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“I’m coming.” He grated out and tried to pull his hips back.

She gripped his hips tighter. She’d never been a fan of oral sex giving or receiving. With Isaac, however, it just seemed right. Nothing between them could possibly be wrong or too intimate. She wanted to give him the same pleasure he’d showed her with his body. When he tried to pull she back she flexed her jaw open as wide as she could and pressed further between his legs until he filled her mouth completely.

Eyes closed she forced herself to take deep breaths through her nose to fight her body’s natural desire to gag. When he spilled his seed she swallowed quickly to keep from choking as it hit her tongue and throat.

The hand in her hair loosened its grip and she pulled back releasing him. She took the soap once again, and gently cleaned him off before standing again.

Isaac opened his eyes and she smiled at him. “I want bacon and eggs.” She told him.

He barked out a short laugh for giving her a quick kiss and climbing out of the shower.

She grabbed a towel and quickly dried off before throwing on a t-shirt and shorts. While Isaac was dressing she walked to the kitchen and turned on the stove to cook breakfast. The bacon had just begun to sizzle when she heard the doorbell ring. She’d barely turned around before it rung twice more. She knew it was Marcella before she even peeked out the window. Marcella was the only person who would stop over unannounced and ring the doorbell in such an annoying fashion, Angela sent up a quick word of thanks that she’d told Isaac to park around the corner.

Angela opened the door and Marcella blew into the room like a tornado.

“Where you been? I’ve been calling you since like 9am! We were supposed to dress shopping this morning!” Marcella threw her purse down on the coffee table.

“Oh my goodness, I’m so sorry. I completely forgot.” Angela and Marcie had made those plans last week. She bit her lip hoping that Isaac would stay in the bedroom as she searched her mind for an excuse that would get rid of friend.

Marcella waved a hand. “No problem. Get dressed, I can wait. Is that bacon? YUM.”

Marcella turned around to head for the kitchen. Isaac sauntered down the hallway shirtless. Angela closed her eyes part in resignation and part waiting for the explosion. It didn’t take long.

“You have got to be fucking kidding me Isaac.” She shouted angrily. “All the women in this whole fucking town you could screw around with, and you choose my friend. God, you are such an ass!” Marcella snatched her purse off the table and stormed out the door.

Isaac looked didn’t look remorseful, ashamed, or anything Angela would’ve expected. He just stood there with his arms crossed over his chest. Angela followed her friend out the door.

“Marcie!” she called.

Marcella had already opened the door to her car and thrown her purse inside but she looked back at Angela and angrily slammed the closed.

“How could you?” she accused. “He’s my brother. You were supposed to be over your little crush.”

“I guess not.” Angela told her calmly. Marcella was anything but calm. She paced in the grass outside but at least she wasn’t screaming. Marcie had a quick temper.

“He barely moved back here and you already hopped into bed with him?” Marcella spat.

Angela knew her friend was angry but she felt her own temper begin to rise. “It’s not like that Marcie.” She grated out.

“What is it like then Angie? God, how could you be so stupid?” Marcella ran her hands through her hair.

Angela’s was generally the calm one of the duo but her question struck too close to home. “What is so horrible about this for you? What is so stupid about it?”

Marcella’s eyes blazed with anger and her jaw was tight but she didn’t speak.

“Why are so adamant about me not talking to Isaac? Why is the thought of us together always so repugnant to you Marcie?”

Marcella eyes shined bright with unshed tears but she shook her head refusing to answer. She turned and began walking back to car.

Angela wasn’t willing to let her run away from the conversation. Marcella hated to fight with her. As children, whenever the two of them fought, Marcella would leave and not return until she was sure Angela wouldn’t be angry anymore. Then she would appear, all smiles and dimples, telling jokes until Angela relented. Not this time, however, Angela followed after her.

“Answer me, damn it!” Angela pleaded to her back. “Or maybe you don’t think I’m good enough for your brother.” Angela’s words like a bomb stirring Marcella to action.

Marcella turned around and Angela could see that tears had streamed down her cheeks. “Him? I’m not worried about HIM. I’m worried about YOU.” She shouted at her.

