Friends Rekindle

#Anna#

Anna's phone vibrated, and she frowned. Who would text at this hour? Anna's eyes slid to the left as she glanced at the clock. Almost 11 o'clock. The moonlight falling through the kitchen window gave the room a silver sheen. She turned her head to the right and looked at her boyfriend. He was snoring softly; a stab of annoyance went through her stomach. It was anything but the romantic evening he had promised her.

Curious, Anna took out her phone and looked at the message. It was from an unknown number.

"Hi, how are you?"

Anna frowned deeper. "Who is this?" she thought silently; through the annoyance she felt earlier, her curiosity further spurred nonetheless.

"Who are you?" She typed fleetingly. She kept staring at the screen, and a few seconds later, her phone vibrated again.

"Nick, from the gymnastics club." Anna's stomach contracted, and a shiver went down her spine. The message was enough to make all her memories of Nick come flooding back. She had secretly fallen in love with that sweet boy with chestnut brown hair five years ago. She was 14 at the time, and he was the first person she had ever really felt for. Although he had stopped doing gymnastics a few months later, she had never really forgotten him. But she nor he had ever tried to find contact again. So why would he text her after all these years? She wondered.

"Oh! How nice to hear from you again! I'm fine; how are you?" A smile formed around Anna's lips as she pressed the send button. Her thoughts wandered back to their training sessions, how she secretly watched his muscular body as he exercised, how a tingling spread through her chest every time his eyes caught hers. She glanced sideways; she had never felt that same excitement with Damien.

He answered again within seconds. "I'm fine. And yes, it's nice to hear you again. Sorry we haven't kept in touch; someone was jealous." Anna frowned again as she read his reply. She remembered Nick's girlfriend, the dirty looks she always threw her when they talked and how she always claimed Nick's attention after a few moments.

Anna's thoughts were interrupted by Damian's voice. "Who are you texting?"

Anna locked her phone and looked at him. "A girl from the gymnastics club." The lie came out suspiciously smooth, and Anna wondered why she was lying. She had nothing to hide; she had buried her feelings for Nick long ago.

"Ah," Damien replied as he looked past her at the clock, "What do you think? Are we going to have some fun in bed?"

Anna sighed, annoyed, and again the lie came out way more smoothly than it should have. "No, I have a headache."

Damien rolled his eyes. "You always have a headache. I'm starting to understand why so many men cheat."

Anger flared up in Anna. "If you think you can better yourself, you should leave me," she said dismissively. And though she didn't have the guts to utter the sentence, she thought. 'And if you gave me some attention without wanting sex, maybe I'd become more willing too.'

"Jesus, cranky bitch." Mumbled Damien inwardly, And although Anna had understood him perfectly, she decided to ignore his words. She didn't feel like arguing again.

"I'm going to sleep." She said, and before he could reply, she stood up. Then, she made her way to their bedroom with a tight stride. She dropped onto the bed and unlocked her phone.

"Sorry, I can't text anymore. I'll send you tomorrow." She fleetingly sent it to Nick and placed her phone in the charger on her nightstand.

A few moments later, she felt Damian crawl into bed. He placed his hand on her leg and let it slide to her hip. A shiver ran through Anna's body as she felt his hand slide under her nightgown.

Anna felt Damien's warm breath on her neck as he whispered. "Come on, a quickie." His rough, calloused fingers wriggled between her thighs.

It wasn't the first time Damien had tried to force himself on her, and Anna knew what to expect. He would try, but if she persisted, he would eventually give up.

Something she kept in the corner of her mind, longed for him not to. She was hoping that one day he would take control, to the point where she had to take what he wanted to do to her. That he would decide for her and that she could let go of control for once. The thought unexpectedly excited her. Maybe a quickie wasn't a bad idea?

Anna glanced at his bedside table; he had already laid out the condom. As quick as the excitement had come, it was replaced by annoyance again. Did he really expect her to give in so easily?

Anna pushed his hand away. "Damien, I said no. I have a headache."

Damien growled. "Come on; I'm only asking for 5 minutes. Just open your damn legs."

His words caused Anna to have mixed feelings. On the one hand, they thrilled her enormously, but the part of her mind that always wanted to stay in control suppressed those feelings. Suddenly, she turned to him with a jerk, landed her hand on his cheek with a loud slap, and cried out. "Is that all I'm good for? Opening my legs?" The controlling part won and left her humiliated; a tear rolled down her cheek.

