She's Like a Piece of Home

Raleigh sat on the bench outside the mall and slid her wide black-rimmed navy tinted sunglasses on as she looked around for Brooke. She smoothed her navy and ivory trimmed A-line skirt and pulled her phone from her purse. One missed text from her friend letting her know she was running a few minutes behind. She tapped her toes in her navy flats and played with her blue pearl bracelet as she waited. She knew that like herself, Brooke was meeting her after work. She hadn’t seen Brooke since Saturday and had only talked to her once since their strained phone call that same night. Brooke was getting heavier into her clinical patients and dissertation, so her time was becoming limited. She was thrilled when she told her that she could meet her after her last session today, which was scheduled to end right around the same time Raleigh was done at work.

She had attempted to fill most of the week with anything that would distract her from thinking about what had happened on Saturday night, which as much as she tried she had been extremely unsuccessful. There was only one thing in her life that was outweighing Luka right now. She had been officially offered the Assistant Curator of History position. She started on Monday. On her way to her dream job, but she still couldn’t erase the kiss with Luka from her mind. She had followed through with her plan to reach out to Zach on Sunday afternoon, telling him that she’d like to go out on that date he had offered. He had responded only a few minutes later asking if Thursday would be okay. She spent the last three days convincing herself that this was a good idea. She wasn’t sure if she was relieved or disappointed that Luka hadn’t been over since Mackenzie’s birthday party.

She spotted her blonde friend in a fitted tan pencil skirt, large burnt sierra belt and three-quarter sleeve button down white shirt in middle of the parking lot on her phone. She was moving towards her at slow pace, barely picking up the thick strapped heels that matched her belt. She waved at Raleigh when she saw her stand up and hung up her phone right before she crossed the street.

“Sorry I’m late,” Brooke called as she hit the sidewalk.

“It’s okay. I only got here a few minutes ago.” Raleigh tucked her sunglasses in her purse and straightened out her ivory cap sleeved blouse. “I’m glad you were able to come.”

“Yeah, sorry,” Brooke started again apologetically. “Things have been really busy. So catch me up,” she said nodding towards the mall entrance. The girls began walking together, side stepping an elderly couple as they entered. “What exactly are we shopping for? You’ve made it pretty clear that you have no desire to date Luka.”

"I have a date with Zach tomorrow,” the brunette answered as she avoided Brooke’s stare and guided her to the right. “I told you about him."

"Oh, right. Quinn’s coworker.” She paused looking at the store they were about to enter. She raised an eyebrow at her friend. “Planning on getting somewhere with him?" she added mischievously.

Raleigh shrugged as she entered Victoria’s Secret, the blonde trailing behind her. "I don't know. He's pretty cute though."

"What does he look like again?" Brooke asked catching up to her when she stopped at the first table.

She paused and picked up a pair of pink cheeky underwear as she thought of how to describe him. "Uh, he's tall, but a few inches shorter than Luka. Blonde hair though, really nice blue eyes. Kind of built like Luka, I guess."

A laugh burst out of her friend. Raleigh looked over at her a bit stunned. Had she said something funny? She described him, didn’t she? Blonde hair, blue eyes, tall. She didn’t mention the five o’clock shadow he was sporting. Or that his lips didn’t look as good as Luka’s. Probably didn’t feel as good either. She set the underwear down carefully. Where the hell did that thought come from? Brooke was still laughing at her.

"What?" she finally asked giving her a look of exasperation.

She shook her head; her blonde locks swinging in front of her face. Pushing them away, she attempted a straight face. "Jesus, Raleigh, you just compared him to Luka twice. Are you sure you don't want to just go out with Luka?"

Raleigh felt her cheeks burn. Did she really? No. There was no way. "I did not!” she argued. “And I do not!"

Brooke rolled her eyes and flipped through some of the underwear. "'He's a few inches shorter than Luka,’” she mimicked, “'he's kind of built like Luka.' Been thinking a lot about Luka, have you?"

She groaned. Had she really just said that? "No. He's just been around, I swear, so much. How does he even have this much time?"

"It's the off season,” Brooke responded as though this were common knowledge. She picked up a pair of the unsexiest underwear Raleigh had ever seen. Eyes wide, she shook head rapidly. “Kidding,” she said putting them back down. “Man, these are ugly… Anyway, this is pretty much all of his time off for the year."

"So he needs to spend it at my house?" she asked as she moved to the next table. Brooke was close behind.

"Okay, crazy idea here, but uh, maybe he’s trying to get to know you." She poked her head around so she could look Raleigh in the eye. Raleigh briskly turned and began to move past the bras hanging on display, studying each one.

“He hangs out with Quinn and Cami,” she argued. She couldn’t bring herself to accept what Brooke had said, even if she was beginning to change her mind after Saturday. She scowled at herself. Put him back in that box.

"But makes it a point to see you." Brooke had an immediate response, as always, and Raleigh feared, an accurate one.

"No. I mean honestly, what could he possibly want with me when I’ve made it so difficult for him? I’ve made it clear that I’m not interested. I’m sure there are plenty of girls that are more than willing to hop into bed with him."

“Has the thought ever occurred to you that maybe he wants to spend time with you?" Brooke countered without missing a beat. She always knew what to say to get her to come around, but Raleigh was being extra stubborn on this one. She didn’t want to think about how Luka made her feel. She just wanted him back in the box of undateable people and to move on.

“I just wish he would go away,” she muttered as she looked over a pair of high-waisted underwear. She studied them carefully. Was this a thing again? She couldn’t understand it. “Who wears these things?” she joked. Her friend looked did not look amused.

Brooke let out a heavy sigh and didn’t say anything for a few minutes. "You know why kids love athletes?"

Brooke had pulled the question from a movie they had recently watched together, Up in the Air. Raleigh picked up a barely there lace thong, letting it hang off her pinkie. "Because they screw lingerie models,” she quoted quickly.

Her friend cracked a smile. "No, that's why men love athletes. Kids love them because they follow their dreams…” she trailed off with the end of the quote and then pursed her lips.

"And this has what to do with me?"

"You need someone determined, motivated, and persistent to crack your shell. And it sounds like finally met your match,” Brooke declared as she rummaged through a drawer. “Look, you know I wouldn’t encourage an unhealthy relationship. I’m just saying give him a chance. An actual chance. You know, the kind where it’s the two of you getting to know each other without interruption. The only reason you are against him is because of his career. See him as a person and then make your decision. If you still aren’t into him, then fine. But I can see what you are doing, Lee-lee. And as your best friend, I’m going to call you out on it.”

She stood up straight, smoothed out her skirt and pushed a sheer pastel green bra trimmed with faint blue lace flowers and a pair of matching boy shorts into Raleigh’s hands. “Here. Get this.”

“This is cute,” Raleigh answered in hushed voice. She was still processing Brooke’s words. Brooke couldn’t be right. She hadn’t had any problem talking to Zach. It’s not like he had to break through her shell. But then again, why had she been talking to him in the first place? And hadn’t she also deemed him as safe? He was more of what she wanted…wasn’t he?

“And for the record,” Brooke added as they headed towards the register. “I still don’t think you should be going out with Zach tomorrow. It’s pretty clear here which of them you really want.”

“I got the job,” Raleigh said softly, changing the subject. Brooke’s head swiveled quickly.

“And you’re just telling me this now?!” she exclaimed, beaming, as she gave Raleigh a hug. “Open with that next time, okay?”