Angela stood up straighter as the taller woman moved closer to her. “I can take care of myself Marcie.”

“Can you? I’m not so sure. I’m not dumb. I saw all the little scribbles in your notebook.” Angela’s mouth dropped open in surprise but Marcella didn’t stop. “You’ll get hurt and then you’ll leave because that’s what you do.”

“What are you talking about? I’m not going anywhere” she denied.

“In high school when you broke up with Greg, you broke up with his sister, Sarah too. There was no grey area for you. He double timed you with another girl and when you found out, you stopped seeing him and you never talked to Sarah again either.”

Angela shook her head sadly. “That was a long time ago. We were kids. It’s not the same at all.”

“I don’t want to lose my best friend.” Marcie cried.

Angela stepped forward wrapping her arms around her friend. Marcie’s head fell onto her shoulder and she felt wetness from the tears smear on her shoulder. “You’re my sister Marcie. Nothing could ever change that.”

Angela dashed away the moisture from beneath her own eyes before taking a step back.

Marcella was staring daggers over her shoulder though. Angela glanced back to see Isaac standing in the doorway.

Marcella took a deep breath. “I hope you know what you are doing.” Her voice sounded as though she doubted the words even as she spoken them out loud.

“I do.” She replied firmly.

As Marcie got into her car and drove away in the small Honda she wondered if she’d told the truth or not. Did she know what she was doing? Or was she in over head and refusing to see the truth. With a shake of her head she headed back into the house.

“Isaac!” Angela hissed as she swatted at the hand inching over her hip. She glanced over quickly to make sure nobody in the department store noticed his wandering hands.

“What?” Isaac asked innocently as he dropped a kiss on her shoulder. Reaching past her, he pulled a green dress from the rack “How about this one, it looks nice”.

Angela looked at the fitted emerald green sheath he held in front of her, “No way.”

“What’s wrong with it?” he demanded.

She eyed the dress again. “It’s going to cling in ways I don’t think a dress should cling. It’s strapless and that is never going to work. Plus, it’s a little bit too short. I don’t think I would be comfortable wearing something that shows that much leg especially at an event when your grandmother is present.”

“I get it now!” he exclaimed, and lifted his gaze to the ceiling. “We need a granny dress for prom. Why didn’t cha say so earlier?”

Angela smacked him in the arm and shot him the evil eye before walking over to another rack. Isaac stalked over to another rack of clothes pushing things around, his face thoughtful. Angela shook her head and smiled, they’d been in the mall for over two hours trying to find a dress for Grandma Lila’s prom in less than a week.

Her high school prom wasn’t the highlight of her teenage years, but it hadn’t been horrible either. This time around she had the guy of her dreams escorting her and she was determined to enjoy herself while it lasted.

Her thoughts underwent a polar shift, in seconds her thoughts went from happy and positive, to cloudy despair. She heard the voice of Trey Songz, one of her favorite artist, begin singing his song Can’t Be Friends. She wished she could press the mute button on the stores radio as the voice of the artist rang throughout the store. The husky tenor singing to the world how he wished he hadn’t done the things he’d done and how it had cost him his best friend.

She didn’t want to relate to the song, but she found it difficult not to. In that moment it was as though all the doubts and worries she’d pushed to the side had fallen down on top of her like a ton of bricks.

She turned to find Isaac. She was ready to leave, she could buy a dress another day since the fundraiser was still a few days away. Isaac wasn’t where she’d last seen him though. Making her way through the store she found him at the cash register. He was tucking his wallet into his pocket and accepting a bag from the cashier.

“What are you doing?” she asked.

“Shopping. Did you find anything you liked?” he asked taking her hand.

“I’m ready to go.”

“Are you ok?” he asked concerned.

She tried to give him a reassuring smile but she wasn’t quite able to pull it off judging by his deepening frown. “I’m fine. I’m just really tired.”

The car ride back to her house was a tense one. Isaac attempted to draw her into conversation, but all Angela could focus on was the fact that she wanted to go home. She wanted to light a few candles, lie down and attempt to relax, but Isaac was being pushier than normal, which was saying a lot. He was ignoring her various hints that perhaps he should go back to his house for the night.