Damien rubbed his cheek and looked at her angrily. "Don't be so fucking touchy."

"I'm not touchy," she sneered back. "You're just disrespectful; I'm not a doll you can take whenever you feel like it."

"No, that's obvious," Damien replied. "Lately, you've been acting more like an ice queen."

Anna shivered with anger and got out of bed. She grabbed her phone from her nightstand and called out. "Fucking bastard."

She ran to the guest room and lay down on the small bed, where she hugged her pillow and let her tears flow.

#Nick#

Nick woke by the first rays of sunlight entering his room. He lived with his parents again for a week after a failed relationship. And as grateful as he was to his parents for letting him live with them again, he hated it.

Nick grabbed his phone and opened his social media. The picture that had made him text Anna last night was still open. Her wavy copper-coloured hair stood out against the white background and framed her pale skin. Her olive-green eyes sparkled in the sunlight, accentuating her rounded jaws, and her little rocker nose completed her slender face.

He had always found her attractive and wondered why he had not taken a chance on her five years ago instead of choosing Emma. At that time, the choice seemed obvious. Emma was the same age as Nick and Anna, although only two years younger, was too young at the time. Furthermore, Emma offered him things he could not expect from Anna. Although, He could still remember their playful manner and how that cute blush formed on her cheeks when he teased her. Suppose he'd only given it a chance.

Nick smiled sadly at the memory and couldn't stop himself from sending her a text message.

"Good morning! Ready for a new day?"

Nick continued to stare at his screen for a moment, but there was no immediate reply. Maybe Anna was still asleep? Nick sighed; Anna had probably moved on with her life as he had. Why would she want to text him after all those years?

He stood up and got ready for work. While he was eating his breakfast, his phone vibrated.

"Morning! Everything's better than last night, so absolutely."

Nick frowned; her last message had already made him suspect something was wrong with her, but he hadn't wanted to reply more so as not to appear intrusive.

Now he opted for a playful reply hoping that, if she was sad, he could still make her laugh.

"Oh, no! I knew my messages were a horrible idea. Can you forgive me?"

A few seconds later, he received a smiling smiley reply; a second message followed a few seconds later.

"I'll think about it. What do you offer in return? *winking emoji*."

Nick smiled. Would they still be able to interact so playfully and easily?

"M'Lady, for your forgiveness, I place myself wholly at your disposal; you may ask as you please."

"Sir, That is a very audacious proposal you make here. What if I asked you for a dragon's paw?"

Nick could barely contain his laughter and replied.

"Then I shall chop off my hand and deliver it to you on a silver plate."

He remembered that once during a training session, she had enthusiastically talked about a book on dragon riders that she had read and smiled. His gaze slid to the 3D printer in the corner of his room. Could he print her a dragon's leg from that book she once mentioned, in case he ever saw her again?

"You haven't changed a bit, have you? Thanks for making me laugh." She replied. It was the start of a day of continuous texting and smiling more than he had in ages.

#3 weeks later.#

#Damien#

Damien laughed; the lunch table's atmosphere was once again exuberant. The company he worked for placed great importance on good team spirit, and the many team buildings and outings they took made him see his colleagues as friends. He was part of a young team in charge of the company's public relations.

"Damien," his boss asked. "Have you signed up for next week's training yet?"

Damien nodded. "Yes, it's been approved. Who else is going?"

"Just you and Emma," Answered his boss. "Emma, you're arranging the accommodation?"

Emma's amber eyes flashed fleetingly to Damien's. "Yes, everything is already arranged. We were lucky; I managed to book the last rooms in the hotel where the training takes place."

"Perfect," replied their boss and straightened up. "Then we'll make one last effort, and tonight I expect everyone at The Rose for our monthly drink."

There was enthusiastic agreement around the table, and everyone stood up. Damien followed their lead and left the dining area. On his way to his office, he felt a hand on his back.

Emma walked up beside him and whispered. "I think the hotel made a mistake." Her hand slid gently off his back. "I'm afraid we'll have to share a room." She winked. They stepped into his office together, and Emma closed the door behind them.

Damien looked at her and smiled; He stood in front of her.

"The administration of hotels these days! unacceptable." He said and felt the attraction between them, the sexual tension that had been building between them for months. He placed his hand on her cheek.

