Coffeshop Soundtrack

"Fuck!" he screamed out of frustration as her car went out of view.

He saw a mother scowl at him as she covered her young son’s ears from the profanity.

“Sorry,” he apologized and slumped to the ground where Emily sat minutes before.

He began rubbing his eyes and shaking his head. He pulled the unopened bag of bread crumbs and started throwing them to the geese now surrounding him. “Maybe Jack was right; maybe she does actually have feelings for me. Or maybe that was just me hoping she was upset by what I said. It’s probably that one, I mean, it’s Emily, my best friend—the girl I grew up with; the girl that I probably would have bathed with if I had known her in those years; the one I spent all my nights with talking to. She knows all of my weaknesses, my faults, my insecurities. Why would she have fallen for me anyhow? I’m such an asshole and a fuck up. I never do anything right around her, yet she’s always been there—always by my side. But that’s what best friends do, that doesn’t mean anything more than that. But why would she have kept on sleeping with me if she didn’t having any feelings for me besides platonic? It’s not like she’s ever been scared of me or been able to say no,” he muttered to himself. “I don’t get it, do you?” he asked one of the geese. After a second of staring at the goose, he realized what he just asked for advice and groaned.

He ran his hands down his face before getting up and walking along the trail in the park thinking. His mind wandered to that morning after prom last year.

Alex cracked his eyes open to the blinding sunshine through the window. He groaned at the massive headache and closed his eyes again. He felt the presence of a body against his and took in the faint smell of coconut and lime. It reminded him of Emily and as he thought of her, thoughts of the previous night flooded into his mind.

He remembered walking into the dance with Jessica on his arm as they quickly took pictures and headed for the dance floor. He remembered her going off for longer than a bathroom break only to hear from Jack that he saw her go off with some guy. How she came back and she denied it. The fight. The breakup. Heading back to his place because he wasn’t in the mood to party. Emily coming over with some beers and them talking. How she made him feel better. Them lying under the stars on his balcony. Their drunken laughter. How her smile made him melt. The flames erupting through his skin as he brushed her skin to push a piece of hair out of her face. When he leaned in slightly as she mocked his action. Their fingers intertwining. The way her lips felt with his. The passion. Stumbling into his room and holding her tightly to him as she tangled her fingers into his hair. Clothes shed. Her soft skin on his—

“Oh God,” he mumbled flashing open his eyes. They focused down on the light brown hair and tanned skin of his best friend. He moved her hair out of her face gently and looked at her sleeping face.

“You’re so beautiful,” he whispered.

She moved in her sleep and then a moment later, her eyes fluttered open. “Alex?” she said hoarsely.

“Em, I’m so sorry, I, I,” he stuttered as she stared at him confused.

Then she looked down and saw their position and her naked body and his and stared wide eyed at him. “Oh my God!” she screamed.

Alex winced at the scream, his head pounding.

She sat bolt upright, clinging the sheet to her body. “Owww,” she muttered as soon as she did that and fell back to the pillow grasping her head.

“Here let me get some, uh, Advil,” Alex mumbled slowly sitting up and grabbing his boxers before sliding them on and walking into his joint bathroom.

He grabbed the bottle, closing his fingers around it and stared at himself in the mirror. “I really fucked up this time,” he mumbled before turning off the light and walking back out.

“Oh shit, sorry,” he responded to Emily’s standing figure. She was currently in the process of putting on her undergarments.

“Oh uh,” Emily said quickly clasping the snap on the bra and turning bright red.

Alex turned around cursed himself mentally before thinking of how perfect her curves were. How gracefully she held her body. How he wanted her right there—‘NO ALEX STOP THINKING THAT WAY! SHE’S YOU’RE BEST FRIEND!’

“Uh, Alex, do you think I could, uh, maybe borrow some clothes?” Emily asked from behind him.

“Yeah, hold on,” he said moving over to his dresser, chancing a quick peek from his peripheral vision. “Oh Advil,” he remembered, tossing her the bottle.

He heard the distinct catch of the bottle and a shake and snap. “Thanks,” she replied softly. He could imagine the small smile that came along with that statement.

Alex nodded his head and grabbed a pair of boxers and shirt from the drawers, turning around and tossing them to her. She blushed as his eyes glued to her body again for a second before bowing his head and rubbing the back of his neck nervously.

“Okay, well I, uh, I guess I’ll, uh, see you later then,” Emily said a moment later, dressed in Alex’s clothes and holding her prom items in her arms.

“Emily,” Alex called out before she walked out of the door.

He saw her hesitate before turn around and look shyly and nervously at him. “I, uh—”

“It’s okay Alex,” she interrupted him softly. “It was a mistake. Shit happens,” she reasoned.

Alex felt his heart tear slightly at the word “mistake” and nodded his head. “Yeah, shit happens,” he repeated. He thought he saw a look of pain flash across her eyes, but it was gone just as fast as it came, leaving him to believe it was only the trick of the sunlight.

“Well…I guess I’ll go,” Emily said unsure.

“Ye-Yeah,” Alex stuttered wanting nothing more than to run to her and tell her it wasn’t a mistake at all. But by her reaction he guessed it would be a lost cause. It was Emily after all; his best friend; nothing more. “Peace.”

She nodded her head and left quietly.

Alex ran a hand down his face and groaned. Grabbing the Advil off his nightstand, he dry swallowed two and fell back onto his mattress taking in the scent Emily left. He buried his head into the pillow and smiled only for a second before really thinking of the impact this would have on their relationship.

‘If only I had known it would lead to this,’ Alex thought waking himself from the memory. He shook his head, frowned, and continued walking along the path.