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“You wanted to know why it took so long for me to ask you out, right?” I say.
She raises her head to look me in the eye.
“Technically, you still haven’t asked me out. But yeah, I really do.”
“Truth is, I’m scared to. You remember a month after we met, we went out for drinks with the guys and you got really drunk. I had wanted to ask you out that night but we never got a chance to be alone. Anyway I decided to take you home. I figured it was the best time to ask you out so I did. I tried to kiss you but you pushed me away and ran into the bathroom to puke. When you returned, you were a little more out of it and you managed to tell me you weren’t ready for a relationship. You had a new job and you didn’t need any distractions. You were solely focused on your career.”
Petal sucks in a deep breath.
“I didn’t say that.”
“You did. After you said it, you passed out and I tucked you into bed. I guess since then I just lost my nerve. You seemed so driven and focused and successful and I forced myself to be content as your friend. The more time I spent with you, the more I fell for you. But I never brought that up again. I had you in my life, as a friend and I didn’t want to risk losing even that.”
Petal looks lost in thought. Then she gasps and slams her head onto a pillow.
“What I said to you that night was exactly what I said to my ex-boyfriend to break up with him,” she mumbles.
“What?” I question.
She looks me in the eyes.
“Taj, that was my break up speech. I had been rehearsing that in my head to break up with him. And I broke up with the guy because I had feelings for you. I thought you would ask me out.”
“Oh. So you’re telling me we never got together all this while because of a misunderstanding?” I say and Petal nods.
I frown.
“It’s okay. We’re together now, that’s all that matters,” she assures me.
She kisses me but I’m still beating myself up. If only I had manned up and asked her out again.
“Come on Taj. I remember you telling me that you would be making me very sore,” she says suggestively.
I grin. That’s very true.
When we finally emerge from the room, it’s late in the afternoon and we’re starving. Thankfully, we meet Phil in the kitchen, cooking and it seems like it’s for the entire house. Everyone else is in the living room, looking like they just woke up.
Alan is still hungover, he’s groaning while Rachael massages his temple.
“You kind of deserve it, Alan. No one asked you to down half a bottle of wine,” she scolds. But she’s looking at him tenderly and sympathetically. The love is apparent on her face.
Alan’s reply is a groan. At least, he already cleaned up the puke on the ground. I walk over the spot and sit on the couch. Petal takes her rightful place in my lap.
Immediately we’re seated, inquisitive faces turn to us.
“So, what happened between you two?” Alan, ever the blunt idiot asks. It seems even a terrible hangover won’t stop him from being annoying.
I remember I still owe him a punch from yesterday.
Petal is silent, which leaves me to answer the question. I give her a look like, seriously? Now you choose to become quiet?
“None of your business,” I say to the group.
“Come on, T,” Roman says with a chuckle.
“You all don’t need to know anything. Petal and I are together now, end of story.”
“Yes!” Roman shouts in excitement.
