One More Night

I was going for a run, something I still wasn’t sure how I’d convinced myself to do. It always seemed like a good idea until I hit about a half mile, and them my body felt like it was on fire and attempting to kill itself. But then I always had a runner’s high afterwards and then I felt like, “gee, that wasn’t such a bad idea.” It did help with the suppression of emotions sometimes, but it wasn’t reliable. I was going on the assumption that it might help get the sudden feelings for Matt away.

But overall, I hate running.

I was huffing and puffing, earbuds in, wondering how the temperature had suddenly became like an oven when I felt someone running beside me. I frowned, looking over, seeing a man with dark clothes jogging at my side. Utterly surprised, I squeaked in fear, tripping over myself and effectively landing on my face.

I heard laughter, and I groaned, glaring at the man who was standing there and laughing at me. He kneeled, stretching out his hand.

“Sorry about that, I didn’t mean to scare you. I’m Brian.”

I took his hand, standing up and brushing myself off, grimacing at my scraped up hands and knee. “Thanks. I’m Lyn, and not looking for a relationship.” I knew that was a little too up-front, but similar situations had happened before.

“Good, ‘cause I’m engaged.”

“Oh, is your fiancé aware of your apparent hobby of sneaking up on unsuspecting girls and scaring them half to death?”

“Jesus, no need to get snippy. And no, she’s not aware and I haven’t quite made it a hobby, but if all girls respond as hilariously as you do, I might consider it,” Brian responded, smirking.

I huffed. “It wasn’t funny,” I grumped.

“Oh, it was. But hey, let me make it up for you. My girl and I are having a barbeque this afternoon, you should come.”

I frowned. “How do I know you’re not a rapist?”

Brian rolled his eyes. “Do you really think I’d go to the trouble of inviting you to a party if I was a rapist? If I wanted to rape you, I’d already be doing so. Look, my house is right there.” He pointed. “You can even chill and can clean up your knee.”

I sighed. I didn’t want to walk another mile and a half home, especially with a banged up knee. And honestly, being raped and murdered seemed slightly more pleasant than running at the moment. “Fine,” I groaned, heading into his house with him.

“Home, I’m honey!” He called as he walked through the door, and a pretty woman poked her head around the corner, grinning.

“Hey babe…Who’s this?” She asked, absentmindedly fiddling with the engagement ring on her finger, a slightly dreamy look on her face. Jesus. Romance is stupid.

Brian grinned. “Oh, this is Lyn. I ran into her.”

“Literally.” I grumbled.

“Lyn…” The woman frowned as if it was familiar. “Oh! Lyn! Oh! Nice to meet you…I’m Michelle.” She stretched out her hand and I shook it, a waft of sweet perfume coming off her, and I suddenly realized I must stink. Brilliant.

Brian smiled. “She’s staying for the barbeque, and I accidentally made her bang up her knee so if..”

Michelle beamed. “Come with me hun, we’ll get you all cleaned up.”

An hour later I was showered, in some of Michelle’s clothes, which thankfully fit rather nice, though they weren’t really my style, and my knee was bandaged up. I sat at the island in their kitchen, sipping some white wine from a wineglass.

Brian came in, clearly having just taken a shower himself, his black hair sticking up every which way. He was attractive, in a cocky, bad boy sort of way. But honestly, so not my type.

That is, if I even had a type.

He walked in, grabbing a beer and popping the cap off, flicking it into the garbage and taking a swig as he grabbed out some meat sitting in some juices in plastic bags. “So, Lyn, tell us about yourself.”

“I work at a bank..uh…I don’t like people and I’m rather boring.” I stated. I was a boring person, I did hate people and the bank was just the way for me to bring home bacon.

Brian raised an eyebrow, and something in his eyes suggested that he knew a little more than he was letting on, but he shook his head. “Nah, nobody’s boring. If they say so they’re lying. Let’s try this. Favorite music, favorite past time, stuff like that. You got a boyfriend?” He pulled a meat tenderizer out, hitting the meat repetitively with the little mallet, honestly looking like he was enjoying that a bit too much.

I wondered how Michelle was unphased by all this, but his overall tone and everything was purely platonic, and I could see when he looked at Michelle he really did love her.

I felt a little pang in my chest, a little part of me craving to have that, but I quickly pushed it out of my mind. “Music, a little bit of everything, but a lot of old metal I guess. Punk rock.”

Brian nodded. “I listen to that mostly too. Good stuff.”

I smiled slightly. “For fun…I guess…I watch tv.” I chuckled lightly. “And no, I’m happily single…sorta.”

Brian raised an eyebrow. “Sorta? At the risk of sounding gay, gurl, I want the deets.” He smirked.

I rolled my eyes, smiling slightly, a small giggle coming from Michelle. “Well, I have a guy who I’m friends with benefits with…he broke our agreement about no feelings and he wants to take it to a full relationship and I…I just can’t.”

“Is he ugly or something?” Brian asked.

“No, he’s…he’s very possibly one of the most attractive men I’ve ever seen..” I replied.

“Then he’s an asshole.”

“Nope…he’s really nice…” I said softly.

“Then why?”

I sighed. He was so nice and he really seemed like he wouldn’t judge. I wanted to tell him about my life. I shook my head. “It’s nothing.”

“Let me guess, some ass broke your heart in the past?” Brian asked.

I took a deep breath. What was I even doing here? I took another sip of my wine. Well, I’d never have to see them again anyway. “No.”

“Parents had a bad relationship, you’re scared?”

“…Yeah…” I didn’t know why I was being so open. Maybe it was the alcohol. Maybe it was that something was chipping away at the walls.

“Oh man. I get that.” He sat down across from me, taking a swig of his beer again. “My parents divorced when I was a teenager, and jesus, I swear the entire block got an earful of their fights. I didn’t think I’d ever find love, until I found my darling Michelle…” He pulled her over, stealing a kiss, and they were honestly so cute I couldn’t help but smile slightly.

“It’s usually when you get stuck with the wrong person. Or someone who doesn’t know how to be in a relationship or resolve fights or shit. If you find the right person it’s like you’ve found heaven.” He grinned.

“But what if it’s the wrong person?” I asked. I knew that risks were always too high.

“You just gotta take the risk. But that’s life. Uh, this one dude, C. S. Lewis, he said that if you love, you have to be vulnerable and you’re gunna risk getting hurt. Or you could lock yourself away, tangle it up in stupid little things that can’t break your heart. But then you’ll become bitter, and incapable of being really happy. Or something like that. If you love you risk getting hurt but it’s a risk that’s worth it. And you seem sad.” Brian said.

I frowned. “Sad?” I didn’t get that one usually.

“Yeah. I think you could use a dose of love. Give the guy a chance.” He smiled as the doorbell rang. “I’ll get that.”

He ran down, laughs filling the air as a bunch of guys and clearly their girlfriends coming up, and my face fell when I recognized a face in the crowd.

Matt.

My eyes widened, glancing between Brian and Matt, sudden understanding dawning on me. This was why he ran into me. This is why he invited me over. Matt had put him up to this. Matt had tried underhanded ways to get me to be with him. My fists clenched.

I got up, going for the door angrily.