Could It Be? Ch. 05

"I was giving you space, you told me you were busy with work and that you had a lot on your plate," Anna replied.

"Anna, I can't stay long. I have to go now," Erik said, getting up.

"Ok," Anna said a little too calmly, considering her anger a few minutes ago.

Erik felt like shit. He should have cut off all ties with Anna after their break up. He should not have continued sleeping with her. She deserved to be with someone who would give her the relationship she wanted. He had made himself clear with her and thought she was cool with their arrangement. Now he realized that he had, though not on purpose, given her false hope.

****

"Hey, you good?

"What? I can't hear you. Thina shouted. There was too much noise where she was and she couldn't hear Erik very well.

"I was asking how you are. How was the wedding?" Erik also shouted. It was just before midnight on a Saturday and he had just gotten into bed and called Ana to check up on her and her day.

"Oh, the wedding! The ceremony was beautiful Erik! Oh, it was great. Now everyone's just getting down and partying like the weekend's never gonna end," Thina shouted.

"That's great, how's your family?" Erik asked.

"Erik, I can't hear you. Give me a sec, it's too noisy here, I'll go outside," Thina shouted again.

When she got outside, she asked "Is this better now?"

"Yeah. Enjoying yourself? He asked.

"Yeah, I am. The ceremony....everything was just beautiful. Drama of course but it didn't overshadow the day. Now we're just, you know, partying up a storm," Thina said excitedly.

Erik smiled, "I can tell," referring to the noise and background music.

"I miss you," Thina said. This was the first weekend they'd spent apart in many weeks and they hadn't seen much of each other during the past week.

"Miss you too," Erik said. "But you're still coming back Monday right?"

"Yep." She replied.

"Am I gonna see you?" he asked.

"Sure, my flight lands early afternoon. You can come over after you knock off," Thina said.

"Cool. So, how's everyone?' Erik asked.

"Oh they're all good. My parents went home a while ago. In fact the only family left are the young and youthful of the family, and some guests...everyone's having a good time" Thina said.

"Hey, I hope none of those guests, drunk or sober, are hitting on my girlfriend. Weddings are pick-zones - there're always some random guys hoping to get lucky. I see the way guys look at you. I don't even want to imagine what they think," Erik huffed." Erik said.

Thina was taken aback a bit, "I'm your girlfriend now?" It was more of a question than a statement.

"You are."

"I didn't know that....I mean I we're seeing each other but we never quite defined this...us," Thina said. She'd been hoping for and dreading this moment.

"I know. Honestly, I also didn't know what to make of us. But now, I think I know. I mean, we've been spending all this time together and this doesn't feel like a passing fling to me. Does it?" Erik said.

"No, I guess it doesn't. I know I want to be with you, but then I have all these thoughts, questions..." Thina's sentence faded.

'I have them too sometimes. Less and less, I think. Look, I'm a practical guy and the way I see it – I like you, you like me. What we're unsure of, we can always talk about it and clear out what CAN be cleared out, and move on. We're never going to be a 100% match, in fact, I don't want to be with my clone so I'm good with that," Erik stated.

"Erik, can we talk about this when I'm back in Joburg?"

Pause. "Ja, sure," he sat flatly.

"Babe, don't-," Thina said.

"Thina, we're talking about something which I think is serious and you're cutting me off." He said.

"I didn't cut you off. I'd rather have the conversation in person, you know." Thina said.

Silence.

"Hey, don't do this. I'm just asking that we talk in person that's all," she pleaded.

"I know." Another pause. "Ok, we'll talk when you get back. Enjoy the wedding and just don't let any fucker hit on you ok," he managed a weak chuckle.

Thina liked that he was at least trying. Trying.

"I won't. Promise. I'm taken. And that's what I'll tell any guy who so much as looks my way," Thina laughed.

"It's not funny Thina," Erik said.

Thina couldn't stop laughing, "Ok, I'll tell the ones who actually hit on me."