Lasting Effects (Sequel To After Effects)

Chapter 03 ~ Lasting Revelations

"Wait! So you're telling me that you spent two entire nights and a day together–without the burden of running the company– and nothing happened between you two?"

I looked at Harper with a stink eye which could beat any rotten egg.

"Yes," I growled out, the glass of water I was drinking to calm my nerves becoming futile by that moment as I was unable to hold her gaze and instead looked behind her head to the wall of the cafeteria we were in. The one on the ground floor. The ground floor with the same ground I wanted to swallow me up now please...

It hadn't taken very long for us to reach this checkpoint in our conversation, even though we hadn't had a good talk in a while. Coming back from that wretched stay, the Saturday morning prior, I had really needed someone to talk to... preferably a female who was not the sister, or in any way connected to the source of the matter. God really helped me out by sending Harper right up to my floor with papers for Riddian, and we had gotten talking immediately, setting up this Wednesday afternoon lunch date from our Monday morning run-in which is how I could fill her in on all that had been going on in my life. This of course included the ball, parts of Riddian's and I's conversation the night of the ball (only those that she was allowed to hear) and the awkward day and night afterwards.

I had of course left out some tiny bits of occurrences which I could tell her as a friend, but I should've known she was too smart for that, which is why she was now probing me for more information.

Harpers face was before mine in a jiffy as she stared right into my guilty eyes.

"Are you sure nothing else happened?" she repeated, being able to read my expressions and see through my lies like an opened book. I knew I couldn't lie to her again as she batted her eyelashes at me and put on a show of puppy eyes.

No. I would no-

The puppy eyes darkened.

"Fine!" I gave in, my heart hammering as I prepared to tell her what actually happened between us and why I was so conflicted and desperate for advice at that moment. "Riddian kissed me and then he left..." I told her quickly, and never had I yet seen such a quick exchange of emotions on one person's face. First she was confused, then she was shocked, then she was ecstatic, mad and then sad!

"Tell me what happened," she commanded as soon as she saw the frown on my face and the embarrassment I was once again feeling. I didn't waste another moment before I explained as much as I could, as best as I could, as fast as I could.

"...and then I was like 'would you get me some more ice-cream', like the absolute coward I was before I strapped him to a chair and demand that we talk to each other!"

My arm slammed down onto the desk, frightening people all around me, but only enticing my friend more.

"Then what happened next?" she asked, absolutely intrigued as she grabbed onto my arm, eyes wide in need for a fix of my tragic story. I gave her a deadpan and flicked her on the head.

"This isn't some made up story I'm telling you Harp, this is my life we're talking about. Remember?" I asked, hoping she'd understand what I meant and focus more on figuring out how to help me than entertain herself.

"Right! Right!" Harper fanned my hand away and rolled her eyes. "Of course I do! But to help you I must know all that happened though. I may seem like I am in fact entertained, but I am also planning ways in which I can help you in this difficult time," she scolded me and then grinned brightly. "But honestly, what happened next?"

I looked at her and then sighed, exhausted from just reliving this experience.

Well...

I have to admit that standing up against those pleading eyes of Harper was not the easiest thing to do so in seconds I found myself spilling everything to her. I was surprised that my one hour lunch time was enough to share the entire story though.