Ambivalence

5

"Well hello Dr. Grey," Derek greeted her with an accent that would've made her break down into a frenzy if this were six years ago. As arrogant and obnoxious as he was, Derek had a dorky sense of her humor that was one of Meredith's many weaknesses.

"Not talking to you," she ignored him, keeping her eyes glued to her chart.

"And to think I went out of my way to buy you your favorite drink," Derek caught her attention. He held out the cup when she turned to face him skeptically.

"What is this?" she questioned.

"I just told you, your favorite drink," Derek answered. He couldn't quite tell if the look on her face was one of anger or confusion.

"Yesterday you were stealing my coffee, and now you're bringing me one?"

"It's not coffee, I told you. It's your favorite drink," he attempted to hand it to her again. She hesitated before accepting the paper cup and sniffing it suspiciously before bringing it to her lips.

"I haven't had one of these in years, I forgot how good they tasted," Meredith moaned. "Wait, you didn't answer my question. Why are you giving it to me?" she steered the conversation back on track and took another sip of the drink that she had before class everyday of their senior year of college.

"Can't a guy just be nice to the woman he's working with?"

"Competing with," she corrected him. "And even if we weren't, I know you. There isn't a generous bone in your body."

Derek gasped offendely. "You think that little of me?" he accused.

"What do you want?" Meredith confronted.

"I need a favor," he admitted.

"Shocking," she mocked before taking another gulp of her green drink. She didn't realize it until now how greatly she missed them.

"I need you to go to dinner with me."

Meredith choked on her drink. "Are you serious?" she tried and failed to hold back her laughter as she gulped the remainder of the latte in her mouth.

"My parents are coming into town tonight and they still think that we're together."

Meredith's eyes widened, "you haven't told them? It's been six years!"

"I know that Meredith, do you think that I would forget how long it's been since we broke up?" he asked with a hint of bitterness that she didn't understand. He was the one that cheated on her, he didn't have a right to feel anything besides guilt for the pain that he caused. She decided keeping things civil with him was her best option - being in a crappy mood because of her ex-boyfriend wouldn't make a good first impression on her date.

"Why should I do you any favors?" she contemplated.

"Think of it as catching up with old friends. My parents love you," he reminded her.

"They do, don't they?" Meredith boasted as she remembered the long night spent listening to Derek's parents tell her embarrassing stories about his childhood.

"Come on," he begged. "You owe me."

"I owe you?" Meredith was taken back by his accusation. "And what could I possibly have done that deserves compensation?"

"Remember that time I left my lunch in your car and you decided to drive it across town to my physics lecture to drop it off because you didn't want me to go hungry? You embarrassed the hell out of me! Every senior in the class called me sweetie pie until I graduated." Derek crossed his arms.