by surprise, stopping to stare at me. I took pity on her, forming a slight smile to give her a hint. She let out a huff of laughter as understanding dawned on her. She tried to hit me on the arm, but I deftly dodged her swing. Her lips parted in a smile, and for the first time since she opened the door, some of the tension eased from her Noise. “You wish.”

I continued, my voice taking a matter-of-fact tone. “Every woman I have grown close to has tried to sleep with me numerous times.” I ticked off my fingers as I named names and started walking again. “Chloe, you, Natalie, and Victoria. I clearly have some sort of deeply appealing charm that makes me irresistible to women.”

“Wait, wait, wait!” she called out, rushing to match my pace beside me. “You’re shitting me. Natalie?”

I reflected on it. Perhaps it was a stretch to say she tried, but it was clear the opportunity was there. The mood between us and the emotions reflected in her Noise were open to the possibility. If I had a normal sex drive and more physically oriented desires and goals, I could have easily taken advantage of those opportunities. Beyond me having a satisfying relationship with Chloe, Natalie was like Alexis. The desire was there, but it was clear other things overrode that desire. Alexis’ hesitation was often rooted in a **** to commit herself romantically. Natalie was more complex. Her relationship status, age gap, knowing I was already in a relationship, and more I probably wasn’t considering all were factors in play. Still, despite all that, she had mentioned a few times how she wouldn’t have minded or hinted to being open to the possibility of sex.

“Perhaps that is overstating the situation, but the opportunity was there. Nothing happened,” I added.

“Victoria I can see considering she fucks anything that moves. Natalie though?” Her reaction wasn’t what I expected. Not sure how I thought she was going to react, but excitement wasn’t high on the list.

“Desire and intent are different.”

“No, no,” she said quickly, holding up her hand to stop me. “Oh man, I am totally going to fuck with her on this.” Her eyes had a mischievous glint as she looked at me. “Thank you for telling me.”

Hmm. Perhaps it hadn’t been the best of ideas to mention that. However, Alexis was in a better mood now and had relaxed a bit, so maybe the tradeoff had been worth it. The boost was only momentary though. When I started to move to open the door for Alexis, she rushed forward, hopping in on her own before I even got close. Shifting direction, I got into the driver’s seat and headed to Chloe’s. It was a silent trip, her anxiety unpleasantly radiating from her as she stared out the window. Her hands constantly smoothed at her skirt.

I stopped at the temporary zone in front of Chloe’s apartment building and together we headed up. My finger barely left the doorbell when the door flew open.

“Bye-Mom-I’m-leaving!” Chloe called out behind her as she rushed out. She grabbed our hands, pulling us along after her, not slowing until we were at the elevator. She gave us a sheepish smile. “Sorry. Mom saw me getting ready and was hinting at inviting Jake out for dinner and, uh...” Her voice trailed off as she got a good look at Alexis. “Wow.”

Alexis seemed to brighten at that, some of her Noise swelling with positive emotions. “Thanks.”

Chloe turned to me next, eyes passing over me. “I thought we agreed not to dress up and make this a... thing.”

“Yet, it seems we all did,” I said, stating the obvious. Chloe had put more effort into her outfit than usual. Her top hung off one shoulder, the collar and short sleeves accented in light blue. A pastel-colored floral pattern decorated the fabric from her shoulder to waist before transitioning to solid white for the rest of the top. She paired it with an ankle-length flared skirt of similar color pallet. With her wavy hair, makeup, and warm smile, she radiated a playful charm that was a step above casual.

She took my hand and moved close. Knowing what she intended, I leaned forward to kiss her. Her Noise pulsed happily as good emotions flowed through the beautiful tapestry. Our eyes met as she stepped away, still smiling. “You styled your hair too! Need to reward that.” I didn’t need to see her Noise to know what she was thinking and wondered who the reward was really for. Her attention had already shifted before I could respond. I watched as she stepped towards Alexis. I watched, curiously eyeing their Noise. There was an undercurrent of worry that manifested in a moment of hesitation before Chloe kissed her as well. Their Noise surged at the connection and for a brief moment, they seemed to blend in a way I’d never seen before. It wasn’t like Daniel and Sophie who often had moments of harmonization when they were experiencing a shared moment, but something deeper and more intimate. Even when feeling the same emotions, I could always tell the two apart. With Chloe and Alexis, I couldn’t see where one started and the other ended. Maybe I hadn’t mistaken things when I first saw it the night of Alexis’ party.

