Until You Feel It

''Quiet! You're going to wake her up!''

''You be quiet!''

I stretched and opened my eyes. My clock read twelve and I felt very rested indeed. I was happy for a moment, and then the night before last jumped back into my mind.

I rolled out of bed and left my room, looking for the source of the noise. I found Georg and Eden in the kitchen, staring each other down, waiting to see who would break first. I cleared my throat and the both looked at me as if I had just materialized into the room.

''Morning!'' Eden said, pushing a plate of toast towards the empty spot next to her at the island in our kitchen.

''Thanks.'' I said as I sat down and picked up a piece of toast.

''How're you feeling?'' Georg asked as he went to wash his plate.

''Better.'' I said in all truthfulness. The more time that collected between the present and what had happened between me and Bill seemed to null the pain to some extent, although my heart still felt like an acupuncture student had had a go at it with some pins.

As I finished my toast, there was a knock at the door. I looked to Eden as if to ask if she was expecting anyone and she shook her head.

I got up and went to the door, opening it without looking first. I seriously needed to start thinking these things through.

Standing just outside the door in a blue button up shirt was Alex. He was looking at his feet until I cleared my throat. He looked up and looked surprised but somewhat relieved to see me.

''Hi Mandy.'' he said softly.

''Alex.'' I said. I felt bad about crushing him like I did, but I still held a grudge for leaving me at the beach.

''Are you alright? The other night I heard…'' he trailed off but I knew what he meant.

''I'm fine.'' I told him and he nodded.

''Listen, I feel really bad about what I did to you at the beach that day. I shouldn't have left you like that. I know it's taken me a while to come and apologize but I was kind of getting over the whole rejection thing.'' he said, sounding very nervous as if he were waiting for me to scream at him.

''It's ok Alex, I made it home alive.'' I said and he smiled a bit.

''I was wondering, and I know it wont totally make up for what I did but, would you maybe want to come to my apartment for dinner tonight? Strictly as friends of course.'' he said. I hadn't been expecting that. I felt bad about what I had done to him and if this would start to rebuild the bridge that I had burned then I was all for it.

''I think…I think I'd like that.'' I said and his face seemed to light up.

''So, could you come by around seven maybe?'' he asked, actually asking if I wanted to come then.

''Sounds like a plan.'' I said and he seemed much less nervous than he was when he had gotten here.

''Thanks Mandy.'' he said and turned to leave. I nodded and then closed the door as he left.

''Alex?'' Eden asked, not asking if it was him, but what he wanted.

''He wanted to apologize for leaving me at the beach and he wanted to make up for it, so I'm going over for dinner tonight.'' I told her and she nodded as I spoke.

''Oh.'' was all she said.

''Who's Alex?'' Georg asked, furrowing his eyebrows as if he was trying to remember where he had heard that name before.

''The guy I went on a date with right before Bill met Erin.'' I said, saying her name through my teeth. Sure he had eventually left her, but thinking of anything before that made my dormant hate for her burn.

''The one who left you?'' he asked and I nodded.

''Oh.'' he said.

''Well I think I'm going to go back to the hotel now and find out how Bi-'' he started but cut himself off.

''Get changed.'' he said, changing his ending. He was going back to find out how Bill was. I didn't hold it against him though, they were friends and I wasn't going to be mad because of the fact. In fact, I wanted to know how Bill was.

''Call me.'' I said as I walked him to the door and he knew that I wanted to know what was going on over there.

''I will.'' he said, hugging me tightly.

''Bye Eden!'' he called as he left.

I went back into the kitchen and stared at the phone, almost expecting it to ring right away.

''Be patient.'' Eden said.

''I know.'' I sighed.