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Bex
Erica called and demanded a pizza party for her birthday. Though Bex didn’t get along with the other invitees and was also not a fan of pizza, she felt obligated to go.
She laughed when Erica told her the location. Miller’s Pub, aka Aiden’s workplace. Not only did Bex have to endure stuck-up chicks, she had to see Aiden out of this deal.
Bex caught a quick Uber to the pub, luckily without recognition.
She walked into the most uncomfortable pizza party. Besides Erica, the guests were all the preppy crowd from high school that never got along with Bex. Former cheerleaders and prom queens with nothing in common with Bex. Barbies to her Elvira.
Aiden tried to keep the party hyped. He dropped off the first two pizzas with a wink at Bex and a kind word to Erica, congratulating her on her birthday. Then he turned on the sound system to Erica’s preferred genre.
But after he went back to the bar, the conversation turned to Aiden and his dating status. The rumors ranged from how he was the handsome town player who never screwed the same woman twice to how he was the ultimate catch and all the women wanted to get him at least twice — because he never went back for seconds.
None of them knew why he avoided relationships, but they all knew he was the region’s most eligible bachelor.
No one mentioned how Aiden was Bex’s ex, how they held each other’s virginities, nor how she had obviously “had him” more than once.
Bex self-consciously picked the toppings off her pizza and left the crust on her plate. She’d never liked pizza crust.
Bex couldn’t deny that Aiden brought her more drinks and paid more attention to her than the others despite their “friends-only” status. If he was like this with a friend, what would he be like as a significant other?
She couldn’t help wondering, if he hadn’t lied to her before then why wasn’t he in a relationship? As she watched him across the bar, she thought: Aiden was made for relationships. Doting, caring, protective. Relationships should be his jam. She really thought he’d be married with kids by now. He’d be a great dad.
Eventually, the conversation steered to bigger bands and their singers. Of course, the questions were directed to Bex when asking if each guy was into relationships or a player. She was honest; some she knew, some not. None of the Barbies at this table had a chance with any of them, though she did keep that to herself.
When Aiden stopped by to check on them again, he slid an unrequested basket of cheese fries in front of Bex.
“We’re only friends,” Bex reassured the Barbies. She felt the others’ eyes on her as she took a bite of cheese fries that Aiden mysteriously dropped off but she hadn’t actually ordered. “Friends,” she emphasized.
Aiden came back with a pitcher of soda and a cookie cake for the celebration. “Cookies for the birthday girl!” he exclaimed and slid the giant cookie onto the table with the words “Happy birthday, Erica” on it, an irresistible grin on his face. He lit candles on top of the cake.
Erica pulled him toward her and whispered something in his ear.
He frowned and whispered back to her, loud enough for Bex to her, “Sorry, but I can’t do that. I wish you the happiest birthday, though.” He flashed her a quick smile and set the drink on the table, then he took off.
“What happened?” Bex asked.
Erica blushed. “I asked for some special birthday treatment. He said no.” She blew out the candles on her birthday cookie.
Bex’s gaze met Aiden’s across the pub. He tentatively smiled at her then went back to what he’d been doing.
“That man still loves you,” the Barbie next to her observed.
“We’re only friends.”
“Maybe right now, but he wants more. Mark my words.”
No he didn’t. I tried.
Erica passed slices of cookie cake to everyone.
Between the pizza toppings, the fries, and the cake, Bex was stuffed. She was grateful Aiden remembered her hatred of pizza. She would still be hungry without the fries.
Bex gave Erica a small gift bag containing a fancy watch, wished her a happy birthday, then booked it out of the party as soon as she could. She gracefully said her goodbyes and went outside to wait on a bench for an Uber.
While she’d been inside, darkness had fallen. She sat in the dim light from the pub, waiting.
Aiden slid onto the bench beside her.