The moment was as brief as their kiss. Chloe’s smile was shy as she looked up at Alexis, who was grinning happily. It faded slightly when she looked over at me, guilt spoiling her Noise. Turning away from us, she hit the elevator button as Chloe glanced my way. I shrugged, trying to calm her growing unease. As we rode down the elevator, Chloe placed herself between us. She took Alexis’ hand, bringing her out of her negative thoughts.

“I’m glad you’re here.” Alexis smiled, some of the tension bleeding away. “Jake has terrible taste in outfits.”

“I have impeccable taste.”

Chloe shot me a look. “All you say is that everything looks great.”

“It is hardly my fault,” I said, crossing my arms. “You look great in everything.”

She gave Alexis an exasperated look. “See? This is what I have to deal with.”

The mood was slowly shifting to what I was used to seeing with the two. Alexis had a grin as she pulled Chloe’s hand to her chest, patting it as she looked down at her. “You poor woman.”

By the time the elevator opened, both girls were giggling as they made plans on what stores they wanted to stop at. I trailed after them, satisfied with the pleasant Noise coming from the two women. Both took the backseat, Chloe waiting for me to open the door for her while Alexis hopped in on her own. My gesture was rewarded by a brilliant smile and a boost of joyous Noise. Her hand brushed along my arm before she got inside.

“Does he do that often?” Alexis asked as I settled into the driver’s seat and started the car.

“I have him well trained!” my girlfriend answered with a giggle. “To the mall, Winston!” To match her poor posh accent, she lightly clapped her hands twice.

“Very well, Ms. Reed. The mall it shall be. I shall endeavor to ensure your comfort throughout this arduous expedition.” Silence greeted me and I glanced back in the rear view mirror to see stunned expressions staring back. “Is something amiss, Ms. Reed?”

“Since when could you do accents!?” she asked, sliding forward between the front seats. She had a slight pout on her face, though her Noise held little annoyance or negativity.

I slipped back into my normal voice. “Acting classes.”

“What other accents can you do?”

I didn’t answer right away. Instead, I gave her a small smile that I hoped conveyed a mischievous intent. It wasn’t something I did often, but her Noise reaction indicated I hit the mark.

“Fine. Keep your secrets,” she said with a huff, flopping back and shooting me a look that suggested she would be extracting a small **** later.

“Seat belts,” I said, refusing to move until they were both buckled up. I took the time to follow my own order.

“Oh, no,” Chloe said as she clicked her seat belt in place. “You are doing the accent for the rest of the day. What?” she said as Alexis raised an eyebrow her way. “Don’t deny it doesn’t do things to you too! That accent. That badass stoic expression. The hair...”

“So that’s what you’re into, eh?” Alexis said, teasing mischief dominant in her Noise. “Though I’ll admit, you’re not wrong...”

I made sure I was pulling into traffic before answering. “Very well. If Ms. Reed insists, then it would be remiss of me to not oblige her wishes.” I was rewarded by laughing. Letting the joyous Noise flow over me, I relaxed into my seat and listened to the girls as they excitedly talked about where they wanted to go first. Perhaps not the best of starts, but things seemed to be going well.

The hours ticked by quickly as I followed the two from store to store. What started as, ‘We are just going to look’ had lasted barely lasted the first store we entered. By now, I was more pack mule than boyfriend. It was an enjoyable experience watching Chloe and Alexis together. Chloe enjoyed it when it was just the two of us, but I found this was probably closer to what a normal date would feel like. She was far more expressive, feeding off Alexis’ reactions like she normally did when the two were together. Her Noise was a blinding beacon. Even in the crowded mall, I felt perfectly at ease as I immersed myself in her comforting familiarity. As easy as it was to get lost in it, I purposefully **** myself to do the same with Alexis when I could. It would have been easy to ignore her as no one would know, but that wasn’t fair to her and went against the spirit of this outing.

Alexis’ Noise was familiar, but not the overpowering presence Chloe’s was. It was harder to block out the surrounding Noise when I was focusing on her. Her Noise wasn’t unpleasant though, but it did let in more of the outside world which was a drain on my mental fortitude. With time, would she become another bastion of peace and relaxation in the chaotic world? It was hard to remember navigating the world without Chloe’s Noise being there to help me through it, even if it had been a relatively short amount of time since we started dating. The sheer exhaustion of so many different emotions bombarding me, all shouting for attention, was taxing without the strong Noise of my girlfriend snuffing them out.