Emma leaned towards and kissed him passionately; Damien embraced her and pulled her close. It wasn't the first kiss they had shared. He felt his member hardening, and Emma pushed her hips against his. Then, moaning, She broke the kiss and looked at him as she bit her lip. "Fuck, I can't wait anymore; I need you inside me."

Damien smiled. "Not here; it's too dangerous. But I promise you. In London," Damiens's voice dropped to a whisper. "I'm going to fuck you all night long."

Damien felt Emma shiver.

#Anna#

Anna cursed when she came home. The kitchen was full of empty beer bottles, and Damien's shoes were in the middle of the room. The bread bag lay on the table, and a note was next to it. "I'm out with colleagues; I will be home late."

"Yeah, and cleaning up first was too hard." Said Anna irritated aloud. She sighed and started collecting the beer bottles and cleaning up the kitchen. Once again, she would spend the evening alone, knowing Damien. He wouldn't come home until after midnight.

Their relationship had deteriorated considerably in recent weeks. Since Anna had gone to sleep in the guest room that one night, they had barely shared a bed. Affection and romance were utterly absent; they lived side by side. There was a part of Anna that regretted this but on the other hand-

Anna's phone vibrated, and a smile appeared on her lips. It had been three weeks since Nick texted her, and they never stopped. No matter how bad she felt, he always made her laugh. She could talk to him about anything and secretly enjoyed the attention and subtle compliments he paid her.

She placed the empty bottles in the beer tray, took out her phone, and read his text.

"Have you planned anything nice for this evening?"

Anna rolled her eyes, not because of Nick's question but because her evening wouldn't contain anything entertaining.

"No, Damien's at a pub for a change. So I have a solitary evening of watching TV ahead of me."

Nick's answer came quickly.

"Poor thing. Tell you what, tell me what you're watching, and I'll put it on as well; that way, it might feel less lonely."

Anna smiled sadly, she considered it sweet that he suggested keeping her company like that, but even though she knew he meant it, it wouldn't be any less lonely. She frowned, and before she could stop herself, she sent.

"You know? Why don't you come and keep me company here?"

His reply came immediately.

"Deal, give me your address, and I'll come over."

She quickly typed in her address, sending it to Nick as she continued to tidy up the kitchen.

Suddenly Anna felt her chest swell and her cheeks turn red. What had she done? How could she invite somebody she hadn't seen for years to her home while she was alone?

The anxiety stirred other feelings in her as well. Questions haunted her mind: What would Nick think of me? What should I wear? How long do I have? I don't even know where he lives!

#Nick#

Nick had a hard time finding the address Anna had sent him. Even with the help of his GPS, he had taken a wrong turn several times in the endless maze of long and deserted field roads along which his GPS had been guiding him. And the falling darkness didn't help much either. Then, suddenly, he saw a few houses in the distance.

He parked his car and checked whether he had entered the correct address in his GPS. Everything seemed right, and he wondered why someone would choose to live in the middle of nowhere.

Nervously, he stepped up to the front door and pressed the bell. It took a while for it to open. Nick was stunned; although he had already seen photos on social media, they were nothing compared to the natural beauty she truly radiated. He let his eyes slide down her body; she wore a green plaid blouse that matched her olive eyes well, and fitted blue jeans rolled up just below her calves.

"Sorry for looking so sloppy; I had to clean up and didn't have time to change anymore." So said Anna in a soft voice, and Nick realised he was staring.

He shook his head and said. "No, I'm sorry, I was staring. You look fantastic."

A blush formed on her bulging cheeks and she smiled. "Come on in," she continued in that same soft voice. "Would you mind taking off your shoes? I've just mopped the floor."

Nick looked down and noticed she was walking around barefoot. "Sure," He replied and pushed off his shoes as he stepped over the threshold.

Anna led him into the living room, and again Nick was surprised. The house had a modern look despite the classic architectural style. "Nice place you've got here." He said, looking around.

"Thank you," Anna replied. "You should see it during the day; that large window looks out over the fields behind the house."

"Is that why you chose to live here?"

Anna smiled. "Yes, the view is fantastic, and the location also makes it affordable here."

Nick suppressed a chuckle. That the price was low was probably because he hadn't seen a sign of life for the last ten minutes of driving.