Once they were back at her apartment Isaac sat down on the couch, immediately making himself comfortable. Angela pulled off her jacket. Then in agitation, she pulled her shoulder length hair from the ponytail in an attempt to relieve the pounding she was experiencing.“Come here.” Isaac ordered.

Angela looked over at him and he held a hand out for her indicating her wanted her to sit on his lap. When he repeated the order she signed and crossed the room, taking the hand held out to her. With a tug he pulled her down beside him. She felt his lips kiss her temple before fingers gently moved through her hair and lightly massaged her scalp.

She hated the conflicting emotions running through her. Sometimes she felt like she’d stepped on some sort of crazy rollercoaster. She kept telling herself to just breathe and enjoy the ride but she couldn’t seem to stop worrying. She was in love with Isaac and she wasn’t sure what to do about it. Push away and hope that she didn’t lose either of her friends in process. She could continue to lie in his arms happily, but at some point Marcella would have to be told.

Sometimes he was so wonderful that her heart literally ached. Even though she was clearly being antagonistic toward him, he just ignored her and still attempted to make her feel better anyway.

Everything in her wished they could stay this way forever. She loved the way he made her feel cherished and important. The rush she felt when she was with him was addictive. Everything he did made her feel like a princess, and she loved that he cared enough to do the little things.

She didn’t want to give up that feeling, yet she doubted it would last. Isaac’s past relationships never lasted more than a few months. He was interested now, but next month it could be a different story. Isaac had only ever had one substantial relationship and after almost a year together, they suddenly split up. Isaac refused to ever say why they’d broken up.

Angela pushed those thoughts from her mind. She didn’t want to poison their time together with those kinds of thoughts. She would much rather just enjoy whatever time that they had with each other. With that thought uppermost in her mind, she sat up on the couch. Turning towards Isaac she laid a hand on his chest and leaned in for a kiss. When Isaac smiled and deepened the kiss, she swung her leg over his body so that she was now straddling him. She could feel his thick erection pressing against her body. Reaching between their bodies she began plucking the small buttons on his shirt loose.

His large hands gripped hers, halting her movements. The lips that moved so urgently against hers just moments before, were now still beneath her. Angela sat back and watched as Isaac cleared his throat before speaking. Dread rose inside her; bile suddenly choking her. The hands covering hers, shifted until they sat there holding hands.

What is he doing? She thought. Breaking bad news to me gently? What did you do? She ached to ask her questions out loud. It seemed to take a million years for Isaac to speak. Yet, she hesitated; she wasn’t so sure she wanted to know what he planned to say.

“Will you come home with me tonight?” he asked.

Angela refused to acknowledge the flood of relief she felt at his words. She leaned her forehead against his for a moment. She noticed that Isaac had issued numerous invitations for dinner at his house, or to stay over in the past few days but each time she refused.

“I dunno, Isaac.” she shook her head as she climbed from his lap and headed towards the kitchen.

Isaac followed her into the kitchen and she could feel his gaze between her shoulders like a laser beam. Ignoring him, she opened the refrigerator and began pulling out vegetables and placing them on the counter.

“Do you know how many times I’ve asked you to come to my house this week?” Isaac asked from behind her.

“I dunno.” Angela pulled out a small wooden cutting board and began chopping the bell pepper. Perhaps a stir fry would be nice for dinner. “What’s wrong with dinner and a movie here?”

Isaac didn‘t answer the question. “I’ve invited you to my house, but you won’t come by. I’ve invited you to the theater and I’ve invited you to dinner. I’ve even asked you to go dancing. I hate dancing, and I know you love it, but you still keep shooting me down.”

Angela shook her head. “It’s just easier.” she shrugged. “I’m trying Isaac. I really am but this is difficult for me.”

“What’s difficult?” he exclaimed, “You eat three times a day. I’m asking you to get dressed up and spend one of those times eating with me at someplace nice. How can that be difficult?”

Angela grabbed an onion and placed it on the wooden board. Perhaps she'd fix pork chops with sautéed veggies and some corn on the cob. She walked over to grab a large pot from under the cabinet and began filling it with water. “Next week. We can have dinner at your house next week.” she told him.