If Sybil was angry with him for standing her up the day before, she didn't show it when they resumed their running routine the following day. She smiled when she greeted him, talked to him as always and laughed at every silly, little joke he made.

They continued to run every morning for the next month and on the outside everything seemed fine between them, only that for him it wasn't. Something had changed and for once in his life he didn't know what to do about it.

He tried to make a point by telling Matthew that he broke up with Mary, but somehow couldn't bring it up with Sybil. Telling her that he broke up with her sister? That seemed tactless somehow and he wasn't sure how she would take it. He hoped Mary would bring it up or maybe Matthew would tell Sybil. She didn't say anything to him though or gave any sign she knew.

He found himself in a quandry. The more time he spent with her, the more he liked her. Their morning run had quickly become his favourite part of the day. He wouldn't have missed it for the world and savoured every minute they were together.

He tried to sense how she felt, watching desperately for any sign that she liked him as more than just a friend? But he couldn't detect one. She was friendly with him, but she was the same with Matthew.

One evening while they were watching a horror movie, she suddenly turned to him and buried her face in his shoulder. He felt goosebumps rise all over his body and instinctively he enfolded her in his arms. He reveled in their proximity breathing in her scent and feeling her hair on his cheek. For a minute he was in heaven. But all too soon she loosened her grip around him, when the frightening part was over and she leaned back against the sofa once more, laughing about her own fright as if nothing had happened.

Another evening he came home and found Matthew and her sitting very closely together on the sofa, reading one of his articles in the newspaper. She was leaning to him, reading over his shoulder while he held the newspaper in both hands. They both greeted him with a smile and congratulated him on his article, while he tried to suppress the sudden feeling of jealousy seeing them so close together. They were friends, he told himself, just as he and Matthew had been with Gwen.

But he didn't want her as just a friend. He was falling head over heels in love and he knew it. He was beating himself up for ever sleeping with Mary and especially for the last time was four weeks ago! How could he tell Sybil how he felt now? He didn't dare to make a move for fear of losing her completely.

How could he have been so stupid?

xxxx

"Why don't you ask Tom to accompany you to Mama's fund-raiser dinner next month?" Mary asked. She and Sybil had met for tea in a café near the uni, and their mother's yearly fund-raiser dinner came up. As with every year, Sybil was trying to find a way to back out, but Mary wouldn't let her.

Sybil looked at her sister, surprised at her question.

"Tom? Why should I ask him. If anyone, you should ask him!"

Mary grimaced. "I could never go with Tom anywhere. You ought to know that by now. We'd be at each other's throats as soon as we walked in the door!"

Sybil shook her head. "I don't get it with you two," she said. "I really don't."

"Well you don't have to sort us out now, we broke it off," Mary shrugged her shoulders. "So he's officially out of my life."

"What? When?"

Mary stirred her tea. "About four weeks ago."

Sybil furrowed her brow. "That must have been when he wasn't there for our jog?"

"He said he felt 'uncomfortable' now that you were living in the same flat." Mary smiled at her sister's suddenly distraught face. "Don't worry, darling. I'm not heartbroken."

"Aren't you?" Sybil asked concerned. She watched her sister closely. "I feel terrible, if I'm to blame ..."

"Sybil, our relationship was just a passing fancy, for both of us. I don't have any feelings for him, I swear." Mary laid her hands on Sybil's. "You really are too good for this world. Can't you just accept that it wasn't anything more than scratching an itch?"

Sybil nodded. "I don't understand it, but if you say so."

She looked at Mary thoughtfully. "I don't understand why you always talk about him as if you don't like him though. He's very smart and nice and really good-looking. So what's wrong with him?"

Mary rolled her eyes. "Nothing is wrong with him. He's just not my type. He's such an idealist, it's getting on my nerves! We don't see eye to eye on anything that matters. Aside from that you're right, he is a nice man. There I said it. You don't think I would have had a relationship with a total jerk, would you? Even that kind of relationship."

"Actually I don't understand how you can have that kind of relationship at all. It seems so ... lacking in affection. Are you really so cynical about love and sex?" Sybil shook her head in confusion. "I could never ... I mean, I always thought sex was the ultimate expression of love. Not just to 'scratch an itch' as you put it."

And I'm somewhat disappointed that he sees it like you do.

Sybil's eyes widened at that thought. Where did that come from now? But it was true. During the last few weeks, Tom had slowly become very important to her, a true friend, one she looked forward seeing every day. She liked his sense of humour, and admired his ' idealism' as Mary put it. She found his intelligence stimulating and liked that he always seemed to listen intently to everything she said. He was attentive and affectionate and yes, he was unbelieveably attractive.

The thought of him and her sister bothered her. At first, she had thought it was because of Mary, but now she wasn't so sure. Mary had always been a bit cynical and worldly. It wasn't completely out of character for her to have a relationship solely based on sex. But Tom seemed different, and yet he obviously wasn't. It seemed like it was just a game for him.

"So are you asking Tom then?" Mary returned to her initial question.

"I could also ask Matthew," Sybil thought aloud.

Mary shook her head.

"No you can't, because he's already going with me."