Cameron

“I was hoping that you would want to go out tonight and take a break from all of these reports. We have been here all day and I need something to eat. Can’t we take a break for a little while at least?”

Stephen was looking at me hopefully and my stomach took that moment to growl as if on cue. I was starving as well. The clock on the wall said that it was almost seven and lunch was a long time before.

“Okay, but we can just pick something up and that will get us back here quicker.”

He shook his head. “No, I want a real meal and no talk of quarterly reports.”

I couldn’t help the laugh that came out. He was beyond tired, anyone could see that, but it was the way that he said it like he really was going die if he had to work anymore. It wasn’t that bad, but Stephen had always been a bit of a drama king. That was why I  didn’t like working with him, but since we were paired up I didn’t have a choice. If feeding him a little bit was going to help, I was all for it. I was all for anything to get him to stop whining.

Closing the journal for the last three months, I told him that he was right and we should get something out. Whatever I could do to get this done faster I was going to do. I was hoping that I would see Joel when I got home. I didn’t know why, but I was still waiting for another kiss from him.

“Fine, let’s get out of here. There is a place not far from here that we can get a bite to eat. I need to go home and change anyways.” If I had to wear those heels for much longer, I was going to lose my mind.

“Okay.” He agreed too quickly and I wondered why he was looking at me like that. Stephen had been with the firm for almost a year and though we never really got along, that didn’t stop him from trying to get into my business. Rachel, my co-worker thought that he had a crush on me, but I was sure that it was just her being fanciful. She was always trying to hook people up together and she had tried with me several times when she realized that I didn’t date much. Stephen had been one of her great ideas, but he just wasn’t my type.

“We can walk since it isn’t that far. I need to stretch my legs.” And I didn’t want to get in a car with him, not after he had gotten into two wrecks in the last year since he had been working there.

Stephen didn’t look too happy with the idea of it, his hand pushed the blonde hair from his face like it was a problem. I didn’t wait for him to suggest something else. Instead I grabbed my black purse and keys and headed out the door. I wasn’t going to give him the opportunity to find another way to go.

When we got to the apartment building, I wished for a second that I had really thought it through. I didn’t really want him in my apartment, but he was there and I wasn’t going to be rude. The second reason really came to me when I saw Joel in the hallway. He kept looking from me to Stephen and he didn’t have to say a word, I knew what he was thinking.

“Good evening Cameron. I was waiting for you to get home. I didn’t know that you were going to have company.”

I sighed to myself and wished that he had just left it alone. I looked over at Stephen and saw that the two men were looking at each other like they were mortal enemies. This was not at all what I wanted to happen and before it could get any worse, I started up the stairs and asked Stephen if he was coming.

“Cameron!”

Turning around, Joel was looking at me red-faced and I was left to wonder what was going through his mind. Couldn’t he just see by looking at Stephen that it wasn’t like that? My answer came when he moved towards me with anger in his eyes. “Can we talk?”

“This isn’t really a good time Joel.” I wanted to say something to ease it all over, but at the same time I was upset that I had to. Why did I have to make it all better when I wasn’t doing anything wrong? It wasn’t like me and him were together or something. We had gone out as friends one time. Yes, there was a kiss, but I bristled at the idea that he owned me or was going to act like he did.

“I want to talk to you now. I don’t care if it is a good time or not.”

That really got me upset and I turned away from him before I could say anything that I was sure to regret later. What kind of nerve did this guy have?

“Hey pal, why don’t you just get the hint?”

I told Stephen to just let it go. I didn’t know what it was that he thought he was doing, but I could see the situation quickly escalating in a way that I didn’t want it to. They were both acting like they didn’t have any sense and I just wanted to shake my head to them both. It was a moment where I should have pulled out a ruler so they could measure the manhood that they wanted to compare.

“You are not involved in this pretty boy, so just go up the stairs and wait while the grown-ups talk.”

I couldn’t believe that Joel was acting like the jealous boyfriend. We weren’t together, so where the heck did he get off?

Stephen moved back down two steps and they were in each other’s face. I was about to try to get between them. The first punch flew and I wasn’t getting in the middle of it. I watched as the two men fought for what seemed like an eternity. I tried to stop them by yelling, but there was no way that I was getting involved in another way. It got intense for a few minutes and then finally there was a victor. He grinned up at me and I was speechless. What was I supposed to say? There was no congrats in order for the little stunt and I didn’t return the smile.