In the end, it wasn’t my decision, but hers. Alexis’ aversion to commitment would be an issue, and she was the only one who could solve it.

Watching the two together and the emotional shift from excitement to giddiness, worry to confidence, then embarrassment before embarrassment changed into sultry teasing was quite the ride. There was so much happening, so many complex and sometimes contradictory emotions as I flipped from one Noise to the next. Even though I wasn’t an active participant in their conversation, I never felt left out. Chloe was truly something when she had that emotional feedback, and it was quite pleasurable to experience it. She always asked for my opinion on things that caught her attention, even if she rolled her eyes when I said I liked it.

Chloe’s hand found mind, drawing me from my thoughts. “You okay?”

“I am perfectly capable of enduring the rigors of retail therapy, Ms. Reed. Your concern is touching.”

She snorted, then shook her head. “You can drop the accent. For the moment,” she added with a grin. “Definitely going to explore that more in the future.” Her expression grew serious. Her Noise, which had been a strong positive **** since Alexis joined us, filled with worry and concern. “You’ve been quiet and withdrawn since we got in the car.”

Her hand was soft and warm as it rested on the back of mine. Now that she was close, I caught the scent of her perfume. It was the same exotic spice she wore during the charity event, and one she reserved for more intimate outings. “I’m having fun.”

Doubt rippled through her. “I don’t want you to be left out.”

The look she was giving me caused me to pause as I realized my error. So lost in their Noise and my thoughts, I’d failed to connect with them on their level. My contentment wasn’t enough, and this was going to be something that needed to be worked on. Continuing as I had, I was nothing more than a parasite, leeching off their joy.

“Sorry,” I said, giving her hand a comforting squeeze. Leave it to Chloe to ground me. What would I do without her? I continued at her confused expression. “You know how I get lost in the Noise at times.” Playfulness spread through her Noise as I leaned down to give her a peck on the lips.

“I don’t know...” Our attention turned to Alexis who had left the changing room. As Chloe stepped away to gush over the outfit, my eyes took in her Noise. She was feeling good at the complements and attention Chloe was giving her. I remained silent, watching the spike of arousal fade into the background and disappear. It seemed she enjoyed witnessing the kiss, which was a different reaction from earlier. Hard to make a judgment when it came to such a minor reaction that was already gone.

“Jake? What do you think?” My gaze went to Chloe, who was giving me an encouraging smile. I turned my attention to Alexis, who was dressed in a far more familiar style. The black cropped cami left a lot of her midriff exposed and the jean shorts were faded and torn, barely long enough to cover her ass. The tightness of her top emphasized the curve of her breasts. It was a look that was far more Alexis than the other outfits she had tried on today. Her Noise helped paint a more complete picture. She enjoyed the attention Chloe was giving her, but she had always been comfortable and confident in her body. She enjoyed showing herself off and the attention it brought her.

Despite that, she had been going out of her way to reject that so far. Her previous outfits were attractive, but they were far more conservative and her Noise reflected that. Behind the smiles and happy voice, there was always a… discomfort? Like she wasn’t fully pleased with the outfit she had picked out. The only reason she was trying this on was because Chloe insisted. Knowing my girlfriend, she probably picked up on it as well.

Both women waited for my judgment. As I went to answer, I paused, remembering what Chloe had said earlier. A simple, ‘it looks great’ wouldn’t work here. The silence stretched enough that worry began to creep into both their Noise, but I needed to properly construct the words.

“I like it.” That earned a false smile from Alexis, with Chloe giving a weary sigh and a heavenward glance. I moved forward, getting closer to Alexis. Her Noise spiked, but I focused on keeping eye contact. “I like it because it is you. You are an attractive woman, Alexis. You enjoy showing off and the attention it brings you.” I paused to run my eyes over her, taking in the outfit once again at the closer distance. I put a smile on my face, hoping to convey my sincerity. “It highlights the best aspects of your body and emphasizes what you want to show off. The other things you got look great on you, but this one is far more fitting.” I leaned in, lowering my voice. “Don’t be afraid of who you are. Chloe didn’t fall in love with the woman you want to be, but the woman you are.”

Alexis’ Noise rippled as I focused on her green eyes. Her emotions were all over the place, my closeness confusing her desires. I hesitated as I weighed the pros and cons of kissing her. From what I was getting out of her Noise, she was confused about what to feel, or maybe what she was feeling. It was a risk considering we hadn’t discussed anything yet, but Chloe’s earlier worry was still fresh in my mind. I needed to be more proactive, and that meant taking some risks, even if they ended up as mistakes.

