Begin Again

Chapter 15

The next week went by in a blur. I avoided Sam every chance I got and she did a swell job of always having to work when we went out as a group. Although I still think that is because she wanted to kill John and was feeling guilt towards Claire and Sarah.

But all the while that I avoided her I couldn't get her off my mind. And so after a week I decided the best way to rid me of this mess was to call a truce. Promise to keep my distance and be friends again.

If we saw each other again in a social manner with our friends then nothing could happen and I could rid myself of her taking over my mind at all times. Just last night when Claire tried to get it on with me Sam kept popping into my head and I couldn't go through with it.

I was starting to sound like a woman making up excuses not to sleep with her. And it was getting to Claire as well.

So pulling out my phone I quickly typed a message to Sam.

' I want to call a truce. Meet me for coffee at The Corner Café in 30 minutes.'

I held my breath as I waited for her reply.

'I can only be there in an hour.'

'Hour is fine. See you then'

Letting out the breath I head for the bathroom to go take a shower, a very cold shower.

***

Taking a deep breath I enter the café. We have been avoiding each other for a week now and when I received his text I was happy. He wanted to call a truce. And I couldn't have been happier.

Not seeing him for an entire week had me going crazy. I don't know how I survived the four years in Ireland without him.

He has been on my mind all week and every time I passed his door I would walk a little slower hoping I would catch him coming back or going out but I never did. So I resorted into day dreaming about him.

Which turned into me avoiding Claire and ensuring we get different shifts. I couldn't look her in the eyes because I was so scared I would blurt out that I kissed him or that I think I still had feelings for him.

Ordering a cappuccino with extra cream and telling the waiter to bring it to the back booth I settle in waiting for Brandon. I was a bit early for the first time in my life but I couldn't wait any longer so I left work a bit earlier.

The waiter had just placed the cappuccino in front of me when the door opened and he stepped in. My breath caught in my throat and I couldn't help thinking how sexy he was. I was an idiot for letting him go all those years ago.

But I was a mess I needed to let him go. I just keep repeating to myself. Sounding like a broken record.

"Hi" I say when he reached the table

"Hi' he says just standing there.

"Can I get you something to drink sir?" breaks the waiter into our spell

Shaking his head he looks over to the waiter.

"Yes, just a normal filter coffee with hot milk please." He asks the waiter

"Will do Sir." The waiter says and he heads back to the counter.

Brandon has taken a seat opposite me and was just looking at me.

Suddenly sticking his hand out to me wanting to shake it he says "Truce?"

I look between him and his hand before slowly bringing my hand up to his and taking hold of it. Giving it a firm shake I tell him "Truce"

It's like with this done the tension between us disappeared into the air and a comfortable silence followed after that until the waiter brought him his coffee.

"There you go sir. Enjoy."

"Thank you." He says back to him.

Mixing the milk in the coffee I wait for him to say something else. After about five minutes of silence I decide to break it.

"Why did you want to call a truce?" I ask him

He looks me straight in the eye before answering me

"I realized I need you in my life. I needed you in my life when we were in high school. To get me through math and now I need you to be my friend. I need someone that can tell me when I'm being full of crap and I miss you. I miss being able to talk to you."

"You have John to tell you that you are full of crap."

"Yeah but John is just as full of crap so he will not be able to notice my crap. And in any case we were friends long before the farewell dance and I think we can go back to that. I would really like to go back to that."

Eyeing him up and down he looked like he was genuinely true to his words.

"No more kissing me and breaking wine bottles in my apartment?" I ask him

"I promise" he says

"Okay then I promise no more kneeing you in the groin, unless you deserve it." I say to him

The both of us start laughing at that moment and the last bit of tension disappears between us.

We sat there for about two hours just talking and laughing about high school. Seems like Kimberly and Danny did get together in the end and got married. He had also called a truce between them and was even at the wedding three years ago.

Danny Jnr is as naughty as his father and Kimberly was expecting again. This time a girl, from the sound of it the two of them were very happy together. I was happy for them. I just never wanted to see them again.

"Wow I'm really happy for them. Just give me a heads up if they ever come visit. I'm not in the mood to relive that last few months of high school." I say laughing

"Don't worry we don't visit. I pop in to say hi when I go see my parents but other than that we keep to ourselves."

"You ever told Claire what happened between the four of us?" I ask him

"Yeah I gave her the just of it. Told her you threw a mean punch. And now I can confirm it. My balls were sore for three days after your knee connected with it." He says laughing

"Yeah well if you kept your lips to yourself none it would have happened." I throw back, and the awkward silence followed after that. Not really awkward but more an electric silence that neither one of use wanted to approach.

After a while his phone beeped and he checked to see who it was.

"Claire wants to know if we want to meet her at Cheers again after work." He asks looking up from his phone

"I told her I'm meeting you. Said we are finally going to sort out our past." He ads

"Yeah sure. I just have to go change then I'll meet you there. Just make sure John is on his best behavior otherwise you and him will be able to compare notes on who I kneeded the hardest." I say getting up

Laughing he also gets up.

"I promise to have him on best behavior. Although I do feel like he deserves it. So maybe I will tempt him to piss you off. Maybe then he will learn his lesson." He says laughing at we exit the café.

As we walk back to the apartment building me talk amicably. Not once feeling that tension creeping back. I really enjoyed this. I liked that we were friends again. I could stop feeling guilty and start being friends again with Claire.

At his apartment he stopped and I continued on. Agreeing that I will see him there I disappear into my apartment to go take a shower.