The invitation had been hanging on her fridge door for weeks now, still out of place among her nearly over due gas bills and invoices from the phone company which were probably out of date. She had tried to find the words to piece together an excuse, a fabrication of a lie to justify her motives for not wanting to attend when in all honesty, she only had one.

And that wasn't a good enough excuse at all.

She knew she was running. She knew that if she had the courage she would attend and face the situation head on. Grab the bull by its horns. Take control. Be in control.

But she didn't.

Best not to go at all then she thought.

She received a phone call from Carl that night as she shuffled under the covers, shielding her face from the seemingly invasive street light as he his words flowed so effortlessly down the phone.

'You didn't go did you?'

His heavy breathing signalled that even if she tried to lie, he would know,

'No'.

'Emma, we talked about this- hang on, you know what, I'm coming over'. She had wanted to protest but he snapped the dialler shut before any words managed to escape her lips. She knew he would make her go. She might as well have jumped in the shower and fixed her hair before he came over. She knew what was coming. He would tell her off, tell her not to waste opportunities like this. In the back of her mind she knew he'd be right but she'd drag her feet nonetheless, telling him he didn't understand that it was hard for her.

Excuses upon excuses.

He wouldn't buy any of them.

...

She let him in with haste, his arms somehow finding their way around her back. He rarely held her like this anymore and she cherished the moments of intimacy they had, however infrequent they had become.

'Why didn't you go?' His tone wasn't aggressive but she sensed the frustration rising and she knew any lie or excuse she used would be torn to shreds,

'I'm scared'. Truthful and to the point, she was proud of herself, allowing him to hold her just that little bit longer.

'Our doubts are traitors, and make us lose the good we oft might win by fearing to attempt.' He recited, whispering in her ear the words of his favourite writer,

'Shakespeare'

'The great man himself. Look, you can't keep avoiding him baby.' He looked down at her sheepishly. 'Sorry, I just forget sometimes'. He found it hard not to use nicknames for her now, now that they we no longer together. Blissful as it was, their relationship, romantically at least had fizzled out and they had regrettably parted ways, leaving her free to follow her hearts true desire.

'I can't take the rejection again'.

'Emma. Look at me. He loves you. And you love him. Honestly you two are the hardest people on the planet to work with. Both of you need your heads banging together'. She chuckled slightly as he ran his hand down her back, his fingers running against the ridges of her spine.

'You're going.'

'I know.'

'Go on, go get ready, I'll drive you.' She hastily nodded, darting into the bedroom to find something to wear as he found his way to the couch. His dreams of a future together had been shattered by the very man she was now in love with. The man he was helping her fight for. He knew it was only a matter of time before this happened. He had known ever since the twang of jealously had been sparked by that blonde substitute months back. He wasn't a fool, though his brother had told him otherwise. 'Cut your losses and get outta there' his words had been, 'tell her it's all or nothing'. He had planned on telling her just that as she confessed her feelings, but when the time came, he couldn't. Somehow he couldn't say goodbye knowing that he would probably never see her again, not until her dentist appointments anyway and what would they talk about then; small talk like the weather, holidays, work? No he couldn't do that, not with her.

If he couldn't be with her then friends it was.

...

'Ems, you ready?' He had been checking his watch for the past fifty minutes, laughing silently at the many times he had found himself in this position, waiting.

'Erm, op, nearly', she panted from behind the door,

'You ok?'

'Yep, just a sec, shit, I'll be out in a minute'. He heard a clatter and a bang and surely enough she emerged from the bedroom a minute later, her cheeks rosy red as she clutched her heels in her hand.

'Come on; let's get you to the ball'.

...

'I just want to say thank you Carl, for everything tonight, and for everything else I-' she was struggling to show her gratitude in words so instead she placed her lips to his cheek, feeling, rather than smelling the minty odour of his breath.

'Hey. No thank yous needed ok? That's the deal remember?' she sighed, remembering the conversation he so often reminded her of. Their rules. No details left unscathed. She felt guilty for off loading onto him all the time, giving their previous relationship status. He had told her time and time again that he was happy as long as she was but under the facade she had that niggling feeling that he was lying, though he would deny it if she ever confronted him about it.

'I remember'.

'Listen, you get yourself inside and don't take no for an answer ok?' He was struggling to keep his voice from wavering as she mock saluted him, giggling as he responded in the same cute gesture she had just performed.

'Night Ems'.

...

His phone buzzed at quarter past one, alerting him that he had a new text. He had almost not wanted to open it, in fear of what it might say. Pulling back the blanket he reached for his glasses, flicking open the one unread message he had.

'Hey, I've just got home now. You were right, as always. Things worked out just fine. He's taking me out tomorrow evening. Thank you, for always believing in me'.

Smiling, he shut the phone closed, clasping it in his hand for the moment. He was going to try and be happy for her. Try to put his feelings aside to be there if she ever needed an ear, or a friendly face.

To be what he promised he would; her best friend, her confident.

Clicking a button, his background of him and her illuminated to the light, his lips kissing the screen.

He'd do it all tomorrow. He wanted this one last night alone with the thought of just him and her.

I have toyed with the possibility of turning this into a multi-chap showing the relationship between not only Carl and Emma but also with Will.

Please feel free to let me know what you think, I am open to any critique, good or bad. I hope you enjoyed it, it was fun to write :)