Three is a Crowd

Amanda groaned when she came to conciousness the next morning, her head pounding as she suffered from yet another hangover. Her mouth was dry and rough like sandpaper, her eyes remained stubbornly shut, not wanting to meet the bright light of the day that would surely burn her retinas. It took a moment for her to realise someone was knocking on her door, the noise getting confused the pounding in her head. She decided to ignore it, shuffling to go back to sleep when she heard a voice behind her groan in annoyance.

‘What the fuck?’ the voice mumbled almost incoherently, half asleep and confused.

Her eyes opened as she sprung to life, turning around to see a naked Andy in her bed. She rubbed her eyes, trying to make sense of what happened. She remembered everything and yet it felt as though she had been an observer, not a participant in the event of the night. She remembered how he had stripped her naked, slowly and deliberately teasing her to the point where she could not longer control herself and she pounced on him like some wanton harlot. She continued to gawk at him as he rubbed his closed eyes, watching as he slowly opened them with a squint before sitting up slightly and meeting her eyes.

‘Morning.’ His voice was scratchy sounding and rough, but she found it adorable and sexy at the same time She blushed slightly, pulling the sheets tighter around her in her awareness of how naked she was. The sudden knock on her door reminded them both of what had woken them up as they instinctively looked towards her bedroom door which concealed her front door from sight.

‘You expecting someone?’ He asked.

‘No, not that I’m aware of anyway.’

Her phone began to buzz somewhere in the room. She scrambled from the bed in order to search for it before the caller hung up. She found it in her handbag, her heart dropping to her stomach when she saw ‘Gerard’ flash up on the screen. She answered it, not wanting to ignore the call in case something important had happened.

‘H-Hello’ she whispered meekly.

‘Hey, I’m at your apartment, Frank and I have been knocking for like, five minutes. Let us in.’

Her eyes widened. She didn’t need to look in a mirror to know her face had paled considerably. She was fucked and she knew it.

‘Uh-now’s not a good time. I’m hungover as fuck and I look like shit. I’ll come by the house later.’

‘I’ve seen you hungover before, you can’t get any worse than that time. We’re here now so let us in.’

With that he hung up, Amanda’s breathing stopped as she started to panic.

‘Amanda?’

Andy looked at her, concern and confusion on his face.

‘Fuck!’ she hissed as she grabbed her hair in frustration. ‘Look, Andy, whatever you do don’t make a fucking sound, okay? I’ll explain when I get rid of them but please, PLEASE don’t draw attention to the fact you’re here.’

‘Fine.’ He muttered, offended by her words. She had no time to feel guilt or sympathy as she raced around her room trying to find clothes to throw them on before she opened her door. She was sweating as she made her way to her front door, her brain having to remind to her lungs to breathe as they seemed incapable of doing it themselves.

She opened her door to find Frank and Gerard waiting outside, amused expressions on their face.

‘Shit, someone had a good night. And here’s us feeling bad and deciding to come back early to keep you company.’ Frank laughed, showing his teeth in glee.

Gerard eyed her up and down, as though searching for something. His eyes narrowed in suspicion.

‘Someone did have a good night.’

His tone of voice startled Frank, who looked at Gerard with a baffled expression.

Without another word Gerard barged into her apartment, pushing past her to gain enterance.

‘Dude what-‘

‘I’ve fucked you enough times to know what you look like when you’ve had a good time. You fucked someone last night, didn’t you?’ Gerard glared at Amanda, her face turning red with shame, revealing his assumption was accurate.

‘Gerard I-‘ She began, trying to explain herself before getting cut off by Gerard.

‘Is he still here?’

She nodded¸biting her lip

For a painful moment she worried that he would barge into her bedroom and find Andy in there. Instead he gave her a look of pure disgust before walking out of her apartment. Frank stood in shock for a moment, trying to process what had happened.

‘Shit’ he muttered, glancing at Amanda with a slightly sympathetic look before following Gerard out the door Gerard did something stupid. He pulled the door behind him, the sound of the lock clicking echoing through the apartment. Amanda stood in the same spot for a while before Andy ventured out. His body language gave away his awkwardness, his hand scratching the back of his head.

‘Are you okay?’

‘No.’

She felt his arms wrap around her, his body heat comforting to her while she began to fully understand the magnitude of what had just transpired. Gerard, from day one, was always the one chasing after her. Now, he was walking away from her. The look he gave her before he left hurt more than any words he could have said, actions wounding and cutting deeper than his calm voice ever could.

‘I’m sorry’ Andy was still embracing her as he spoke the words.

‘You’ve nothing to be sorry for.’

‘I shouldn’t have kissed you last night’ He let go of her, his eyes on her face as he continued to speak ‘I should’ve known you had a boyfriend.’

‘That’s the thing, I don’t know what we are. It’s this…fucked up triangle that I can’t seem to pull myself away from. He use to let Frank sleep with other people all the time, he did it himself as well and now suddenly he gets pissed when I do it.’

Andy opened his mouth in a silent ‘Oh’ as he seemed to finally understand the situation.

‘That proposition you got from the guy at work. That was Gerard and Frank?’

She nodded.

‘I thought-‘

‘I wasn’t going to do it? So did I, until Gerard started becoming very…persuasive.’

‘Wow. So, how is it working out for you?’

