"Rory. Is everything alright with you?" 

Rory murmurs something in response.

"Leave the dishes and look at me. Now talk to me. What's bothering you?"

"I'm seeing someone." 

I feel guilty for listening to this, but I can hear Rory talking with her mother all the way from the kitchen. I had the pleasure to meet Rory's parents today as she took me to lunch at their house. They're really amazing people and I can see now where Rory gets it from. 

"A man?" her mother asks her. 

There's no response from Rory.

"But ... is it serious?" Her mother asks.

"No. It's not serious. Not really." I sit up a bit straighter now where I'm watching the TV with Rory's dad. 

"But you want it to be serious," he mother confirms.

Rory murmurs something in response I can't catch.

"Ah, baby girl. Have you tried to talk to him about this?" 

"No. It's really complicated between us."

I almost snort at that. My brother is known to complicate things, especially with women, girl.

"It's only complicated if you make it that way, sweetheart. If you want this to work, you have to talk to him. Tell him how you feel, because he can't know how you feel if you don't tell him." I want to applaud Darlene. But I doubt she would give that advice to her daughter if she met my brother. I think she would tell her to stay the hell away from him, in fact. 

"But the thing is, he doesn't want a relationship. Not with me, not with anyone else, and he told me that many, many times."

I close my eyes at Rory's words, hearing the pain she says this with.

"Brooke? Are you alright?"

I quickly open my eyes to find Bob, Rory's dad, watching me with concern. "Yes. Yes, I'm fine." I give him a tight smile. I've felt bad the whole day after the scene I had with Rory yesterday. I shouldn't have said those words to her. Or to Aaron. But he's yet another story. And then Rory introduced me to her parents as her good friend ... 

"Talk to him. Maybe he feels the same way," Darlene suggests. "And if things go right, I'd like to meet this mysterious man." I smile to myself a bit. Honestly, when was the last time Braden met the parents of a woman he was dating?

 Darlene comes out of the kitchen minutes later, carrying drink for each of us. I pretend I'm engrossed in the TV show that's currently playing on the flat screen. 

"Ah, Brooke. I'm sorry if we've neglected you too much." Darlene eyes her husband who's more interested in the TV than what's going on around him. "You're one year older than Rory, aren't you?" she asks nonchalantly. 

I nod, gratefully taking the drink she offers and take a small sip. 

"Is there any man in your life?"

I blink at her a few times.

"Darlene, darling, you're a bit too curious." Bob smiles reassuringly to me and I have to bite my lip not to burst out laughing.

"It's fine. No. No, I'm not seeing anyone currently." I look down, avoiding both of their eyes.

"Do you have any siblings?" 

"Yes. A brother." Who is the reason your daughter has got so many problems in her life. I keep 

"That's nice. Is he older?" Darlene keeps her questions coming. 

I answer a few more questions they have before Rory comes to the room. I look at her with worry, her conversation she had with her mother coming back into my mind. I wonder if my brother actually makes her happy ... 

Rory looks at me in confusion. I remind myself she doesn't know I heard their conversation, so I divert my eyes on Rory's father who asked me yet another question.

Rory sits down and we stay there for a few more hours. Rory checks her phone a few times and every time she does, a frown marked her face. I look at her with worry, but Rory tries really hard to hide her emotions. I think Braden hadn't called or texted her since yesterday. Dear God, my brother knows how to be an asshole. And he does it really well.

When it's time to head back home, Rory says warm goodbyes to both of her parents. They both tell me I should come visit with Rory more times and I tell them I'd be delighted actually makes me a little sad, seeing Rory with her parents, knowing I don't have mine anymore. 

When Rory and I are sitting in the car, I turn to her with a frown on my face. "I hope you won't be mad, but I heard what you and your mum talked about in the kitchen."

Rory's whole body becomes tense and her eyes widen. She exhales, slowly and quietly. "What exactly did you hear?"

"Everything," I say apologetically. 

"Okay, so you've heard. Can you promise me you're not telling Braden a word about that conversation?" she asks with an uncertain voice.

"I'm not telling him anything, because you are," I say calmly.

Rory turns her head in my direction and shakes it. "No. I'm not telling him anything, Brooke," she denies with great effort.

I cross my arms in front of my chest. "Rory, seriously? It won't kill you if you tell him your feelings, Jesus." I sigh exasperatedly. 

"It might," she murmurs. "What Braden and I have is our thing and it's no one's business, so please, let me deal this by my own."

I groan out. "Fine! But you're going to be sorry one day, Rory." I would know all about the regret of not telling someone how I feel ... 

   ◊   

The following week passes drama-free. I went out to lunch with my girls and we went to the bar on Friday. Aaron wasn't working and I was kind of disappointed because I owed him an apology - a really big one. This whole week, I felt bad for what I said to him. I didn't mean it, but that doesn't make it okay. 

Rory's also been pretty distant this week and it's probably because Braden was ignoring her. Well, he said he isn't ignoring her the few times I spoke to him on the phone, but I was not stupid. I called him precisely to ask him what the fuck is he thinking and where the hell is he. 

