--- Friend: (used as a polite form of address) an acquaintance or a stranger one comes across. ---

Wednesdays had always been my favorite day of the week.

The pressure of having only two days left boosted my productivity, focusing harder on my weekly goals, no matter how much I had worked on Monday or Tuesday. Not to say it was the day when Josh, Max and me tried our best to finish early and spend some quality time together watching movies or simply having dinner together.

I couldn't say the same about that Wednesday. Kenneth had some errands to do and I stayed at home all day, doing my best not to move despite feeling already much better. Weren't it because I wanted to cut short the sprain massaging sessions, I would have gone out for some fresh air, but I couldn't unnecessarily risk breaking the new status quo, in which both of us were trying to be friends, or at least friendly, again.

I was spread out over my bed, arms stretched above my head, legs slightly parted and my hair scattered all around, not even bothering to fix the lose t-shirt that was showing my slightly muscular belly. Fifteen minutes before I had been talking with Max with the phone, letting myself plop into bed like a dead weight once we hung up, hence the position.

I wasn't tired, but I didn't find the will to continue reading or writing a single line more. Talking with Max had only pulled me deeper into my apathetic state, realizing I was going to spend the evening alone, not knowing when Kenneth was going to be back.

I closed my eyes and did a deep intake of air, gathering all of my energies and deciding on shaking a leg for a change.

"Time for delicious food!" Having some words disrupt the silence, even if they were my own, lifted my mood enough to get me out of the day-long slump I was in.

I walked to the kitchen, going through the different possibilities I had and, by the time I entered the room, I had decided on pizza. Wednesdays, pizza and movie were a classic combination, even if I was alone.

I opened the fridge and groaned at the sadness of my reality. Part of Kenneth's errands was doing grocery shopping, which meant: I had no ingredients to cook pizza. Zero. Niente.

I slammed the fridge door shut and proceeded to open the freezer in search for a frozen pizza for a desperate soul. When I only found ice cubes waiting for me, my stomach complained with a loud rumble.

"Looks like my timing is perfect!" The voice, that came from the entrance, was followed by the sound of a door closing.

I felt my cheeks burning and resisted the urge to curse, knowing he would catch that too with his enhanced hearing. Instead, I stepped out of the kitchen to find a ton of bags being carried by Kenneth. I chuckled a bit and stepped closer, helping him on his arduous task of placing every bag carefully on the floor.

"Thanks Riley." He flexed his arms that had become stiff from all the cargo.

Probably the weight was not a problem, but keeping the uncomfortable position for a while had numbed his muscles. Muscles that were tensing and stretching just within my reach, tempting me to massage them, but I focused my attention on the contents of the bags instead.

Once he finished his quick stretching, he pointed at some bags and turned to me with a smile I had seen many times. The gears of his brain had come up with an idea I was probably going to like.

"Dinner and movie?"

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The next day I got out of bed pumped up and ready for the day. My resting period was over and the excitement of finally starting the internship felt like I had chugged a bunch of energy drinks. I did my morning routine and headed to the kitchen, knowing Kenneth would still be in his morning training.

I hit play on my 'Holly Jolly' playlist, making "Here come the sun" flood the room, and busied myself preparing breakfast while the memories of the past evening fluttered in my mind and tummy.

After putting everything in place, I had set my Netflix account while Kenneth arranged the Chinese takeout dinner he had brought. Besides debating about what to watch and a few polite questions about each other's days, we didn't exchange many words until we went to sleep. Nonetheless, the warm feeling I went to bed with still lingered, spilling through my pores and taking shape of a humming tone I wasn't able to stop.

When I had cooked half of the banana pancake batter, the door to the kitchen opened and Kenneth was standing next to me in the span of a second, hovering over the pancakes with longing eyes. The sweet aroma that had been invading my nostrils was replaced by the familiar scent of his sweat, making my throat dry and my body freeze in place.

"Can I assume that there is a portion for me too?" I could see the effort he had to do to rip his eyes from the pancakes and direct them to me, puppy style. Misleading innocent smile and charming dimples included. The whole killer combo.

I opened and closed my mouth a couple of times, not really achieving to make my brain work until the smell of burnt sugar kick-started the motors. I turned to the half-burnt pancake and flipped it over, relieved to see it was still edible.

"Of course, dunce." I rolled my eyes to him and placed the roasted pancake on an empty plate. "Starting from this one!"

He clenched his fist in victory and mouthed a yes while biting his lower lip. It took me a moment to realize I had mirrored him and was biting my own lip myself, managing to regain my composure by the time his hand started reaching for the freshly cooked sweet.

"Hands off the food!" I slapped his hand away and he pouted at me, caressing his hand. "How old are you?" He furrowed his brows and looked down to the pancake, making him look even more childlike. I snickered and gestured towards the door before serving another spoonful of batter on the pan. "Go shower. You can stuff yourself once you are finished."