"Would you like a drink?" Anna asked kindly.

"Coke, please. Thank you."

Anna stepped into the adjoining kitchen and called out. "You're welcome to sit down."

This time Nick chuckled and settled himself in the seat. A few moments later, Anna was back with a can of coke. "Would you like a glass?" She asked.

"No thanks," Nick replied, and he watched as Anna sat down in the other seat with her feet tucked under her. She leaned on the armrest and looked at him.

"You look different than I remember." She said softly.

Nick smiled. "And that's good or bad?"

Again a blush formed on Anna's cheeks. "Oh no-, -huh-; Definitely not bad!" She stammered.

Nick laughed out loud. "You're still cute when you blush."

The blush on Anna's cheeks deepened, and she lowered her eyes. She didn't answer. Before the silence could become uncomfortable, Nick said. "Oh! Completely forgot! I have to go to the car."

Anna looked up in surprise. "Why?"

"I have your dragon paw with me." Anna's eyes got big and shot to his hands; then she started laughing roaringly. A beautiful and infectious laugh, and Nick smiled.

"You're crazy! By the way, you still have your hands, so which dragon did you un-paw?"

"M'Lady, you underestimate me? Do I get permission to fetch it?"

Still smiling, she nodded, and Nick quickly walked back to his car. He took the keyring with the 4-fingered claw he had printed a few weeks ago and walked back inside with it.

Once inside, he knelt in front of Anna and said. "M'Lady, I present to you a black dragon claw found in Urû'bean."

Anna immediately stopped laughing, and her eyes grew large. Then, she frowned and looked in amazement at the keyring in his hand.

#Anna#

Anna felt a warm glow spread through her chest. The reference to her favourite book was unmistakable. Trembling, she reached out for the keyring and took it. It was light and small but very detailed. She frowned again, and her eyes found Nick's sapphire blue eyes.

"How, How do you know?" She asked hesitantly. Was the reference coincidental? Could it be that he liked those books too?

Nick looked at her with twinkling eyes. "You told me about those books once; your enthusiasm made me read them. Then, when you asked for a dragon's paw, I remembered them."

Anna's corners of her mouth curled up. How many details did he remember from their conversations? "Did you like them?" She asked, intrigued.

Nick looked up and thought for a moment before answering. Anna waited impatiently for his reply. "I liked them." He finally replied. "But I have read other books that I liked better."

Anna blinked her eyes. Wondering what books he had read and if she would know of any. "Which ones?" She asked quickly.

Anna had no idea how long they spent discussing books and what they liked and disliked about them. She was surprised at how similar their book preferences were, and Nick himself had mentioned some books she didn't know. She enjoyed listening to his deep voice, and the enthusiasm he displayed was infectious. They discussed the different types of magic when her phone vibrated on the table.

Confused, she looked from the phone to Nick and back. Damien's name was on the screen, and Anna had no desire to hear his voice. Reluctantly, she picked up the phone.

"Yes? What is it?" She asked, annoyed that he had interrupted the pleasant conversation she was having.

"You're still awake! Good. I'm on my way home." From Damien's voice, Anna could tell he was drunk; the subtle lisp always made that clear to her.

"You've been drinking again. Are you driving?" She asked, disapproval dripping from her voice. She gets up, walks to the wall and leans against it.

Damien mumbles something unintelligible. He sighs and says. "I'll be home in 15 minutes. Hopefully, by then, you'll be less frosty." He doesn't wait for an answer and disconnects the line.

Anna sighs, disappointed and looks guiltily at Nick. "I hate that I have to do this, but would you mind leaving? I'm not in the mood for extra drama with Damien."

The corner of Nick's mouth lifts slightly in an expression between a smile and concern. "Sure. You're going to be okay, right?"

Anna rolls her eyes, annoyed at the thought of Damien. "Sure, Damien can be annoying when drunk, but I can handle him."

"Good." Says Nick softly and looks Anna in the eyes. "If there's anything, just call me."

Anna felt her heart speed up looking into those sapphire blue eyes. A smile forms on her lips. "Sure, thanks for keeping me company."

Nick answered her smile and stepped towards her. He gives her a fleeting kiss on her cheek. His lips feel soft against Anna's cheek, and she felt a warmth go through her body, starting where his lips touch her skin. Nick stepped back, looking at her for a moment before he left.