Pete's Diner

It wasn\'t too chilly outside. Everyone was doing their own thing, hustling and talking on their cell phones on the way to wherever they were going.

Tyler was sitting next to her at the diner. They went there a lot, knowing they could talk freely without worrying about anyone overhearing the conversations. He was cracking jokes, as usual, while eating his lunch. He looked good, again as usual, and he knew it. She enjoyed these lunches. They would relax and talk about anything under the sun.

\"So who\'s turn is it to start this time?\" she asked, picking at her bagel. She loved playing this game. It was like a free pass to ask him all sorts of questions, although she tried to keep it simple. She didn\'t want to cross the line of getting too personal.

\"Hmmm. I think it\'s yours,\" he replied, smirking as he took another bite.

\"You always say that. So predictable. Anyways, let\'s see...alright. Worst pick up line you ever used.\"

\"Never used one, had no reason to.\"

\"I so don\'t believe you. You\'re turn.\" She got interested in her lunch again, and starting eating it. please make this an easy one she prayed silently.

\"Favorite pet.\"

Whew! \"I love mice. Um. OK, how about favorite book to re-read constantly.\"

\"Goodnight Moon.\"

\"Hee, that\'s your daughter\'s favorite, not yours,\" she laughed.

\"It\'s not like I have much time to read anything for myself. Alright, my turn,\" he said as he turned towards her. The air suddenly felt heavy. She didn\'t know why, but it did, and was a little scared about what he was about to ask. She just knew it was going to be bad.

\"How do you feel about me?\"

One swallow, two. Breathe. She looked him straight in the eye and replied, \"You already know the answer to this, so why are you asking?\" By this time her bagel was done. She had nothing else to focus on to escape his gaze. Fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck. What the hell do I do?

\"How do you know I already know the answer? Maybe I just want to hear you say it out loud and to my face.\"

\"You aren\'t exactly slick at hiding your habit of reading my LiveJournal. Actually, you kind of suck at it. And why do you want me to say it out loud? So I can humiliate myself further? You know, I\'m doing my best to try and put this behind me, so that I don\'t make you any more uncomfortable than you have to be.\" She was angry now. Angry that he was putting her in this position. He wants me to say it to his face? So fucking be it \"You want to know?\" Her coat was on, bag on shoulder. \"Somewhere along the lines it stopped being a crush and turned into something else. Happy now? I\'ve fallen in love with a man I have absolutely no possibility to be with. I\'m fully aware of reality, so don\'t bother reminding me. I have to go, bank runs to do. See you back at the office.\" And with that she handed him a few dollars for the meal and left.

He sat there stunned. Tyler didn\'t think she would actually tell him. He thought she would completely wuss out like usual. He couldn’t follow her now. He had things to think about.

She hurried off to the banks like a good girl and headed back to the office. Tyler’s office is on the other end of room, I should have absolutely no problem avoiding him now. She sat down at her desk and started on her work.

The hours ticked by. When he would walk by her desk, she wouldn’t look up. She had turned off AIM, so he couldn’t talk to her that way. He didn’t want to email her, because he didn’t want anything in writing that could be intercepted.

Finally, it was time to go home. She packed up her stuff, said goodbye, and headed to the train. No one had noticed that she was a little quiet for the second half of the day. They were all so involved in their own little dramas, and that was fine with her. This was one situation she had no intention of discussing with anyone else from there.

The train station was a great place to live inside your head and no one would notice. Everyone else is doing the same exact thing. She was panicking in her mind. What do I do now? Have I just ruined what was turning out to be a great friendship? Oh G-d, will he even talk to me again after this? By this time, she had reached her front door. She stepped inside, shed her coat and bag, crashed on the couch, and let it all out, everything she had been holding in since lunch.

She didn’t notice the car parked around the corner from her house, but Tyler noticed her unlocking her door and stepping in. It’s now or never he told himself. He had no idea what he was going to do, but he knew he had to do something. He wasn’t prepared, however, for the sight in front of him when he opened her door.

She was curled in a ball on the couch, silently crying. He’d never actually seen her cry. She wouldn’t let anyone see her cry. He didn’t know what to do. He quietly took off his coat and walked over to the couch. Without asking, he put his arms around her and held her. It took her a few minutes to even realize someone was touching her. She sat up in horror, when it hit her who it was.

“What the hell are you doing here?” She asked in between sniffling.

“I just—I couldn’t leave things the way they were,” he answered softly, pushing the hair out of her eyes.

“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have told you. I should have lied. I should—”

“Shhh. No, I’m sorry for putting you on the spot. I really am.” He just stared at her for a few minutes, still playing with her hair. Slowly he leaned in and kissed her softly. It was so sweet, it took her breath away. She kissed him back, deepening it. He let her, and they stayed like that for a while.

They broke apart for air. She didn’t want to spoil the moment, but she had to know, “What happens now?”