Only If She Stayed

07. I've Got This Friend

"ROSE. Rose," Edgar tapped my shoulder and dragging me out of my deepening, drowning thoughts that had somehow hindered me from moving. "Roseee. Did you not hear me?"

"Rosie?" Michael joined in, winning a glare from Edgar when he used that nickname.

"I call her Rosie." Edgar grunted, baring his teeth. It made me rethink this plan. "You don't get to say that."

"I've been calling her Rosie ever since we were eight years old. If you're good at basic math, you'd know that it means I've known her longer." Michael gloated. "So technically I win, idiot."

I was baffled, blinking rapidly with my mouth agape at his reply. I had no clue where this boldness was coming from.

"Don't be an asshole, Michael," Edgar warned, "because then I have to be an asshole and I'm far better at it than you are." He cracked his knuckles, adding an edge to his threat.

"At least you're admitting to your flaws." Michael rolled his eyes, doing a slow clap. "Admitting is the first step towards fixing a problem. This is progress."

"What's the problem?"

"Clearly you are," Michael seethed.

The threat from earlier was pointless on Michael. He ignored Edgar and took a step toward me with concern written on his face.  "Rosie, are you okay?"

I hadn't spoken. I remained quiet, watching them bicker and banter.

"Rosie?" Edgar repeated, holding my waist.

The name was foreign coming from him. He was saying it purely to piss off Michael.

It was working.

A scold molded on to Michael's face, hardening his gaze in disapproval.

"Rosie? Say something." Michael pleaded.

My mind went blank, hearing my name said by two separate individuals, waiting for me to give them a respond to a question I simply could not get myself to answer. Having them argue about such a frivolous thing like "who gets to call me Rosie" was annoying enough to make me want to rip my hair out.

"What is he doing here?" Edgar reiterated. "I hope you don't expect me to drive him to the party with us."

I titled my head, "Why not?"

Acting as if I was oblivious to all of it was a better bet than being blatant about what I wanted him to do.

"It isn't like you have to drive far to drop him off later." I supplied. "We're next door neighbors."

"Can we talk about this outside?" Edgar grumbled and swung the door open, leaving his hand on the door as I ducked under it like a bridge over my head. Keeping our thoughts to ourselves, we remained silent until we were next his car in my driveway. "I thought we were going to together - just me and you." Edgar said, peering at me with a haunting stare. "Me and my girl."

"It's not like you'll see him that much."

"He's going to be following us the whole night like a sad puppy." He complained. "I have to see him enough as it is - "

"Edgar, he's my friend," I stated, crossing my arms over my chest as a gust of wind tumbled into me. "I don't have many friends to begin with."

"You have that Reagan girl from your dance team."