Just Friends(12)
“I’ll see you in the kitchen,” Chase said. He needed time to think.
Going through to the kitchen, he saw the celebration breakfast he was going to make. The bacon was now burnt and the eggs crisp. He grabbed everything and threw it all in the trash, making some coffee instead.
Last night, she’d confessed how much she loved them. At the time he’d thought she had drunk too much, but he’d been taken in by the sincerity in her voice. He closed his eyes, feeling the first tear beginning to fall. Life was being unfair to him. If he’d known she was too bloody drunk he’d never have gone through with it.
She’d begged them to take her.
“I should have known,” he said to himself.
Mitch joined him several minutes later. The sombre look on his face was reflected in Mitch’s expression.
“I can’t go back to being just friends, Chase. I love her too damn much.”
He shook his head. “We can’t rush her.”
“If I’d known she was too damn drunk.”
Chase reached over and touched his friend’s hand. He knew what Mitch was saying. In all of their years neither of them had ever taken advantage of a woman in a drunken state. They’d never needed to. To think that Leah hadn’t been in control and yet they’d done what they’d done left a bitter taste in his mouth.
“I need to get out of here,” Mitch said.
“We need to talk to her first and get this settled. You saw the fear in her eyes. I don’t want Leah looking at me with fear.”
The sound of the bathroom door opening invaded their conversation. They both remained silent as Leah walked out of the bathroom. She was wearing a robe.
“I’m going to go and get dressed,” she said. Her voice was so silent, Chase struggled to hear it.
Chase wiped his eyes to try to stop the tears from falling. He’d never cried, and he wasn’t going to start now. Getting up from his seat, he poured himself, Mitch, and Leah a coffee.
“I don’t know what to say,” Mitch said.
“We’re still friends, Mitch. Say what needs to be said.”
Twenty minutes later, she came out of her bedroom. She wore a pair of jeans and one of Mitch’s old shirts.
She took the lukewarm coffee from him and sipped. He watched as she sat down, wincing as she did.
Chase looked away. He needed to look away.
“I know what happened last night,” Leah said.
Both of them turned to her.
“I mean, I don’t remember what happened, but I know we did something.” She bit her lip, stopping herself from speaking.
“We had sex,” Mitch said.
Chase glared at him as Leah let out a gasp.
“What do you mean?” she asked.
“We started playing spin the bottle, only we did it as truth or dare. The person who spun would ask either a truth or dare,” Chase said, trying to gain some control over the conversation.
“How did that lead up to having sex?” She looked hesitant. Her hands were tight around the mug. “Who slept with whom?”
“We all slept together. Mitch and I shared you.”
Silence met his words.
Leah looked like she was going insane. Tears filled her eyes as she stared at each of them. “Did I beg you?” she asked.
Chase glanced at Mitch before nodding his head. He was going to be truthful.
“I begged you to fuck me?” she asked.
“Actually, you begged us to make love to you.”
“And you did?” she asked, slowly.
They both nodded their heads again. Chase saw the despair in her eyes.
“I need to get out of here,” she said, standing up.
“You don’t have to leave, Leah. Nothing has changed,” Mitch said, getting up.
“Nothing has changed? I begged my two best friends to have sex with me. How can that not change anything? I need to go and do the laundry. I’ll be back later.”
Chase watched as she grabbed the sacks that had been left by the door. Her body shook with the movement as she slammed out of their apartment.
“We fucked up last night,” Mitch said.
Not wanting to hear any more, Chase grabbed his coat and left the apartment. He needed to clear his head. Last night had been the best night ever. It was the night all of them should have been enjoying for years.
He walked along the deserted street wishing Leah had woken up remembering. She’d told them both how much she loved them and that she’d never be able to pick between the two of them. How could someone not remember those words?
Chase walked through the city park as people were just getting started with their day. He nodded to people he passed not seeing or hearing any response. His life felt like it was over before it had even begun.
****
Mitch moved over to the sink to clean the mess Chase had left behind. Leah loved a clean kitchen, and coming home to the mess from breakfast wouldn’t leave her in the best mood. He rolled up his sleeves and began cleaning away the mess.