He said he's got too much work, but I saw right through his bullshit. He was stubborn as ever. And I told him if he plans to be a jerk, he's going to lose Rory for good. 

But I see Braden on Sunday morning, walking into my kitchen like he owns it. I lift my eyebrow at the lack of clothing, but thank God he's at least wearing jeans. "I see you finally stopped being a jackass. Nice."

"Jesus!" Braden says, almost crashing into the wall behind him. He didn't see me sitting in the kitchen, I guess. 

I lift my shoulder into a shrug. "I won't say that I'm sorry since it's my kitchen."

"Yeah, I wouldn't expect anything less from you," Braden says dryly, going to work to prepare a breakfast. 

My eyebrows come almost all the way to my hairline. "Since when are you cooking for your girlfriends?" I purposefully emphasise the last word, clearly mocking him.

Braden, however, stays unbothered and in an awfully good mood. I don't even want to think why that is.

Rory walks into the kitchen soon after with only a sheet wrapped around her body and her cheeks flushed. I can't hide the smile when I see her.

"Morning," she greets me with a high-pitched voice. 

Braden turns around as he hears her and when he sees me standing at the doorway, gripping the sheet tight around myself, his face breaks out in amusement. Rory only narrows her eyes at him in response.

"Good morning, Rory," I say with a teasing voice. Rory turns her narrowed stare on me instead. "I'd ask you if you slept well, but from the looks of it, you didn't do much of sleeping." I grin widely while Rory blushes a deep shade of red.

I hear Braden laugh. 

She clears her throat. "Yeah, uhm ... I'll go put some clothes on and I'll come back."

"Don't bother," Braden says before she can emerge from the kitchen.

"What?" she says.

"Don't bother," he repeats himself, not even turning around from the stove.

"Don't bother with putting my clothes on or don't bother with coming back?" she explains the previously said question.

He turns around this time, completely. "With both."

I watch with interest at how intense they stare at each other for some long minutes, neither of them breaking their gaze. I feel like an intruder, that's how powerful their stare across the small space it. Jesus. 

When I put my mug down, I unintentionally break their spell as Rory looks at me. She doesn't say anything as she escapes back to her room. I narrow my eyes at Braden's back, his eyes following Rory out of the room.

"Hey, Braden? A quick question," I interrupt his stare.

He glances at me before focusing back to the stove. "Hmm?" he murmurs distantly.

"Are you in love with Rory?"

Braden drops the spatula loudly and I hear him exhale, his muscles on his back tensing. He doesn't turn around when he answers, "What made you think that?"

I snort. "Uhm, what didn't?" 

Braden is standing still for some moments before he shakes his head. "No, Brooke. You know it's not like that between us." 

Trust me, I know. But do you? "Uh-huh," I mumble unconvincingly. I drink the rest of my coffee and prepare for the day, planning to leave the lovebirds to themselves.

   ◊     

When I come back home, I find Rory and Braden cuddling on the couch in the living room. It makes me only roll my eyes as I go past them and order a take out for everyone.

We all curl on the couch in front of the TV.

"I just don't get it," Braden says again, making me roll my eyes in frustration. "Wasn't Elena with Stefan at first? And now she's with his brother?"

"Yes, she was. But she fell in love with Damien and she's with him now," Rory explains patiently. 

We were watching The Vampire Diaries, even though my brother was grumpy about it. But it was two against one, so ... he could be grumpy all he wanted to be. And he actually was, talking through the whole episode.

"That's kind of stupid. And just wrong on so many levels," Braden says again, frowning.

Rory huffs the air out of her mouth. "It's not a real life, Braden. It's a fiction, okay?"

"But -"

"Oh, shut up or I'll make you! For fuck's sake," I grumble, having enough of him interrupting every few minutes.

Braden narrows his eyes on me. "Language, Brooke," he warns.

I narrow my eyes back. "I'm not five. You can't command me." We have a stare down for a while before I finally give up and turn my attention back on the TV. "Just - stay quiet from now on, okay?" I mutter, putting the chips in my mouth and chew it angrily. 

     ◊       

Mondays always make me anxious for some reason. Or it's just this Monday. The whole day I'm at work, I can't stop thinking that something is going to happen.

Rory visited me at work before and I heard she had troubles with her credit card. I don't know what happened, but we had a nice chat and the one that made me think.

''Rory?''

''Brooke!'' Rory greets, a faint of a blush spreading on her cheeks for I don't know what reason.

I go closer to her. ''What a nice surprise! Can I help you with anything?'' 

''Uh ...'' She looks around the shop.''Not really, I'm just ... looking around.'' She turns to face me. ''And I came to pay you a visit. I'm bored to death at home!'' she complains.

I roll my eyes and laugh. ''Maybe if you had a normal job like the rest of us, you wouldn't have that problem ...'' I drag out, still laughing, but my eyes are serious.

Rory glares at me. ''Not you too!'' she exclaims, groaning out. ''Besides, what is wrong with my job?'' 

