Part Thirteen

Jerome that morning found himself sitting at a table in RC Coffee Lounge, lost in thought, his mind a million miles away as he thought about Claire and the time they had spent together in the last three days. His mind focusing on how beautiful her face looked as moaned in ecstasy as she rode his cock, her smile and laughter at his dumb jokes and just how much he enjoyed spending time with her until suddenly, a voice cut through and pulled him from his thoughts.

"Jerome?" Jerome heard and he looked up to find Claire standing before him, a tentative smile playing on her lips. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to startle you."

"No, it's fine. I was just… Thinking about something." Jerome said as he gestured vaguely at the empty cup in front of him.

"I know what that's like. Sometimes the mind just needs a break from all the noise, you know?" Claire said in agreement.

"So, what are you doing here, anyway?" Jerome wondered.

"Following you," Claire grinned sheepishly. "I’m kidding. I can’t start the day without coffee."

"Well, I'm glad you’re here actually," Jerome paused, leaning in slightly. "To be honest, I've been thinking about us… Us together."

"Oh?" Claire said in surprise. “Jerome…”

"Yeah. I know what you’re going to say but hear me out first, Claire,” Jerome told her before continuing. “I like you, Claire. A lot." Jerome paused, searching for the right words. "And I like being with you… I really like spending time with you," Jerome reached across the table, taking her hand in his. “And I know you’re Nathan’s ex-girlfriend but I want to see where this goes. You know, outside of the bedroom."

"Okay. Okay. I believe you. And I feel the same way. I mean, I really like spending time with you too." Claire paused, biting her lower lip. "You're different from Nathan," Claire added. “And this is different. So let’s do it. Let’s go out on a date.”

After she and Peter had sex and her best friend took off not long after, Hollie had a shower and found herself thinking about Peter when she exited the bathroom to get change when she heard her phone ring and picking it up, she saw who the caller was and she took a deep breath and hit the answer button.

"Hey, Asa," Hollie said, her voice barely above a whisper.

"Hey, Hollie," Asa replied, the familiarity of her voice sending a pang through Hollie's heart. "It's... It's been a while since we spoke," Asa paused. "Sorry, its taken me this long but it’s been hard, you know?" Asa finally said, her voice low and distant. "But I think... I think we both knew this wasn't going to work out. We both just want different things…"

"Yeah," Hollie agreed. "But... I'm glad we talked about it. That we were honest with each other before we hurt each other more than we already have…"

"I hope you do know, it's not that I don't want to be with you, Hollie," Asa finally said, her voice softer than before. "And... I'm sorry, Hollie. For everything. It wasn't anyone's fault. We just... Weren't meant to be, I guess."

"Yeah," Hollie agreed. "I get it. And I want you to know that... I'm here for you if you ever want to talk or... you know. We’ll always be friends…"

"Thanks, Hollie. That means a lot. And I'm here for you too, you know? Just... be careful, okay? I don't want you to get hurt again." Asa let out a small laugh. "But... I guess this is how it's supposed to be. We'll just have to find our way, you know? Maybe we'll both find someone who's better suited for us."

"Yeah, maybe," Hollie said as she thought about Peter. "You know. I think we're going to be okay. We're both going to find someone who's right for us, but I'm glad we had this time together. I'll always cherish these memories."

"Me too, Hollie. You're such a good person, and you're going to find someone who deserves you. I just want you to know that, no matter what happens, I'll always be here for you." Asa told her happily.