Categories > Original > Humor > Five Minute Soap Dish
Week 44
“So…..” Steve started, not entirely certain what to say to Gia for once.
“Yeah…” Gia answered, equally uncertain what to say back.
“Well, look, um, I’m sorry. I’m sorry about yesterday,” Steve said, “Me barging in on your private life. That was totally your business.”
“No, no, don’t apologise,” Gia said, “I actually came here to apologise to you. I mean, for once you were actually trying to help me and I accused you and Kelly and trying to break me and Mark up.”
“Well, actually, we kind of did want you and Mark to break up, but only if he didn’t have a valid reason for being at the bar. Otherwise, what we really wanted was for you to know the truth.“ Steve started, feeling a bit guilty.
“But for once it was for a good reason. He was cheating on me, repeatedly and regularly. But that’s over now. I spoke to Mark two nights back, and he admitted it. It’s over between us,” she explained.
Steve’s eyes lit up with this, but tried to cover his joy, by replacing in with fraternal comforting.
“I’m sorry to hear that. I know he was cheating on you, but I know you really cared about him,” he said, walking towards her, arms outstretched for a hug.
“What are you doing?” Gia asked.
“You need some comforting. I think you need a hug,” Steve explained.
“No, thank you. Kelly was quite sufficient in comforting me last night,” Gia said, then saw Steve’s amused expression, “Stop thinking like that!”
“Sorry. Still hard to switch off.”
Gia shook her head to try and concentrate on what she wanted to say, “Anyway, I didn’t just come here to apologise. I want to make it clear, Steve, I don’t have the same feelings you have for me. I know that. And I doubt I’ll ever have them. I don’t love you, to put it plainly.”
Steve’s cheeriness instantly dropped.
“But, I have misjudged you recently. You have changed. You’re no longer an arsehole only caring about himself. You do care about me, and Kelly and Nick of course. You’re not vindictive, and you’re actually helping out others without having to help out yourself,” Gia rambled, “Anyway, what I’m really trying to say is…can we be friends now?”
She held out a hand. Steve reached out the grab it, but Gia suddenly pulled away.
“Just to be clear though, this isn’t a pathway into a relationship. All I want from you is friendship, and that’s all I’ll get. I’m definitely not interested in a relationship right now, what I need is friends to keep me company. Okay?”
Steve shrugged, “Fine.”
“One last time. We’re never going to sleep together-got it?”
“Just let me shake on it, Gia!” Steve said.
Gia smiled and held out her hand. Steve shook it firmly.
“Friends then. Great,” Steve said. The handshake ended he began to look around nervously, wondering what to do next.
“Oh, I’ve got some more good news,” Gia added.
“What’s that?”
“I’ll be rejoining you in the radio booth next week,” Gia said, then quickly added, “I mean, to do the program. Not to get locked in there again.”
She let out a nervous laugh. Steve joined in, but ended quickly, looking awkward at each other.
“Well, with Mark gone, and my flatmates out of town, I thought I needed some sort of social interaction. Otherwise, I’ll stay in my flat, doing nothing but watching bad movies.”
“If that’s referring to me,” Steve said, “That’s wrong. Nick was watching the films too, and he was saying they were classics.”
Gia smiled. But Steve didn’t say anything else.
“How did you like the movie?”
“Hey, it was totally Nick’s choice. I wanted to watch Snakes on a Plane. Snakes killing a bunch of people. Nothing about sex crazed ghosts,” Steve said, defending his reputation.
“Oh, no doubt. And I guess you were totally refusing to watch the movie,” Gia smirked, “Absolutely refused to be linked to such a disgusting picture.”
“Well, I tried to protest it. But you know Nick, he does insist.”
“And probably by the lesbian scene you gave up completely?” Gia suggested.
Steve smiled at that, “Hey-I am a man. I’ve never claimed to be anything else.”
Gia had no response to that, and unfortunately Steve didn’t either. After a continuing silence, Gia laughed a bit and said, “Well, I hope this is going to get less awkward. I mean, it’s not the easiest thing to do-talking with a guy who told you he loves you.”
“Well, I guess not. But if you can put up with the awkwardness for a little while longer, I’m sure I can switch off any feelings I had,” Steve said, “Being a friend to someone I was attracted too…well it’s not easy, and it’s not something I’ve tried frequently, let alone succeed at, as you’ve probably realised by me having Kelly as my one female friend. Anyway, it’ll be awkward for a while, but I’m sure we’ll get over it soon enough.”
Gia said nothing. Steve, hating himself as he decided to send her way, looked at his watch and said, “Anyway, I hate to rush you, but it is getting late.”
“Isn’t it?” Gia said, showing her pleasure at this a little too easily.
“Yeah, well, I’ll see you night after tomorrow, right?”
“Yep. I’ll see you there,” Gia said, walking to the door.
When Gia left Steve’s flat, she couldn’t be certain, but she thought she heard Steve shouted out “YES!” And she couldn’t be certain of whether she it meant a good thing or a bad thing for her.
