Love Thy Neighbour (Friend-Zoned 2)

I get no response to this. Tina simply lifts her head and wails loudly.

Okay, I’m losing my shit freaking out. I’m not really good with emotions. I mean, I have a lot of them, I just don’t know how to address other women’s unexplained ugly cries. I’ve dealt with many versions of Tina, but I have never seen her like this. She’s gone cuckoo bananas. I look around in panic before I get a stupid idea.

Panic!

I run across the room to the counter, fiddle underneath it til I feel the protruding knob and press the panic button. As soon as I press it, relief courses through me knowing Nik will be here in a second to deal with today’s crazy-assed version of my best friend Tina. Not a second later, I cringe as I realize that Asher’s head probably just exploded from the amount of noise that thing causes in The White Rabbit’s security room.

Less than a minute passes before Nik barges through the door and as he opens his mouth to say something, spots an inconsolable Tina with her head raised up to the ceiling, sobbing like a mad woman. I look over at him with a what the fuck expression, but he just sighs deeply and shaking his head, walks over to his wife to wrap her up tight.

My good morning has turned to shit.

I need a drink. Stat.

I gasp in fright when I hear someone whisper in my ear, “Lunch time. Security office. You owe me. I can’t hear shit. ”

Turning, I see Asher wiggling around a finger in his ear trying to clear it. I shoot him an apologetic look before saying, “I panicked. ” His lip curls and he narrows his eyes at me. I raise my hands in surrender before leaning closer to him and hissing, “Would you look at her? I’ve never seen her like that!”

We both turn to look at Nik and Tina. Nik whispers into Tina’s ear. She squeezes him around his waist and nods. She seems calmer and I thank God that I won’t have to deal with Tina crying all day. I love Tina and I hate when she’s upset.

Tina moves away from Nik to face me with a wobbly smile. “Sorry I scared you. Lady issues. ”

Asher and I both say Oh! at the same time. Craziness explained. Poor Tina has her period.

Oh shit.

That means Lola and Mimi will have their period too. That’s how close we all are. The girls’ periods have synced. I don’t get my period because of the PCOS. Do you have any idea what it’s like hanging out with three women who are on their periods at once? Running a hand down my face in woe, I tell her, “That’s okay, babe. I wish you would’ve told me before you went all crazy on my ass. ”

Tina bursts into laughter, looking a little uncomfortable. Her face softens when she steps on her tiptoes to kiss her husband. Looking over, she tells Asher, “No more freak outs. I promise. ” As she holds her fingers up in a scout’s honor before making her way back to the storeroom.

Nik looks over at me wide-eyed, “She’s been a little emotional the last couple of days. I used the wrong fabric softener yesterday and she cried. ” Leaning closer to me, he hisses, “For four hours, Nat! She cried for four hours because I used the wrong fabric softener. When I asked her why this was such a big deal, do you know what she said?”

Shaking my head, he leans back, arms wide and announces, “Bec

ause it smells too flowery. She likes the soft flowers, not the oriental flowers. ” Running a hand through his hair, he goes on, “So I ask her why she buys the oriental flower shit and she says because she liked it at the supermarket but not when she used it on the clothes. So I ask why she doesn’t just throw it away and you know what happened?”

Biting my lip to stop myself from laughing at Nik in his disheveled state, I shake my head once more. He narrows his golden eyes at my twitching lip before telling me, “She gave me the silent treatment all night. But kept forgetting she wasn’t talking to me so all freakin’ night I was getting half sentences thrown at me before she’d narrow her eyes and glare at me! Then the next morning, it’s like nothing happened! I’m losing it, Nat. This close. ”

Covering my face with my hand, I close my eyes as my body shakes with silent laughter. I hear Nik say, “Why did I think I’d get any sympathy from you? Some sister you are. ” Nik wraps his arms around me and chuckles with me. He kisses my forehead. “Next time she freaks out, just call. No more panic button. ” And with that, he and Ash leave. Nik walks ahead and Ash turns back to me and mouths lunch time.

My belly clenches with anticipation.

Is it lunch time yet?

***

Checking my wrist watch, the time reads 12:37pm. If I have to watch her fart-assing around on the CCTV for more than another ten minutes, she’s gonna get it.

A smirk forms on my face.

I would like all too much to give it to her. Mmmm mmmm. That fucking sexy ass draped over my thighs while I make her count it out.

A shudder runs through me.

I don’t really know where my need to be dominant comes from. I’m not a dom or anything. I just like control. The first shrink I ever went to told me it’s because of what happened when I was a kid. It’s my way of taking back some form of control in my chaotic life. As a thank you for diagnosing me, I spanked her then fucked her on her desk. I never went back to therapy, but I was tempted.

Here we go.

Nat exits Safira’s and heads over to The White Rabbit. She disappears from the screen, but I hear the clip clop of her heels a few minutes later. She stops a little too far away but I hear her ask someone, “I need to talk to Ghost in private. Where’s the security room?”