I scowled at Margot and Emmanual who sat directly opposite me. We were all sitting around the dining room table and the sound of knives and forks on plates filled the room.

Mr Saunders was jabbing on about some new feature they're adding to the bathrooms at his work. I didn't even bother to listen, my focus was solely on Emmanual.

Margot kept glancing up at me then looking back down at her plate. Emmanual didn't even notice my glares as he was listening happily to Mr Saunders.

"Riley?"

I didn't hear the sound of my name I was too busy glaring at the two fools in front of me.

Claire lightly nudged my shoulder.

I looked up at Mrs Saunders was looking earnestly in my direction. "Are you okay? You've barely eaten a thing."

I looked down at my plate. It was true, I'd barely touched it. Everyone else was more than halfway through their meal. I'd spent the past 30 minutes rolling a piece of broccoli around my plate.

I smiled at her. "Yes I'm alright." I lied and convincingly put a large mouthful of potatoe in my mouth.

As I sat there chewing with my cheeks stuffed. I thought of another way to approach the happy couple.

I swallowed.

"So Emmanual," I said trying to slide into smooth conversation. Margot immediately looked up at me. "You're Margot's boyfriend?"

Emmanual beamed at me. "Yep." He said proudly.

"That's cool." The niceness dripped from my mouth like poison from a snakes fangs. "How long have you been together?"

Margot gritted her teeth and glared in my direction.

Emmanual took my question smoothly. "Well I've known Margot most of my life. But I only worked up the guts to ask her out last week."

"Aw that's so sweet." I drawled. I turned my focus to Margot but still directed my voice to Emmanual. "It must be nice knowing someone for that long. Because then," I looked specifically at Margot for this, "You have a deep connection. With trust... And honesty, you wouldn't LIE to each other!"

Margot kicked my leg hard under the table. I yelped out loud.

Mr and Mrs Saunders looked in my direction.

"Riley are you okay?" Mrs Saunders asked, concerned.

"Yep I'm fine." I winced getting up from the table. "I just need to use the bathroom quickly."

"Sure." Mrs Saunders pointed. "Up the stairs and first door on your lef-"

I left the room before she'd finished, I knew exactly where the bathroom was.

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Slowly, I scooped up a handful of water and washed my face.
I looked at myself in the giant oval mirror in front of me.

What was even I doing? I'd come to dinner for Claire's sake not to mess around with Emmanual and Margot.

"Thanks for that."

I turned and saw Margot leaning against the door frame with her arms crossed.

I sighed and looked back at the mirror. "Thanks for kicking me in the shin." I muttered.

Margot marched up to me. "You have no right to be jealous!"

"You're right! I don't!" I crossed the room and snacthed a towel off the rack. "But you know," I saw putting my face in the towel and drying it. "I came here today for a reason okay!"

She looked at me, waiting for me to explain. I sighed and took a breath.

"I wanted to tell you that I like you too." I confessed. I walked over to the bathtub and sat down on the side. My heart was beating a hundred beats per second. I could feel Margot's eyes looking intensely at me. "I -I think you're cool... and smart." I smiled weakly up at her. "At first my motivation for coming to your house was just Claire. I only wanted to see her and be around her," Margot rolled her eyes, "But then something changed. I started coming every Friday because I like to hang out with you." I looked down at my palms. "It wasn't even about Claire anymore. I just didn't realise it."

"Yeah well."  Margot sat down next to me. "I guess that's what happens when you're obsessed with someone for three years."

I looked at her, into her startling green eyes. I really wished that I could call her mine.

"Margot I like you." I said again. "I like the way you think. I like the way your face gets a scrunched up when you're annoyed or concentrating." I chuckled, she tried to hide a smile. "I like that you're real, you don't have time for crap."

Margot grinned and nodded. "That's true."

I looked at her for a few seconds. "Then why are you with Emmanual?"

"I don't know." She shook her head. "For security I guess. He kind, he's helpful... And I know he'll stay, he won't just get tired of me decide to leave."

"I wouldn't do that!"

Margot just bit her lip.

"Margot you know that I wouldn't just get bored of you and leave!"

"Like you did with Claire?"

I stared at her, opened mouthed. She seriously thought that I would just dump her for someone I liked more!

"Claire was different..." I tried to explain.

"Right, okay-" She said standing up, wanting to leave. I stood up too.

"Margot and Riley! Pudding is served!" Mrs Saunders called from downstairs.

"Coming!" I called back and then turned my attention back to Margot.

"Margot I -" I tired.

"Riley," Margot's eyes found anywhere else to look except at me. "I think we should take some time apart."

A lump formed in my throat. Margot wanted us to stop seeing each other for a while?

"Time apart?"

"Yes."

I looked at the floor, then back at her. "Okay then!" I said bluntly. Then without giving Margot a second look, I turned and walked out of the bathroom.

Margot wanted to spend time apart? That was fine with me!