“So…..” Steve started, not entirely certain what to say to Gia for once.
“Yeah…” Gia answered, equally uncertain what to say back.
“Well, look, um, I’m sorry. I’m sorry about yesterday,” Steve said, “Me barging in on your private life. That was totally your business.”
“No, no, don’t apologise,” Gia said, “I actually came here to apologise to you. I mean, for once you were actually trying to help me and I accused you and Kelly and trying to break me and Mark up.”
“Well, actually, we kind of did want you and Mark to break up, but only if he didn’t have a valid reason for being at the bar. Otherwise, what we really wanted was for you to know the truth.“ Steve started, feeling a bit guilty.
“But for once it was for a good reason. He was cheating on me, repeatedly and regularly. But that’s over now. I spoke to Mark two nights back, and he admitted it. It’s over between us,” she explained.
Steve’s eyes lit up with this, but tried to cover his joy, by replacing in with fraternal comforting.
“I’m sorry to hear that. I know he was cheating on you, but I know you really cared about him,” he said, walking towards her, arms outstretched for a hug.
“What are you doing?” Gia asked.
“You need some comforting. I think you need a hug,” Steve explained.
“No, thank you. Kelly was quite sufficient in comforting me last night,” Gia said, then saw Steve’s amused expression, “Stop thinking like that!”
“Sorry. Still hard to switch off.”
Gia shook her head to try and concentrate on what she wanted to say, “Anyway, I didn’t just come here to apologise. I want to make it clear, Steve, I don’t have the same feelings you have for me. I know that. And I doubt I’ll ever have them. I don’t love you, to put it plainly.”
Steve’s cheeriness instantly dropped.
“But, I have misjudged you recently. You have changed. You’re no longer an arsehole only caring about himself. You do care about me, and Kelly and Nick of course. You’re not vindictive, and you’re actually helping out others without having to help out yourself,” Gia rambled, “Anyway, what I’m really trying to say is…can we be friends now?”
She held out a hand. Steve reached out the grab it, but Gia suddenly pulled away.
“Just to be clear though, this isn’t a pathway into a relationship. All I want from you is friendship, and that’s all I’ll get. I’m definitely not interested in a relationship right now, what I need is friends to keep me company. Okay?”
Steve shrugged, “Fine.”
“One last time. We’re never going to sleep together-got it?”
“Just let me shake on it, Gia!” Steve said.
Gia smiled and held out her hand. Steve shook it firmly.
“Friends then. Great,” Steve said. The handshake ended he began to look around nervously, wondering what to do next.
“Oh, I’ve got some more good news,” Gia added.
“What’s that?”
“I’ll be rejoining you in the radio booth next week,” Gia said, then quickly added, “I mean, to do the program. Not to get locked in there again.”
She let out a nervous laugh. Steve joined in, but ended quickly, looking awkward at each other.
“Well, with Mark gone, and my flatmates out of town, I thought I needed some sort of social interaction. Otherwise, I’ll stay in my flat, doing nothing but watching bad movies.”
“If that’s referring to me,” Steve said, “That’s wrong. Nick was watching the films too, and he was saying they were classics.”
Gia smiled. But Steve didn’t say anything else.
“How did you like the movie?”
“Hey, it was totally Nick’s choice. I wanted to watch Snakes on a Plane. Snakes killing a bunch of people. Nothing about sex crazed ghosts,” Steve said, defending his reputation.
“Oh, no doubt. And I guess you were totally refusing to watch the movie,” Gia smirked, “Absolutely refused to be linked to such a disgusting picture.”
“Well, I tried to protest it. But you know Nick, he does insist.”
“And probably by the lesbian scene you gave up completely?” Gia suggested.
Steve smiled at that, “Hey-I am a man. I’ve never claimed to be anything else.”
Gia had no response to that, and unfortunately Steve didn’t either. After a continuing silence, Gia laughed a bit and said, “Well, I hope this is going to get less awkward. I mean, it’s not the easiest thing to do-talking with a guy who told you he loves you.”
“Well, I guess not. But if you can put up with the awkwardness for a little while longer, I’m sure I can switch off any feelings I had,” Steve said, “Being a friend to someone I was attracted too…well it’s not easy, and it’s not something I’ve tried frequently, let alone succeed at, as you’ve probably realised by me having Kelly as my one female friend. Anyway, it’ll be awkward for a while, but I’m sure we’ll get over it soon enough.”
Gia said nothing. Steve, hating himself as he decided to send her way, looked at his watch and said, “Anyway, I hate to rush you, but it is getting late.”
“Isn’t it?” Gia said, showing her pleasure at this a little too easily.
“Yeah, well, I’ll see you night after tomorrow, right?”
“Yep. I’ll see you there,” Gia said, walking to the door.
When Gia left Steve’s flat, she couldn’t be certain, but she thought she heard Steve shouted out “YES!” And she couldn’t be certain of whether she it meant a good thing or a bad thing for her.
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