Aiden wasn't surprised when his best friend Hanna's name appeared on his iPhone. They chatted all the time about anything and everything--even romance. But anything sexual was completely taboo. Though he was driving home from work, he answered it and put it on speaker.
"Aiden! I need you to pick me up," he heard Hanna sobbing.
"What's wrong? Are you OK? Did your boyfriend hurt you?" he asked both angry and concerned. He never cared for Hanna's taste in bad-boy boyfriends.
"If he touched a hair on your head I'm gonna put him in the hos--," he said, losing his cool when switching to big brother mode.
"No! No! Nothing like that. I just went over to his place to surprise him. But when I saw movement through his living room window I peeked inside. I was the surprised one. He was having sex with another woman!" she finished shaken up.
"I'm gonna give him a piece of my mind," he vowed.
"You will do no such thing!", Hanna ordered through her tears.
How embarrassing to have my best friend fight my battles for me. Even if it was done to protect me,
she thought frustrated.
"Just come pick me up. I'm too upset to drive myself home," she repeated.
"OK.OK," he relented. "I'll be there in a few minutes," he promised.
Her tears stopped when she saw Aiden pull up to the curb.
He is here! He will make everything better,
she predicted in pure happiness.
Her short skirt flapped in the wind as she approached his car. She jumped in the passenger seat before he even could unbuckle his seat belt.
"Drive me home," she instructed.
"Whatever you need," he obliged.
They drove off leaving her sadness behind.
"That cheating jerk didn't deserve you," he spoke unprompted.
"I'm not a prize to be won," she remarked testily.
"I'm sorry. I didn't mean it like that," he replied sympathetically.
"I know you didn't," she said gently.
Without taking his eyes off the road he reached out with his arm to squeeze her shoulder in a gesture of reassurance.
"You'll get through this and find an amazing man who will treat you right," he comforted her.
His hand squeezed gently.
Hmm...this feels kinda soft for a shoulder,
he speculated.
A look of horror crossed his face. Slowly he turned his head to confirm his fears.
Completely cupping the top of her big, round breast was his hand. His arm shot back like he had touched a hot stove.
Oh, god! What have I done!
he dreaded. Nothing even remotely sexual like this has ever happened.
"I'm so sorry! I meant to squeeze your shoulder," he apologized sincerely.
"It's OK. It was an accident," she said plainly. Her reply was just second nature. She wasn't going to hold a grudge over a simple mistake.
She was silent for a minute like she was making a deep decision.
Aiden found the quiet uncomfortable. He had to say something. Anything.
"The last thing you need is some guy groping you after such a heartbreaking experience," he went on.
"You are not just some 'guy'. You are my best friend," she consoled him.
Which is why the next thing I plan to do will be the hardest thing ever,
she anticipated.
"Pull over to the side of the road over here. At this lookout point and turn off the car," she told him.
He followed her instructions even though he knew what would happen next.
She is gonna unbuckle her seatbelt and just walk the last few miles home and never want to speak to me again,
he believed the worst scenario possible.
She reached over and unbuckled her seatbelt.
Here it comes...
he feared dourly.
Instead, she turned to him. He did his best to avoid eye contact. Shame engulfed him.
"Look at me," she bossed.
When he didn't respond instantly, she turned his face towards her.
"I'm am really sor-" he repeated
"Stop apologizing," she snapped.
"Why did you break up with my friend Bethany?" she asked unexpectedly.
"Umm...what?" he asked baffled.
"You had so many of the same interests. You had chemistry. You liked watching all of the same terrible movies," she continued.
"Well, that's a little hurtful," he said sounding wounded.
She also said the sex was great. And I had missed out on my chance. But I'm not going to tell him that,
she swore.
"I only watched those movies so I could mock them," he clarified.
"I know. You had me laughing so hard, I was crying. I wouldn't trade those times for anything in the world," she admitted.
Or anyone,
she told herself.