What About Your Friends

Mini Bonus Post

What about your friends? Will they stand their ground? Will they let you down again? What about your friends? Are they gonna be low down? Will they ever be around or will they turn their backs on you?- What About Your Friends by TLC


I kept walking even as she called my name. I couldn't believe her! I vented to her about Derek. Did she go back and talk to him about everything? Who all knew? Why didn't she tell me?

"Lily-" I stopped when I got outside.

"Why didn't you tell me?" I asked calmly. I really just wanted to understand.

"Because we didn't tell anyone but Ann. You know the policy on fraternizing. We didn't want to make it a big deal."

"So why tell me now?"

"Cause I hated lying to you. I do consider you my friend. Derek just thought it will be best if you didn't know, but now that he gave his notice, it's not going to be an issue."

"Did you ever talk to him about me?" I asked.

She nodded. When I scoffed angrily, she explained.

"It was always in general, what I thought about you. Then later on to defend you." Jordan said.

"Defend me?" I asked, outraged. Calm was fucking out the window. "You're the reason why I needed defending. I told you stuff I would have never told you if I knew it would be pillow talk with my boss!!!"

"He had a bad opinion about you before we even talked!" Jordan stated.

"So what? He sent you to spy?" I deflected back on her. I knew it was a stretch when it came out my mouth.

"Ohmigod Lily. No! You asked me to hang out, remember? I just thought he got the wrong idea about you. Which I was right and he agreed." Jordan finished.

"I just... I just can't right now. I gotta go." I said.

I got into my car and sped off. My mind was racing. I was thinking about every conversation I ever had with her. I was trying to find missing clues and incriminating evidence that Jordan had been spying for Derek.

I was still fuming when I called Jake.

"Hey Cariño."

"Hey. Are you at home?" I asked Jake.

"No. I'm still at work. I'm waiting for an officer to show up."

"Oh. Ok." I said.

"He should be here in the next 30 minutes. Wanna meet me for dinner?" He asked

"I'm sorry babe, I'm not in a real social mood. Just had some work drama."

He sighed. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing I can't handle. Enjoy your dinner. I'll talk to you later." I said, getting off the phone.

 Not going lie, I was a little put off by him sighing. I went home and took a long hot shower. I then went to bed. I hadn't even eaten and the sun was still out. I grabbed my phone.

"Hey Lily." Ethan answered the phone on the second ring.

"I need work advice." I said simply. I called Ethan cause I admired his cool and reasonable reactions to everything. Yes, it drove me up all wall, but this situation required it. Rocky would have blown up at being lied to. Trevor would have laughed it off. So I called Ethan.

"Ok. What's going on?" he asked, questioningly.

"What would you do if you found out your work friend was dating your boss?"

"That would be surprising considering they all are mostly married or male, but as long as it didn't affect the work place, it would be a non-issue." Ethan replied.

"I just made a complete ass of myself." I moaned.

"Explain."

"Jordan, the nurse you met at my housewarming. She told me she had something to tell me and I might have gotten the idea that she was admitting her feelings for me. So I turned her down. Then, she told me not only did she not like me like that, but she's dating Derek, my boss, who just announced he's leaving." I moaned.

Ethan was silent. "Hello?" I asked.

Next thing I knew, I heard a chuckle over the phone.

"Ethan! It's not funny!" I said, holding back my smile.

"I know. I'm sorry. I can't believe you turned her down before she even asked you out." He chuckled.

"I wouldn't have embarrassed myself if she would have told me the truth. I talked about him! I think I might have called him an ass once or twice."

"I'm sure the way their relationship works is by keeping work at work."

"No. She told me she talked to him about me. Apparently he had a bad opinion of me before I met her." I said.

"Did he have a reason to?"

I thought about. Really really thought about it.

"Yes." I admitted to Ethan and to myself. I sighed. "I called off on a weekend I was on call. I had Christy cover for me and she's super close with Derek. I even went over Derek's head on things. Not to mention when I moved back I was focused on moving and you- uh, I mean, and other things too. Urgh. I suck." I lamented.

"You don't suck Lily and you're not going to have to worry about his opinion for much longer. Just focus on work. And in the future, don't talk negatively to anyone that works with you. I'm here if you need to vent. It's the least I can do for distracting you." Ethan told me.

I smiled. "I'm just not looking forward to tomorrow. It's gonna be so weird with Jordan." I said.

"If she's a good friend, y'all will get over it." He said.

"Thanks Ethan." I said.

"No problem. Thank you for the laugh." He said.

"I'm glad my life is so entertaining for you."

My phone beeped, indicating another call. I pulled away to see it was Jake. "Alright. I'll let you go. Have a goodnight Ethan."

"You too." He said, before I clicked over.

"Hello?"

"Hey. Come open the door." He said.

I got out of bed and opened the door. I saw him standing there with Whataburger takeout bags.

"I brought you dinner." He said.

I smiled." Thanks babe."

We went and set up in the living room.

"So what's going on at your job?" Jake asked.

"Nothing. Just a non-issue." I answered, before digging into my food.

Before Jake and I went to bed, I texted Jordan.

Me- Thanks for telling me the truth. Sorry I freaked out.

Jordan called me back.

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you sooner." She started.

"Don't be. That was y'all's choice. Can we just put this behind us? Especially the whole I just like you as a friend thing?" I asked.

Jordan laughed. "Yes. And I've learned my lesson. I'll never make a lesbian joke again."

I laughed. "See you tomorrow."

"See ya!"