She could hear the judgement in his tone, making her look at the floor instead of at him. She walked over to her couch before slumping down on it, wishing her life hadn’t become so complicated. It was her own fault, she was a weak person who couldn’t say no.

‘Not so great.’

She heard him sigh as she studied the ceiling before he joined her on the couch.

‘Do you love him?’

‘Yes. I wish I didn’t but I do. The fucked up thing is that I know he doesn’t feel the same way about me and yet I can’t make myself walk away. In a way I think last night was my way of trying to make him walk away. He sees me as an innocent naïve girl, and in a way I am. I mean, before this whole thing I’d only slept with two other people both of whom I had a relationship with. Now I’ve given him something else to see. I’m weak, horribly weak.’

‘You’re not weak. You’re hurt, angry and confused. You acted out to make a point. You’re a person with feelings that needs to feel wanted like everyone else. That’s part of being human I suppose.’

She finally looked at him. He was sitting hunched over slightly, his gaze on his lap which supported his clasped hands. He looked deep in thought.

‘I lied last night. When I said I didn’t have a girlfriend.’

‘Oh.’

He suddenly turned to face her, his eyes full of an emotion she couldn’t quite place.

‘Things have been…weird for the past while. To be honest I’m pretty certain she’s been cheating on me, but like you I can’t walk away. As much as I hate her and what she does I’m still completely in love with her. Or I was. I’m not so sure what I feel anymore.’

She remained silent for a moment, digesting what he had told her. She wondered why he had lied last night but she refrained from asking, her judgement telling her to let him decide how much he wanted to tell her. She realised that in the short while she had known him it had become very much a one way relationship in the give and take stakes. She took while he gave her his time and his concern. She had never thought about asking him about his own life, if he needed someone to talk to that wasn’t his close friend who could give insight.

‘Love sucks, doesn’t it?’

‘Sure does’ he muttered, not quite meeting her eyes.

‘If she’s cheating on you…she’s an idiot, you know that right?’

He scoffed.

‘I’m serious. I don’t know you very long but in that short space of time you’ve shown yourself to be one of the most caring and amazing person I’ve ever met. Truly. If she makes you feel anything less than that than you need to let go. There’s someone out there who’ll appreciate you for the amazing person you are.’

He nodded, finally making eye contact with her again.

‘What about you?’

‘Well, to be honest I think it’s over now. You should’ve seen the way he looked at me before he left. I’ve never felt so small in my life. I’m not going to dwell on it too much, not right now at least. Gerard will come find me when he decides what to do, I suppose.’

‘You should take your own advice Amanda. He doesn’t make you feel good about yourself, and even I can see he’s fucking with your head for his own gain. Walk away before he tears you down completely.’

She smiled weakly at him.

‘Are you going to tell her?’ she couldn’t help but ask.

‘I don’t know, probably. It depends I suppose.’

‘Depends on what?’

He shook his head with a small smile.

‘You’re such a nosey little short shit!’

‘I may be a short shit but at least I’m damn loveable.’ She joked, trying to lighten the conversation.

‘That you are.’

The tone of his words changed the atmosphere in the small apartment. They were spoken softly and with hidden meaning, his blue eyes trying to convey his meaning. Amanda swallowed, feeling awkward. She knew she was probably reading too much into what he said.

‘I’m…going to take a shower. You’re welcome to stay and make yourself something to eat.’ She stood up as she spoke, trying to disguise her sudden awkwardness.

‘No, I think I’ll go home now.’

She nodded as he lifted himself off her couch, standing to his full height. Sometimes she forgot just how tall he was, making her more aware of her own short frame.

‘Okay, well…shit, I’m kinda not sure what to say.’

‘Then don’t say anything. Go get your shower and I’ll see you around, okay?’

She gave a curt nod and a smile before turning away and walking into her bathroom. When she finished half an hour later she walked into her living room to find her cell phone on the coffee table with a note beside it. She cautiously made her way to the table, sitting down on the couch before moving her cell phone and scanning the note.

Call me if you need anything x was writing in neat, clear handwriting. She checked her phone to find a new name listed in her contacts. On a whim she opened her messages and type out a new text.

I will. Ditto if you need to talk x

He replied with a smiley face before Amanda put her cell phone back down on the table.

*********************************************************************

Later that evening she heard a knock on her door. She looked at the door wearily, not wanting to answer it and have to face reality. She knew who was the most likely person to knock on her door and she wanted to avoid the argument that would happen.

‘Amanda, open up!’

She registered with surprise that it was Frank’s voice on the other side of the door. She got up and quickly answered.

‘Hey.’

‘Can I come in?’ he asked getting straight to the point.

‘Of course.’

She stepped aside, letting him walk in.

‘Would you like some tea, or water? I don’t have anything else I’m afraid.’

‘No, I’m fine.’

She could tell by his short response he was pissed at her too. She was surprised; she figured Frank would be happy that she fucked up so badly. He sat down on her couch and took his jacket off, placing it beside him carelessly.

‘We need to talk. There are some things I think you should know before you talk to Gerard.’

Notes

Hi all,

I had this chapter planned out, but then I start writing and my fingers decide to do something different.

Next chapter shall delve into Gerard's and Frank's story so I hope you'll enjoy it.

As always, thank you to all the wonderful readers/subscribers/commentors who take a few minutes out of their precious time to read and comment. It means a lot to me. Please feel free to comment as always :)

I hope you enjoyed, until next time :)