The Beating of Our Hearts
The Beating of Our Hearts - 40
*Shannon’s P.O.V.*
Over the next few weeks I noticed a definite shift in Jared and Riley’s relationship. It seemed like they hadn’t seen it, but things seemed to be a lot more tension between them. And not just angry tension if you get what I mean. Also, there seemed to be a lot more mood swings, on more than one occasion I had seen Riley storm out of the house with a face like thunder, or Jared slam back into the house after going to see her, stomping upstairs and locking himself away in the den.
But when things were good between them they were inseparable. They had taken to sleeping in the same bed a lot now, they went out to dinner together a lot, and they always had their fingers interlaced. They were basically a couple; just a couple that never kissed or had sex....
By the end of February I could tell that the strain of the new dynamics of their relationship was taking its toll on Riley. She came over one Saturday and flopped down on the sofa. I finished making my coffee before grabbing another mug and making one for her.
“Ahh, thank you so much.” She sighed appreciatively.
“No problem. Jared isn’t here by the way.” I sat down next to her.
“I don’t care, he’s being a dick.”
“Another fight?”
“How’d you know?”
“When he came back yesterday he slammed the door so hard the glass cracked.”
“So that’s what that’s from?”
“Shit.”
“Yeah...”
We sat in silence for a little while longer, sipping our hot drinks. Soon, I couldn’t take it any longer.
“What’s going on doll?” I asked Riley.
“What do you mean?” She turned to face me.
“Between you and Jared. Ever since New Years. I know something happened that night. Then pretty soon after he and you started fighting so much more, but at the same time you’re now a lot closer. Tomo and I are really fucking confused.”
“It’s nothing.” She looked down at her coffee.
“Sweetie, you know you can talk to me, I’m not gunna tell Jared anything. But I know that you’ve liked him for a while, and I know he’s crazy about you, so what happened?”
It took her a few moments, but when she turned back to face me, she had a look of resolve on her face.
*Regular P.O.V.*
I told Shannon everything that had happened since New Years. The kisses, the fights, the conversations, the avoided topics. I felt so much lighter after sharing it all with him, to have someone know my side of the story. I even told him how I had even once or twice fallen asleep crying over the situation.
I confessed that I didn’t know what to do. I wanted to be with Jared, but I felt like he had lead me on back in January. But I could never stay mad at him, I felt so pathetic that this man had taken over my heart and emotions so thoroughly.
“So you love him.” Shannon stated after I had finished telling him everything.
This shocked me to my core. Did I love Jared? Sure I had strong feelings for him, but love?
“No. No I don’t love him. I can’t love him.” I shook my head in denial.
“Doll, after everything you’ve just told me, it seems pretty obvious that you love him.”
“Even if I did, which I don’t, why would it matter? It’s not like he wants anything to do with me in that way.”
“Yes he does, but he’s in denial as much as you are. You’re advantage, however, is that he is extremely protective of you.” Shannon began to get a mischievous smile on his face.
“What the fuck do you mean?”
“I mean you need to make him admit that he needs you, that he can’t live without you.”
“Right, sure. Like I’d ever be able to get him to admit that.”
“You would, quite easily, in fact.”
“Would you stop skirting around it and just tell me you’re so-called brilliant plan so I can tell you how much it wouldn’t work.” I was getting tired of Shannon’s cryptic little sentences.
“Do you still have that Jacob guys number?” He asked.
“Yeah, we talk every so often.”
“Good, you’re gunna ask him out on a date.”
“I’m what?!” I almost jumped off the sofa.
“You’re gunna go on another date with him, Jared and I are gunna coincidentally be having dinner at the same place as you two. You’re gunna show him how much fun you’re having with another man and it’ll drive him crazy. He’ll want to prove that he’s the only one who can make you happy and voila! You two will finally be together!” Shannon smiled widely at his plan.
“You’re devious. And it wouldn’t work. Jacob and I agreed we worked better as friends, and there’s no way you can guarantee that Jared would react like that.” I tried to thwart his plan.
“Easy solution, you tell Jacob the plan. If he is your friend then he’ll be willing to help. And I know Jared would react like that, he’s my brother, I’ve known him his whole life. Trust me, this will work.”
“I don’t know...”
“Fine, I’ll call Jacob.” Shannon sighed, snatching my phone off the table before I could do anything.
