The One

Chapter 9: Yes or No?

Emily's POV

"So I was just wondering if um.. if you wouldn't mind wanting to be my girlfriend?"

Those words, in that exact same order, just seem to continue to repeat in my mind over and over again.

I literally can't believed she just asked me to be her girlfriend. Her girlfriend! How in the world am I supposed to answer that?

I'm not even gay.. Or at least I don't think so anyways. Don't get me wrong though. I have absolutely nothing against it. It's just.. I never once in my life thought that that would be for me.

I definitely had my moments in the past where I thought that women were attractive, sexy even. But then again, it was only ever directed towards the Victoria's Secret Angles during their yearly runway show and occasional ads, maybe even a few celebrities every here and there, but that's completely normal right?

Everyone has to have a celebrity crush they wouldn't mind having if they had the chance, right? Because I know I have. Mine just never happened to be with any women.

Actually now that I think about it, I can honestly say that I never once thought of doing anything remotely physical with any woman before in my life, alone date one.

But then again..

On one hand, Alison is being so sweet and caring towards me. It really looks like she went through a whole lot of trouble just to get me here, not including all that she did throughout the day. It's clearly more then any guy has ever done for me throughout my life.

But then on the other hand, I just dumped my ex for cheating on me yesterday. Wouldn't that be a little too soon to be jumping into another relationship?

Plus I've never dated another woman. How would that even work out? Like is there one that always does all the things the guy should do while the other one just does the more girlier things? Or is it cut evenly down the middle? Or maybe taking turns? I have no clue whatsoever. All I know is that I'm so confused.

I guess I was taking too long to answer her because next thing I notice was that her eyes were getting glassy, making it look as if she was fighting hard to keep tears from falling. That can't be a good sign. Now I really do feel guilty for making her sad.

"Um Alison?"

"Y-yes Em?"

"I don't know" I say.

"What do you mean 'You don't know'?" she asks confused as a tear rolls down her cheek.

"I don't know if I can be your girlfriend" I respond.

*****

Alison's POV

I'm a little hurt by Emily's answer to say the least. I have absolutely no idea if I inadvertently came across as rude to her or if it was my past reputation catching up with me again.

Because I know that she knows I did and said some cruel things to others before. I guess I just had high hopes that after today she would see that I'm not as bad as most people make me out to be.

Maybe it just hurts more because I actually thought that she could be the one for me. Clearly too soon to know for sure but not according to my instinct.

No matter. I'll just have to learn and accept it. After all having someone you care for be just a friend to you is always much better then not having that person in your life at all. So for that reason alone, I'm going to have to put my feelings aside and accept it, hopefully I'll be able to move past it.

When we arrived back to our apartment building, I escorted her out of my car and into the building. Even though we just spend the entire day together, I still didn't want to let her go.

Unfortunately for me, she kept insisting that it was time for her to go back home. Maybe she's already regretting the date? Hopefully I didn't mess up my chances of having her as just a friend either.

"Do you really have to go so early?" I asked her when we got to the front of her apartment.

"Afraid so. I have to be at work first thing in the morning" she responds in a neutral and distanced tone as she unlocks her front door.

The moment we walk in though, I begin to hear a voice that I thought I would never ever hear in my life again.

It can't be! I seriously must be hearing things. Someone please tell me I'm hearing things!

I grab Emily's hand for comfort as I internally hope and pray that the voice isn't coming from the one person whom I thought it would be. Was it possible that Emily personally knew the one person who cost me the most grave deal of damage?

Unfortunately for me, Emily walked straight towards the direction in which the sound was coming from, taking me right with her.

And to my dismay, I see exactly whom I thought it would be, causing my heart to feel as if it had sunk right through the pit of my stomach and out my ass.

Kelsey..