Lily

Chapter 3: Sarah

Who on Earth is this? Since when do we invite random people to our hang out spot? Wait! Maybe that's a new thing no one told me about?

Nah!

But seriously, who is she? Why is she flicking her hair so much? Why is she touching his shoulder? Not that it's any of my business, but... what am I talking about? Of course it's my business! Not because I actually care or am bothered by it, if that's what you think. Quite the contrary, actually. It's because I care so little, that I want to know why I care so little and the only way to find out is if I, you know, find out what's going on.

Hannah looks just as confused as I do, just as they should be! But wait! They don't look confused, rather scared. Scared? Why would they be scared? I'm probably mistaking fear for shock. Yeah, now that I'm looking closely, it's clear they're shocked. Just as they should be! How dare Jake bring someone else to our After Work Get Together! Again, I don't care but, you know, Hannah seems to care, so why can't I?

Why does Hannah care so much? Do they like Jake or something? That would explain why they look so confused and shocked- it's probably just jealousy. Not that I know what that's like. See how many hoops I had to jump through to reach that conclusion? That's because I don't know what it's like to be jealous, so I have trouble identifying that emotion. I don't even have any reasons to be jealous. I'm perfectly calm and unbothered.

"What's that?" Oops! I meant to say who not what. My bad.

"This is the new employee I was talking about earlier."

Of course! Why didn't I think of that? Think, Sarah, think. They're just colleagues, nothing more. Not that it would bother me if they were anything more because it's not my business. It kinda is but not really.

"Hi, I'm Lily. Nice to meet you."

Check her out. No one cares about your perfectly manicured nails. Although they really do look cool. Like really, really cool. But, whatever, who cares. I'm getting mine done when I get paid next week, so take that!

"I'm Sarah," I pretended not to see her ready-to-be-shook hand and sat down emphatically to prove a point, not that I had a point to prove and said, "I'll bring Mariam next time."

Lily looked around confused, as did the rest.

"My colleague at the store, since that's the sort of stuff we do now." My words were directed at Jake, but my gaze stayed fixed upon Lily. I just wanted to make sure she heard me as well, is all.

"You work in retail? May I ask where?"

I chucked a little. "You know, by asking me if you can ask me, you already asked me."

I saw Jake narrow his eyes at me. What was his problem?

"Claire's Boutique if you must know. The one in the shopping centre down the-."

"I gotta go, guys"

And with that Hannah sprinted down the street. I mean, across the road. I mean, they're the same thing if you really think about it. Either way, it was strange. Hannah had never interrupted me before. Except that one time earlier this morning, and last night on the phone, and Saturday aftern-

They interrupt me all the time actually. They never storm off though, I can tell you that much.

Does that mean I was right then? Hannah really does like Jake? Great, so I've got to deal with this Lily character and Hannah? It's not my responsibility to deal with them, that's not what I'm saying, but, I mean, I'm just trying to protect the two of them. Jake is a wishy-washy, doesn't know what he wants or how to get it, 'don't-even-worry-about-it' kinda guy and I would hate for one of them to get heartbroken when he realises he never actually liked any of them after all and was just leading them on.

I'm just being a good friend. To Hannah. Not to Lily.

Never to Lily.