The Time Capsule

Greg

I eye Amber closely. What happened between last night and this morning? After James gets up to leave, she catches my stare.

“Don’t worry Greg, you won’t get hurt today.”

“uh, good?” she laughs a little, though I could tell it was forced. “So, how about you start with the jerk-face you just poured hot coffee on.” I say, wanting to know the reason behind that.

“That’s easy. You know how we never knew what happened that day?”

“yeah…”

“well, Selena caught James cheating on her.”

My eyes widen. I knew James was a jerk, but I never thought he’d purposefully hurt Selena. It was obvious that he cared so much for her, even back then. “cheated on her?”

“yeah. That’s what she told me last night. And then she said that she cut herself off from us because she knew we’d choose James over her if it came down to it.”

Why the hell would she think that? James was never really a nice person. Sure he was our friend, but that didn’t mean he wasn’t mean, that just meant we gave up trying to change him. “And that led to depression?” Amber nods, taking a couple bites of her breakfast. I seriously can’t believe James would do something like that. He knew it would tear apart our friendship, he just had to know.

“Why is James carrying two plates?” Amber asks, glancing over my shoulder to the counter of food.

“he’s probably hungry.” I answer. Though I knew he was going to go try and talk to Selena. If I had known what he did wrong, then I would take back what I told to him last night. He really should just move on. “Now, what about the second jerk-face?”

Her face drops a little at the change of subject, “I really don’t want to talk about it.”

I nudge her foot with mine, “come on Am, you can’t keep that frown on all day. It makes you look really ugly.” A smile creeps onto her face.

“I’ve seriously missed your terrible ways of makings someone feel better.” Now it was my turn to smile. There wasn’t a lot I was good at, but making people forget about the bad stuff was one of the things I was. The other, of course, being computers. “I called my boyfriend Peter today. We had a fight just before I left on this trip and I thought I’d try to work things out. Turns out he’s been engaged to another woman for the whole six months that we’ve been dating.”

“hmm…you know what you need? A distraction.”

She raises her eyebrows, “really Greg, that’s the best you can think of?”

I hold my finger up motioning one second while scanning the room. My eyes land on a business man playing pool. “what you need is him.” I say, pointing towards the guy.

Ambers face was a mix between confusion and wanting to laugh. She cocks her head sideways, “are you gay Greg?”

This made me laugh, “Not at all. But I know a fine piece of ass when I see one and let me tell you that one is fi-ine.”

She laughs harder, making me smile. I always did love Ambers laugh, it was so contagious. “you sure you’re not in denial?”

“Trust me Am, I’m not gay. My brother Nicholas though, you remember him? He is. So I’ve picked up on a few acting skills.”

“oh really? Lets see you put these skills to action.”

Without hesitation I get up from my seat and walk over to the pool table, “hey, want to play a round?” He looks up at me and gives a small nod.

“yeah sure.” I set up the triangle and grab another rod off the shelf while he breaks it. “so, you from around here?” He starts conversation.

“Grew up about twenty miles down south but I currently live inCalifornia.”

“ah, must be a great place to live with your girlfriend.” He comments though I knew it was just his way of asking if Amber was taken.

I act surprised, “girlfriend?”

He hits the ball and then nods his head toward Amber, “that girl you’re with.”

“her? Trust me, Amber and I would never work out.” I tell him half-honestly. It’s not like I never thought of her that way. I did. But still, I don’t think we’d be able to work. She’s too outgoing and I’m too shy.

“mind if I take her then? I’m really up for a do n’ ditch.”

My eyes widen, “do n’ ditch?” I ask, hoping it’s not what I’m 99% sure it is.

“yeah. Ya know, sleep with her once and not need to think about calling.”

I set my stick down, “never mind then, she is definitely taken.” I walk away and take my seat again.

“so?” she asks, curious as to how it went.

“that guy is bad news.”

“how so?”

“all he wants is a do n’ ditch. God, even the term sounds terrible.”

Amber rolls her eyes, “isn’t that exactly what you said I needed?”

I gasp, “how dare you think such things! I said you merely needed a distraction. Some hot guy to flirt with that’ll take your mind off that douche.”

“What exactly would you call what we’ve been doing Greg?”

it took me a moment to catch onto what she was saying. But when I did, I knew she was dead wrong. “I don’t flirt.”

“uh-huh, and you don’t talk to girls.”