"Yes ma'am!" I averted my eyes the moment I saw his lips starting to pull into what I was sure would be a charming smile, focusing on the round deliciousness between my hands.

He nudged my side softly and run out of the kitchen, leaving me suppressing the fifteen-year-old inside me that was shrieking in excitement.

We needed a new target. Soon.

By the time Kenneth came back, I had finished preparing breakfast for both of us, orange juice included, and had successfully diverted my attention to what I was going to find in the laboratory.

After barely being able to taste the most important meal of the day, I prepared my things and we headed to the university in complete silence, my mind mulling about how to make a good first impression.

I couldn't say I was the most introverted person I had met, but I wasn't exactly a social bee. I started twisting my fingers nervously when Kenneth's hand landed on top of mine, dragging me back to reality. We were parked in the campus and he was looking at me with a knowing smile.

"Does anyone need a bag of jitter glitter?" His amused tone was enough to wash away the uneasiness and replace it with anger.

"You prick!" I muttered, freeing my hands and pushing him against the door. He laughed wholeheartedly and I huffed, grabbing my bag and stepping outside, not wasting a second before heading to the building.

"Riley, wait!" I could hear him shouting and the sound of the car door slamming shut, but I didn't turn around and opened the door, stepping inside.

I felt a smirk creeping on my lips when I heard the hurried footsteps approaching me. Soon, Kenneth was grabbing my wrist and compelling me to stop. I put an annoyed face and looked at him over my shoulder.

"Don't do that again. You cannot be alone." He was no longer enjoying the situation and a deep frown marred his handsome face.

"It was just a minute, Kenneth, nothing will..."

"Not minute, not a second, Riley." He was now my bodyguard and he was accepting no arguments.

I nodded and jerked my hand away from his grip, rearranging the bag on my shoulder and continuing my walk to the laboratory, silence drifting once again between us.

Once we arrived to the laboratory and we were greeted by Professor Kalita, it took me a couple of embarrassing minutes until I convinced Kenneth to leave the place, promising to contact him if I finished earlier and to wait for him to arrive. Not arriving to the campus, but to the lab door.

I felt like a kid.

When he was finally gone, I gave the professor an apologetic smile, but he brushed it off and left for his desk, muttering something about a perfect sentence for his paper. Before I could move from my spot, the door to one of the clean rooms opened and a tall, chocolate-colored skin girl walked in.

"You're the new girl!" She padded confidently to me and offered me a hand while winking. She had beautiful gray eyes framed by long eyelashes that combined perfectly with her plump lips. "I'm Gabriella Bennet. Post-doctorate in Professor Shanto's laboratory. I specialize in the development of pain killers."

"Riley Turner. Hopefully in the final year of my doctorate. I'm researching a new compound I've been developing. You know, profiling its actions, effectiveness, side-effects, interactions and all that." I grabbed her hand and enjoyed the warmth she was giving off.

"Looks like a job to do with Professor Shanto." She winked once again before breaking off the handshake and gestured to the door with a grin dotting her lips. "Now, who was the Adonis?"

"That is my..." My what? My life-long crush? My flat-mate? My bodyguard?

I stumbled over my words. The girl looked genuinely like a person I would get along with, but I was not ready to give Kenneth away. Even less to compete for him. Not against someone that was way above my level. Still, I had no dibs on him and it wasn't good to lie just after meeting someone.

"He's my childhood friend." The words left my lips slowly, making me cringe at the reality that was attached to them the moment they were pronounced.

Gabriella quirked her eyebrow and tilted her head while studying my face for a couple of seconds before shrugging her shoulders and turning around.

"All righty! I heard from the professor that your seat is next to Louis'. Do not wait for him, he's not much of a morning person."

She walked back to the clean room, not giving me a second look, making my heart sink deeper and deeper with each step she took. So far with the good first impressions.

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Gabriella wasn't wrong when she said Louis wasn't a morning person. It was a little before lunch time when the door opened and a voice interrupted the calm of the laboratory.

"Good morning everyone!" A very dark skinned man entered the room and made a reverence with a flourish the moment our eyes met. "Louis Whiteman at your service, milady."

Someone looked like he got a screw loose someplace.

Without moving, I gave Gabriella a confused look and she took off her headphones instantly, giving Louis a pointed glare.

"Blockhead, do not go scaring her right off the bat! Can't you just be normal for a day?"

"Why would I? Normal is boring." He rolled his eyes and waved his hand, discarding her suggestion.

"Well, Riley, you heard that." Gabriella looked back at me and swirled her index finger pointing at her temple, mouthing 'totally mental' while doing so.

I laughed at her words and turned back to see Louis approaching me, showcasing a perfectly white and symmetric set of teeth. I stretched out my hand when he was close enough and he took it into a strong grip.