“Hi Jacob? This is Shannon, Riley’s friend. I have a favour to ask you...”
Over the next few weeks I noticed a definite shift in Jared and Riley’s relationship. It seemed like they hadn’t seen it, but things seemed to be a lot more tension between them. And not just angry tension if you get what I mean. Also, there seemed to be a lot more mood swings, on more than one occasion I had seen Riley storm out of the house with a face like thunder, or Jared slam back into the house after going to see her, stomping upstairs and locking himself away in the den.
But when things were good between them they were inseparable. They had taken to sleeping in the same bed a lot now, they went out to dinner together a lot, and they always had their fingers interlaced. They were basically a couple; just a couple that never kissed or had sex....
By the end of February I could tell that the strain of the new dynamics of their relationship was taking its toll on Riley. She came over one Saturday and flopped down on the sofa. I finished making my coffee before grabbing another mug and making one for her.
“Ahh, thank you so much.” She sighed appreciatively.
“No problem. Jared isn’t here by the way.” I sat down next to her.
“I don’t care, he’s being a dick.”
“Another fight?”
“How’d you know?”
“When he came back yesterday he slammed the door so hard the glass cracked.”
“So that’s what that’s from?”
“Shit.”
“Yeah...”
We sat in silence for a little while longer, sipping our hot drinks. Soon, I couldn’t take it any longer.
“What’s going on doll?” I asked Riley.
“What do you mean?” She turned to face me.
“Between you and Jared. Ever since New Years. I know something happened that night. Then pretty soon after he and you started fighting so much more, but at the same time you’re now a lot closer. Tomo and I are really fucking confused.”
“It’s nothing.” She looked down at her coffee.
“Sweetie, you know you can talk to me, I’m not gunna tell Jared anything. But I know that you’ve liked him for a while, and I know he’s crazy about you, so what happened?”
It took her a few moments, but when she turned back to face me, she had a look of resolve on her face.
*Regular P.O.V.*
I told Shannon everything that had happened since New Years. The kisses, the fights, the conversations, the avoided topics. I felt so much lighter after sharing it all with him, to have someone know my side of the story. I even told him how I had even once or twice fallen asleep crying over the situation.
I confessed that I didn’t know what to do. I wanted to be with Jared, but I felt like he had lead me on back in January. But I could never stay mad at him, I felt so pathetic that this man had taken over my heart and emotions so thoroughly.
“So you love him.” Shannon stated after I had finished telling him everything.
This shocked me to my core. Did I love Jared? Sure I had strong feelings for him, but love?
“No. No I don’t love him. I can’t love him.” I shook my head in denial.
“Doll, after everything you’ve just told me, it seems pretty obvious that you love him.”
“Even if I did, which I don’t, why would it matter? It’s not like he wants anything to do with me in that way.”
“Yes he does, but he’s in denial as much as you are. You’re advantage, however, is that he is extremely protective of you.” Shannon began to get a mischievous smile on his face.
“What the fuck do you mean?”
“I mean you need to make him admit that he needs you, that he can’t live without you.”
“Right, sure. Like I’d ever be able to get him to admit that.”
“You would, quite easily, in fact.”
“Would you stop skirting around it and just tell me you’re so-called brilliant plan so I can tell you how much it wouldn’t work.” I was getting tired of Shannon’s cryptic little sentences.
“Do you still have that Jacob guys number?” He asked.
“Yeah, we talk every so often.”
“Good, you’re gunna ask him out on a date.”
“I’m what?!” I almost jumped off the sofa.
“You’re gunna go on another date with him, Jared and I are gunna coincidentally be having dinner at the same place as you two. You’re gunna show him how much fun you’re having with another man and it’ll drive him crazy. He’ll want to prove that he’s the only one who can make you happy and voila! You two will finally be together!” Shannon smiled widely at his plan.
“You’re devious. And it wouldn’t work. Jacob and I agreed we worked better as friends, and there’s no way you can guarantee that Jared would react like that.” I tried to thwart his plan.
“Easy solution, you tell Jacob the plan. If he is your friend then he’ll be willing to help. And I know Jared would react like that, he’s my brother, I’ve known him his whole life. Trust me, this will work.”
“I don’t know...”
“Fine, I’ll call Jacob.” Shannon sighed, snatching my phone off the table before I could do anything.
“Hi Jacob? This is Shannon, Riley’s friend. I have a favour to ask you...”