"Come here," his voice is gentle again.
She gives in, placing her small hand in his. Lifting the cloth, he sees her blood spill out from her palm. He inhales sharply through his teeth and presses the rag back down. They sit there like that for abo...
The hotel room door isn't even closed before Sandra gets straight to the point. The tequila has her feeling warm and brave.
Keanu carefully pulls the chair out from the corner and places it directly in front of her. He sits forward, elbows on his knees, hands pressed together in a prayer pose.
"Why the hell are you avoiding me?!?" she repeats, dripping with ire.
"I'm not!" I'm not, he tries to convince himself.
"You made it clear you won't hang out if I'm there," she starts, hurling her accusations like stones.
"I neversaid that, Sandy!"
"Really!" she scoffs, "then why didn't you come out tonight?"
I wanted to, his inner voice screams. "I just had...other plans," his voice is barely audible, but it sets off a bomb in Sandra.
"Plans?? You had other plans?!?!? Okay, what were your plans, Keanu? What big event did you have going on? You're sitting alone in the hotel room. Again. You're always alone. Do you think you're better than the rest of us or something?"
"What?! God, no! Why would you say such a thing."
"If the shoe fits," she pushes on.
"Have you ever thought about how Nathan might feel about all this?!?" he explodes.
"About what? Colleagues grabbing a beer after work?"
He stares at her incredulously.
"We're friends. He has friends, too. So what?!?"
"Sandra..."
"No! Don't be so full of yourself to think that he sees you as some kind of threat, Keanu! I assure you he doesn't give you a second thought, and, and neither do I!"
Keanu leans back in his chair, strokes his chin and says nothing.
Sandra sprang to her feet and hid behind her hands, spinning in a slow circle. "Ughhhh! I'm sorry. I didn't mean that, I don't know what's got into me."
"It's fine."
His slumped shoulders tell a different story, but that is all she's going to get out of him.
She grabs her jacket and purse off of his bed. "I should go..."
"Sandy, wait." Keanu is on his feet, moving toward her, arm outstretched.
"What?"
He's standing in front of her now, hand on her shoulder, seemingly mute.
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"What?" She's irritated.
He drops his hand down to his side, rubbing his thumb back and forth against his fingers. "You're in no shape to drive. Let me, let me take you home."