"Riley Turner. Doctorate student and no lady, thank you." I could hear the faint giggle from Gabriella and felt my smile grow a little bigger. Maybe I was better at second impressions.

"As you please, Riley." He winked slowly, pulling my hand up and placing a kiss on the back before finally letting go. "What a fortunate man I am, being able to work among two beauties."

He wasn't hiding his flirtatious ways and I felt a bit bashful being in the center of his attentions. I wasn't really interested and the idea of having to reject his approaches put me in an uncomfortable position. Not like he wasn't handsome. He was pretty muscular, with a defined jaw and full lips, all added to very dark and deep brown eyes. Literally eye-candy if it weren't because I was already hooked on someone else.

"Stop it Louis, you're making the girl obviously uncomfortable." Gabriella was now next to us and had placed a hand on my shoulder, making me feel relieved for the help. "We're going for lunch now; are you coming?"

My head snapped to her and she winked at me, indicating to follow the flow. She was definitely friend material. I needed to explain better why I was so weird in the morning.

"I just ate breakfast, the best meal of the day, so I'll pass." He looked once again at me and flashed me a smile. "I'll be joining on tomorrow instead."

"Yeah, sure, like you can wake up." Gabriella rolled her eyes and laced her arm with mine, pulling me away, to the door. "When Professor Shanto comes back, tell him we went ahead!"

Without waiting for a response, she opened the door and we stepped outside still chained together. That was way more physical contact than what I was used to and I couldn't help staring at our arms while heading to the cafeteria.

"Oh, is it uncomfortable?" She released the grip immediately and gave me a shy smile. "I am sorry; it is my Brazilian blood. I tend to be very touchy-feely with the people I like. If you don't like it, tell me and I will try to control it, but I can't promise anything."

She laughed loudly and I joined her, happy to see we hadn't started on the wrong foot.

"It's just new. I am not used to it, but it's not like I don't like it."

"Brill!" She smiled widely, sparks appearing in her icy eyes and snuggled back next to me.

"And that was your British blood?" I guessed, making her roll her eyes and swipe a tress of her curly hair behind her shoulder.

"Yep. Half British, half Brazilian, 26 year old, single, little ol' me'. My friends call me Gabby." She opened the door to the cafeteria and let me go in first. "What about you?"

"Not that exotic." I pondered for a second while we walked to the trays and I handed her one. "My ancestors were from England too. 24 year old, single. My friends call me Rie."

Inspecting the lunch menu, I realized I wasn't going to have the best meal of my life. Still, we picked something and ate while doing some small talk, heading back to the laboratory after finishing. When we entered, we saw Professor Kalita and Louis immersed in a conversation, so we just went back to our seats. When I was about to focus again on my schedule for the next experiments, I heard Gabriella calling me.

"Rie, if you want, tomorrow we can go out to a café that has way better food and is very cozy. It is also a bit more expensive, but I love the place and you will probably like it too."

"You had me at 'way better food'."

I winked at her and she smile at me, mouthing a 'great' before placing her headphones back and turning to her computer.

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During the afternoon, I could finish the experiment's schedule for the month, double checking it with Professor Kalita. He was very excited to see I was ready to jump into the experimentation, but it was basically what I had to come here for. The facilities of the laboratory were perfect for my research.

When I was about to organize the first compounds, a knock on the door reminded me it was already time. I checked quickly the clock on the wall and put everything back into place, grabbing my bag and heading to the door before anyone answered it for me.

I said my goodbyes before opening the door and sneaked outside like a flash. For no reason in special.

Kenneth looked at me confused, trying to peep behind inside, but I closed the door and stayed in front of him, blocking his access to the door knob.

"Let's go!" My heart was pounding a mile a minute, knowing my behavior was not normal but wishing for him to let it go.

"Shouldn't I greet Professor Kalita too?"

"You saw him this morning." He frowned a bit and I continued, cursing the high pitch in my voice. "And he is very busy right now, it's fine."

I grabbed his wrist and started pulling him away, glad that he decided to just follow me, as I wasn't remotely strong enough to really move him if he didn't want to be moved.

We walked down the halls with me setting a pretty fast pace, wanting to be out of there and be rid of the guilt that was consuming me. When we finally arrived to the car and we were buckling up, he decided to break the silence.

"So, how was your day?"

"Perfect." I was looking to the front and waiting for him to turn the gas on, but he was waiting for something more, so I gave in. "I made some new friends."

"That's great." His voice sounded a bit forced, probably he wasn't really that interested in knowing. "Maybe I can meet them tomorrow."

The moment I was dreading came faster than expected.

"Yes, maybe..."

A/N 

Well, I promised a longer chapter and here it is! (─‿─)
I hope you liked it enough to hit the star and enlighten me with your thoughts, I'm always more than happy to read you comments! 

Next week, more! (-ω-ゞ
Don't forget to wash your hand and stay at home!