Peter & Mariska - Fourteen [A Short Story]

Two - Friends

"It was insane how fast we became friends."

"Well, you were interesting, and I wasn't gonna pass up the chance to have you as a friend," Peter shrugged, pouring them both a glass of wine; "I looked forward to the days where I would be on set; meant I could annoy you all day."

Laughter resonated between the pair, their matching smiles dazzling in the light as they reminisced over their years together. They'd talked - and laughed - about when they first met and about the awkwardness, and now they were laughing about their friendship that went on for about six months before he worked up any nerve to ask her out. After that first episode that Peter's character had been on, he wasn't needed for a few more. However, despite that he hadn't been back on for a few episodes, he and Mariska had kept in contact. Slowly, they had been building each other's trust and learning more about each other, sharing jokes or random facts, laughing about things they had in common.

The waiter came to the table and took their dinner orders. Once he was finished, he walked away, which allowed for Peter and Mariska to resume conversation. They smiled at the same time, gazing at each other, their hearts beating dramatically as they always did whenever they simply looked at each other. Greens poured into browns, mixing together and creating a beautiful swirl of color - the color of love, happiness, contentment, and commitment.

Friends - behind being married and in love - it had all started with a friendship.

"You quickly became one of my best friends." Mariska remarked, smiling at him.

"And you quickly became one of mine," he reached across and closed his hand around hers; "I think I got brownie points when I spent a whole day with you while you were sick, a few months after we met."

Mariska nodded, chuckling as she remembered that time. It was the winter of 2002, about three months after they met...

********

February 2002.

A sneeze sounded throughout the quiet apartment, followed by a cough that ripped from the throat of the young woman who was currently bundled up under a blanket on the sofa. Winter time meant bad colds, and though she was in the middle of a grueling filming schedule with her television show, she was grateful that the directors were able to work around things and they had allowed her to have a day off. Currently, she was curled up on her sofa under a blanket, with the television on - which she was barely paying attention to as she was half asleep.

A knocking sound echoed through the apartment, capturing her attention and causing her to open her eyes. She whined and pushed the blankets away, before pushing herself up from the comfortable sofa and making her way across to the door. She checked the peep hole and smiled instantly as she caught sight of the handsome man on the other side. She caught sight of the dark hair, the jeans and long sleeved, grey thermal top and his leather jacket, and the black rimmed glasses over those beautiful green eyes.

And despite the fact that she felt like death, Mariska's lips twisted into a smile. Peter had really come to visit.

His presence over the last three months so far was great - they were good friends, and they would hang out whenever he was in town and if they both had some free time. When they weren't hanging out, they were chatting on the phone for hours. Whenever he was on set, their friends would teasing them a bit about their incessant chattering, but the two simply ignored it and kept repeating the mantra;

"We're just friends."

Mariska was just glad they'd gotten pass her embarrassing joke from when she called him a krout those months ago.