5. Three of us again

It seemed like I had fallen asleep when my phone rang with a new message from Clarissa. It was dark in the room and when I looked at the screen, my eyes were not welcoming its light. I blinked a few times before I read, 'So so so sorry I am late. Will be ready in 20.'

I looked at the time and it was 30 minutes after 5 PM. I got up to go to the shower, realizing how the day was not better even after I got some sleep. At least I was dream free. While I dried my hair, I tried to think of a reason why I didn't want to go to the bar tonight. Clarissa would force me, no matter what I said. She was good at convincing. Maybe I should just join them and it would be easier for me to sway her not to talk about my boss.

A knock on the door startled me as Clarissa walked inside, wearing a tight brown party dress and her cute black shoes for dancing. "Sorry, we had a customer who was buying like crazy. Placed a few orders and was so damn picky..." She quickly explained, while looking at her phone and leaning on the wall near me.

"It's okay." I simply said I wasn't mad at her. I just had a bad day.

"Anyway, I just got a text from Ethan. It looks like we will go at nine. He is busy with something." She pouted. "Did you talk to your Michael?"

I better start talking, whether I like it or not. I hid no secrets from her. Maybe she will understand Michael's behavior.

"He is not my Michael," I started with a sigh. "Something happened yesterday and I don't think I feel okay about it," I said while plopping on the bed. She looked at me with concern and came to sit next to me.

I was talking and waving my hands around like it would help me explain better what happened with Michael. Clarissa was watching me with a smile, then a frown. She rolled her eyes when I told her how he stopped. By the end of my story, Clarissa was also confused like me.

"So now do you get why I can't call him?" I said at last.

"Hmm, here is where you are wrong." She said, thoughtful.

What? "Why am I wrong?" I asked as panic started building in me. Wasn't she convinced, didn't she see my point here? He didn't want me to tell anybody. I swallowed the thought before it could suffocate me.

"Because, as you said, you need answers. This is not okay. What was he thinking?! That he can kiss you and then act like that?"

"He did not kiss me," I said in a low voice.

"He might as well have. He did other stuff, intimate stuff." She explained like I didn't know it already.

"It doesn't matter. It was a mistake in his eyes so just leave it be. Okay?" I sighed and looked at her with a prayer in my eyes.

"Are you telling me that you will just let him tell you what to do and feel guilty over something that isn't wrong at all? And you will continue dreaming and imagining being together with him and keep pouting... No! I will not have it! I love you and I will take care of you." She disagreed and I knew I already lost the battle with her.

"So what do you propose? Let me talk to him when I go back to work the day after tomorrow. He just wasn't there today."

"I am not sure you will gather enough strength to talk to him."

"We will see," I said. This was my life after all. I knew she meant well, but I could take care of myself. I had done it once with my ex. I could do it now, not that it would make me stop wanting him, I just needed to know why. After that, I would try to act like "nothing happened" if that was what he wanted.

"I can't promise anything. 'We will see' how this goes." She repeated me.

I rolled my eyes, knowing that was the most I could get. "Does this mean I can stay at home tonight? I don't really feel like being a third wheel right now."

"No way! You are coming with me. You need the distraction, and I am sure Ethan will be happy to see you." She said, returning her big smile. Why did I even think that she would agree to let me stay home tonight?

Maybe a few drinks would help. "Okay. Let's see your future boyfriend." I sighed and then grinned at her.

"Yayyy!" Clarissa jumped excitedly.

I rolled my eyes and went to my wardrobe to pick what I was going to wear. My mood was still bad so maybe a black dress. I have a few of those. My hand moved in a line, touching most of my clothes until I stopped at the one I wanted. It was very comfortable, reaching almost till my knees. The cleavage wasn't small, but it wasn't too big either. Its sleeves fell loose to my elbows as opposed to the rest of the dress, which was tight. Good that I have a great shape! I was happy to look like that without much effort. I was not very tall, but taller than Clarissa anyway.

Quickly putting on what I picked and my black heels, I left my naturally dark brown colored hair falling up to my waist without doing anything to it. Looking at the old clock on the wall, I decided to put black shades over my sad green eyes and again no lipstick. In the mirror, I saw the reflection of my emotional state, just the way I wanted.

I grabbed my purse and went to wait outside our house with Clarissa, welcoming the summer night breeze. The town was small, but when you chugged too many drinks, the road back home was long. That was why I easily agreed with anyone who offered me a ride to the bar and back.

It wasn't more than five minutes until the well-polished black Ford was reflecting the moonlight in front of us. Clarissa jumped into the passenger seat and I picked the place behind her. The smell of a new car filled my nostrils as I looked around. I could see it was very clean despite the dim light inside.

The driver turned back to me before he offered me his hand.

"Long time no see, Alex," he smiled.

"Um, yeah. Good to see you, Ethan," I said, shaking his hand.

"I am happy to see it will be the three of us again. Like old times," He stated and turned around, starting to drive.

"It's just perfect, isn't it?" The jolly voice of Clarissa rang like a bell in the car. She was so excited.

"What a strange thing life is, huh?" Ethan started, "Alex and I were here only for the summer and look at how things turned. I am here to stay this time. The house became mine... not for a good reason... but now I live here. It's a positive change for me." He sighed and Clarissa picked up the change in his mood.

"Yes, it is! Alex is also here and not just for the summer. So we will partyy!" She yelled and made a little happy dance on her seat, lifting her hands as much as she could without hitting the roof.

"Oh, so you two like...live together?" He asked in surprise.

"Yes, we do! Isn't it amazing? All three of us will be together again, but instead of riding bikes, we will have some real adult fun." Clarissa said through her infecting smile. Her parents moved to a small house near town and left this one to Clarissa.

Ignoring the sharp pain that her words created because it really looked like it would only be the ''three'' of us, I couldn't help but smile at her excitement. It seemed like I was even more in love with Michael than I was before. They continued talking until we parked near the local bar. I left them to chat. I was the third wheel anyway.