''Nothing's wrong with your job,'' I explain slowly, carefully choosing my words so I don't come off as rude because I certainly don't mean it like that. I frown. ''That sounded so wrong. God, Rory, I'm sorry. I didn't mean your job isn't normal or there's something wrong with it, but have you ever considered working different hours? I mean I can see so much potential in you. You're smart and young and you have a bright future ahead of you. You could do so much with your life.''

Her eyes get even smaller, studying me. ''Why do I think that Braden has something with this?'' she asks me slowly, still glaring at me.

I sigh and look down at my feet. I clear my throat and look back at her, giving her a smile. ''That's not important.'' Braden might have said something about being frustrated with not being able to see his 'girlfriend' as much as he would like to ... 

She cocks her head to the side. ''It is to me, B. I don't know ...I don't know why would you try so hard for me to leave the bar. I like working there ...'' 

I think about her words for a second before I nod my head. ''I won't push you, Rory. It's your decision, anyway, but I really hope you think about it. Just know that if you need any help, come to me. Or Braden. We will both help you without a second thought.''

I see the tears starting to well up in her eyes. ''Oh, what the hell,'' she says as she throws herself at me and wraps her arms tightly around me. She takes me by surprise because I didn't expect her to do this and I stumble back by the force, but I quickly wrap my arms around her in a tight hug. ''Thank you so much, Brooke. I'm so grateful I have you in my life.''

I tighten my arms around her, my throat closing off. ''Don't thank me for that, Rory. I'm grateful God sent me you.'' I pull back from the hug. ''God, I thank God every night that he sent you in my and Braden's life.''

She smiles at the last statement. ''If anyone should be thanking someone here, it should be me. I love you both and you both became a part of my heart in a short time.'' She softly smiles.

My eyes widen at her confession.

I love you both ...

''Oh, God ...'' she groans to herself, her face going completely pale.

I try to smile reassuringly. ''It's okay. I know about your feelings towards Braden and I promised you I won't say anything.'' I open my mouth to say something else, but change my mind and press my lips tightly together in a straight line, thinking about our conversation with Braden on Sunday morning.

Too bad Rory won't confess her feeling to my brother. If he heard it, he might realise his own feelings for her, too. Who knows ... 

Rory lowers her eyes. ''Thank you. I really appreciate it,'' she says in a small voice.

There's an awkward silence between us. ''Well!'' I say too cheerfully, my voice high and loud. I cringe a bit and interlace my hands together in a business-like mode. ''I need to go back to work. You're welcome to look around and try on anything you might like. And if you need help, just search for me.'' I wink and turn on my heel, going to the next customers.

I guess Mondays are fateful for me because Aaron shows up at my store yet again when I'm finished with my work. And I realise my sixth sense about today wasn't off. I'm so shocked to see him again, it leaves me speechless. And that rarely happens. "Aaron. Hi," I breathe out when I take slow, cautious steps towards him. 

He's got his hands in his jeans pockets, rocking on his feet. "You know, I think I should really get your phone number," he says lightly, cracking a smile. 

I let out a small chuckle. "Yeah, I think it would be time now." 

Aaron nods, awkwardly looking around himself as if he doesn't know what to say or do. "Wanna grab a coffee?" I offer, cocking my head to the side. I feel how awkward the air around is and I hate it. 

"Yeah. Sure." 

We go to the same café we went to the first time, this becoming almost our ritual when we see each other. 

When we put our order, Aaron starts to apologise. "Brooke, I'm really sorry for -" 

I cut him off right there with my hand up in my air. "Shut up. It's me who has to apologise. You flirting with Rory - that was not a nice thing to do, not even if you were joking. But me saying those words to you at the bar ..." God, I can't even say them out loud again, although I didn't have any trouble when I was drunk. "That was completely uncalled for and totally mean. I have no excuse for it, literally none, because I realise it's never okay to say those words to someone, even if you're joking or even when you're completely pissed at them. So, I'm sorry, Aaron. I was a bitch and I'd completely understand if you never forgive me." 

Aaron's mouth perks up in one corner. "You were a bitch to me because I was an asshole to you. It's all forgotten on my part. I'm ready to leave that behind us if you're willing to?" he asks hopefully. 

To think I almost ruined all my chances with the first guy I like after three years of me hating men ... I nod and smile to Aaron. "Yes, okay. I like the sound of that." 

Aaron sits back in the chair with a relieved smile. "You know, I'm really starting to like you." 

I lift my eyebrow. "Oh?" I ask. "I thought you already liked me ..." 

Aaron secretively winks at me, his eyes full of mischief. I shake my head to myself, happy that this thing between us is solved now. 

"If I remember correctly, I made you an offer when I came to visit you ... Did you give it any thought?" 

I smirk at him. "Perhaps ..." I trail off, purposefully dropping my eyes down to the table. 

Aaron leans forward, his forearms flat on the table. "Well? What is it?" he prompts. 

I smile at him suggestively, showing him with my finger to come forward. I put my finger on his collar and trace the material with it while gazing at his eyes. I see how his Adam's apple moves when he swallows. "I say we try with this thing between us." 

Oh, Brooke, honey ... what are you doing girl ...