Trouble

I stepped out of my car quickly, checking my watch, it was already ten, I was late.
I ran into the hospital, groaning as the lifts had signs on them for repair.
Bolting, I reached the staircase and ran up to my floor to sign in.
Lilly was in the sign in “You’re out of breath” She commented.
“Late” I gasped, shaking my head and running to my locker.
“No, you’re not, it’s only nine thirty to” Lilly said.
I frowned. Looking at my watch again and groaning, it was stopped.
“So I ran up the stairs for nothing?” I demanded.
Lilly laughed “I guess so” She said.
“Best day ever” I said sarcastically, shaking my head.
I was about to say something else when Ryan entered.
“Morning ladies” he said.
Lilly grinned wildly, yes, she apparently still has a crush on him, causing me to roll my eyes.
“Hey” I said.
“You lucky lady are working with me today” Ryan said to me.
“I am?” I asked.
Ryan nodded “We have the front desk” he said.
I sighed “Great” I breathed.
“Mmm, love the sarcasm” Ryan chuckled.
“I don’t like working the front desk” I sighed.
“I’m sure you’ll get over that” Ryan said.
I just nodded.
Ryan took off now, causing Lilly to turn “So, you and Ryan” She said.
“What about me and Ryan?” I asked.
“I can sense something” Lilly shrugged.
I frowned “You’re way off” I breathed.
“No, I’m not, you told me you two had a thing, and you are single” Lilly commented.
Nathan has been gone six months now and I has slowly begun to dig myself from the hole I had fallen into once he had left, Lilly has been pushing me to date again, and I guess her obsession with Ryan was now onto me dating him.
“I use to think of him that way, but I don’t any more” I shrugged.
“What changed?” Lilly asked.
“I just don’t think I’m ready to date” I breathed, staring down at my hands, I had just recently taken off the engagement ring, it felt so wrong, like I was moving on, we never had a conclusion, I never got to get mad at him for leaving, he was just gone.
“He’s been gone six months” Lilly reminded me.
“It has nothing to do with Nathan” I mumbled.
“OK” Lilly sighed.
“I don’t like Ryan like that, really” I breathed.
“I think you’re insane” Lilly shrugged.
I rolled my eyes “Mmm, ok, I’m insane” I said, shaking my head.
“He’s seriously hot, I mean at least take him for a spin” Lilly sounded.
I frowned “Mmm, you should meet my friend Ashley, you sound exactly the same” I said.
“I just think you need to get out there” Lilly shrugged.
“Hey, you coming?” Ryan’s voice sounded from the hallway, he poked his head in.
I jumped up and nodded, following him, shaking my head at Lilly as I left.
“So, how have you been?” Ryan asked.
“Small talk, really?” I questioned, raising an eyebrow.
“I haven’t talked to you in a while, I don’t know what to say” Ryan shrugged.
“So you’re trying to tell me you’re pretty much like all the other people in my life, tiptoeing around me because of Nathan” I breathed.
“No, I just haven’t wanted to approach you in case you fell apart, I’m not good with tears” Ryan shrugged.
I laughed weakly and smiled at this “Don’t worry, I’m done crying over him so I won’t fall apart, there are no tears left” I shrugged.
“Have you heard from him?” Ryan asked.
I shook my head “I haven’t heard anything, and it did bother me at first, but he wanted out and he got it, honestly, I just don’t even want to talk about him any more” I shrugged.
“Fair enough” Ryan said slowly.
“What have you been up to?” I asked.
“Nothing really, just keeping busy” Ryan shrugged.
“Sounds like a good thing, busy is good” I said.
“Mmm, I guess being busy makes a crappy life not seem so crappy, that’s in my case” Ryan sighed.
“Why is it crappy?” I asked.
“I’ve just been a little down lately” Ryan shrugged.
“So it’s your turn for a sob session?” I asked.
Ryan rolled his eyes at me “I’ll let you sob if you let me” he said.
“Let’s make a rule, no sooking at all the whole shift” I sounded.
“Good rule” Ryan commented.

At the end of the shift Ryan and I walked back to the staff room, it was empty.
I grabbed my locker key and my stuff, sighing.
“You heading off?” Ryan asked.
I nodded “Going to grab some dinner” I said.
“I had that same idea, do you want to join me?” Ryan questioned.
I bit my lip “I, uh….” I attempted.
“Relax, I meant as friends” Ryan said.
“Ok” I breathed “As friends” I added.
“It’s what we’ve always been, I don’t know why it’s weird for us to have dinner or to hang out” Ryan commented.
“It isn’t” I breathed.
“So why haven’t we?” Ryan asked.
“I don’t know, I guess we’ve been busy” I shrugged, grabbing a change of clothes from my locker.
“Fine minutes, will you be ready?” Ryan questioned.
I nodded, going into the bathrooms.
Five minutes later I was ready, Ryan was waiting.
“Ok, so my car’s at the carpark, did you bring yours?” he asked.
“Yeah, but I can drive it home if you follow” I said “No point taking two cars” I added.
“Ok” Ryan said, we walked out to the car park and drove to my place, when I parked I got out and went to his car and we made the drive to a dinner.
We spent dinner just talking, and it was actually really good, no sooking, no crying, no talking about Nathan, for the first time in a long time I felt good.
When Ryan dropped me off home, he slid from the car and walked me up to my apartment.
“See you tomorrow” He said, attempting to turn.
I bit my lip, grabbing his arm lightly “Ry” I breathed.
“Maybe it wouldn’t be too crazy if we went on an actual date” I sounded, waiting for a response.