“Of course come in.”

I led the way to the lounge where Beth was smiling widely.

“Finally I get to meet my best friend’s boyfriend,” she said smiling like she just accomplished something.

I was quick to answer, my cheeks wouldn’t even contain their heat, “Beth we’re not like… like we’re not dating… we are just friends.”

I finished looking at Rich who was looking at me. I couldn’t even read what he was thinking.

“Okay,” she raised her hands in surrender and stood up from her seat. “I have to buy something from the store.” She didn’t wait for a reply before she was out of the door.

We sat next to each other on the biggest couch and with every slight contact we made my heart would skip a bit. Random stories came about and I found myself smiling. I have never felt that way before, not even around my ex-boyfriend Zach.

Beth came after an hour when Rich left.

“So how’d it go?” she asked wiggling her eyes at me to which I shrugged.

“Okay.”

“The smile tells me everything.”

I wasn’t even smiling, at least I thought I wasn’t.

“I’m not smiling.”

“Sure you’re not.”

“I’m serious Beth, I’m not smiling.”

“Great. So are you guys dating?” she changed the topic.

“No we’re not and you know it.”

“But that doesn’t mean you won’t?”

“I don’t want another boyfriend Beth, they are all the same. I never thought I’d agree with that phrase but I do now. I don’t want another sad ending, maybe it’s better this way.”

“What way?” she asked raising her left brow.

“The single way.”

A bit of silence envelops us.

“You know Rich likes you a lot right?”

“He likes me, like every other girl he meets,” I countered.

“How can you be so sure?”

“You don’t expect me to answer that right?” she smirked and I couldn’t help but playfully hit her on her arm.

I went to three dinners in a row with Rich. I wouldn’t call them dates or maybe I could. I knew I really liked him, but three months wasn’t enough time to develop a liking to someone, maybe I was wrong? I couldn’t think straight and balancing the monthly company budget gave me a headache.

At lunch Beth requested we have lunch together and I gladly obliged. We sat in our favourite spot scooping ice cream, she didn’t look happy and I knew there was something wrong with her.

“What’s wrong? You don’t seem like yourself,” I said.

“I think I just broke up with Ben” she answered.

“I’m listening.”

“What did you do?”

“We had an argument and I assumed and said stuff I didn’t have to, then he walked out on me.”

I raised a brow at her and smiled tightly.

“He’ll come around, just give him time.”

“I don’t think so and I’m sure he’ll forget about me when I tell him what he doesn’t know.”

She was definitely hiding something.

“What else haven’t you told me?” I asked curiously and believe me I was going to suck the truth out of her if she didn’t spill.

“Okay I’m just thinking maybe my suspicions aren’t correct.”

“Just tell me maybe I can help.”

Tell us: What do you think Beth is hiding from Leah?