My kiss was brief, and her reaction was mixed. There was a ripple of happiness in her Noise, but her body was stiff, and an undercurrent of unease appeared. Her eyes were wider than normal as she looked at me, then shifted to glance at Chloe as if to check to see if there was any negative reaction to me kissing her. Seeing that reminded me of the obstacles Chloe and I faced when starting out. If they intended to make an attempt at a relationship, we would all be starting fresh again. No, that wasn’t right. There was an imbalance in relationships right now. Alexis had been my friend for over two years now, which meant we had to overcome that friendship to morph into something romantic—if she even wanted that. Chloe and I had our relationship, which would now change in unknown ways if Alexis joined us. Then there was Alexis and Chloe’s relationship, which Alexis currently weighed more heavily and was far more comfortable with. I didn’t blame her for that. While things had been building for some time, everything seemed to be moving in a rush.

I pushed all that aside for the moment. That would all be discussed later.

With some prodding from Chloe, Alexis finally relented. I saw happiness in her Noise from Chloe’s insistence that she absolutely needed to get it. I heard words like, ‘hot’ and, ‘sexy’ uttered by my girlfriend as she encouraged Alexis to get the outfit. My eyes followed her as she returned to the dressing room to change.

“That was surprising,” Chloe said as she moved to stand next to me. “Never expected you to make a move like that.”

“Jealous?”

“What? Can’t read my Noise?”

“I wasn’t paying attention to yours.”

“Ooh. Now I am jealous.” A glance revealed that, yes, there was a touch of jealousy, but it was barely detectable in the waves of playful mischief she felt. She was silent for a moment as anxiety and uncertainty marred her Noise. Her voice was soft. “I thought this would be easier.”

I studied her for a moment, not her Noise, but her. “You were nervous on our first date too.”

“I don’t think it’s just nerves.” Her eyes left mine to look toward the dressing room. “I get bits and pieces from her Gift. She’s scared.”

Shifting the bags I was holding to one hand, I rested my free hand on her shoulder and gave her a gentle squeeze. “Perhaps it is best not to make judgments based on fleeting emotions, especially ones that aren’t yours. You don’t know why she is scared.” I **** a smile into place. “Let’s let her tell us when she’s ready. I’m sure all of us are a little frightened of tonight’s conversation.”

Her grin gave her a cute look. “Says the stoic badass who can shrug off pesky emotions.”

“Doesn’t mean I’m not concerned in my own way.”

She reached up and rested her hand atop mine. We didn’t say anything else as we waited for Alexis to return. Clothes in hand, we headed to the checkout where Chloe once again insisted on paying. “I got money to burn,” she said, counting out her bills and paying. “You’re going to have to get used to me paying for things. I intend to spoil you rotten.”

The walk to the food court was full of light conversation, which I made an effort to be a part of. Instead of trailing behind them, I walked to the right of Chloe while Alexis took the left. This gave the situation more of an ‘us’ feel. A small thing, but all things have a cumulative effect.

The food court itself was packed, a wall of Noise radiating from the mass of people. It was a chaotic mix of varying emotions, happiness, boredom, anger, excitement, and more all colliding together into an unreadable jumble. Chloe took one look at the crowd and turned to me, resting her hand against my arm.

“We can go somewhere else.”

It took Alexis a second for it to click. “Oh, right! There are a few places nearby we can try. I’d rather eat at an actual restaurant anyway.”

We ended up at a nearby Mexican place. I took one side of the booth, Alexis and Chloe sliding in on the other. Alexis mostly led the conversation, talking with Chloe about upcoming games she might be interested in. Then things went to movies and shows, which I was able to join in on.

Alexis had to order another margarita after Chloe greedily stole half of the first one. Halfway through the meal, things started to take on a more serious tone. Alexis shared how things were going with college, unloading a healthy amount of frustration. Chloe was excited for upcoming graduation, sidestepping mention of her business. They shared some stories from their past, with Chloe sharing memories of where she used to live, and Alexis offering us some insight on how a normal high school was. Not wanting to sit on the sidelines, I offered up a few stories of my early days living with Sophie when she was dating Daniel. It was as far back as I could remember.

In all, I say it was an enjoyable outing, especially when I got to see their reactions to me ending their standoff on who got the last bite of fried ice cream by taking it for myself.

The happy wave the two were riding on began to fade as we arrived back at my apartment.