My Best Friend's Brother

12: Running Into People

Karter

It's Saturday and I'm sitting in my room. I just got back from the office. We spent an hour discussing Eminem's new album. Hopefully he'll be done with it by the end of the next month. Suddenly my phone starts ringing. I take it out of my pocket and a picture of Marie is displayed on my Phone indicating that she's calling. I smile almost immediately appears on my face as I press answer.

"Hi M!" I say. 

"Hey Karter! What you been up to today?"

"Oh, nothing much, just had a meeting with Eminem and his team. Hopefully a new album will be dropped soon!"

Suddenly Marie squeals, “Really? I've been waiting for almost 5 years now!"

I laugh at her reaction, “Didn’t know someone is such a huge Eminem fan"

"First of all, you don't know me, second of all you don't know me!" She playfully snaps at me. 

"Okay, Okay. Don't need to get so defensive"

"No silly. I was quoting a dialogue from my favorite character on One Tree Hill, forget it!" she sighs. 

"So, what makes you call M?" I question. 

"Basically, I need you to tell me the closest grocery store from your house, my apartment"

"Well nothing is really that close. I know a place bur that's like a twenty-minute car ride"

"It's alright. Directions please"

"No. I'll be at your place in five and I'll take you!" I offer. I haven't seen her all week; it'll be nice to spend some time with her. 

"No Karter. You can't keep helping me!" Marie refuses. 

"M it's a Saturday, it's freezing cold outside, you won't be able to walk and you won't catch a bus that heads that direction. Let me take you!" I try to convince her. 

"But Karter. You just got back from work; you must be exhausted!" I smile at the concern in her voice for me. 

"Marie it's fine, trust me! Plus, we'll shop together so that'd be fun. How about this, I take you grocery shopping and in return you cook me dinner? Fair Enough?" I try to negotiate.

"You 100% sure you're not exhausted?" she asks. 

"Yes. Now put on a coat I'll be there in five minutes!"

"Okay tha-" I interrupt her before she can finish her sentence.

"Stop thanking me Marie! It's fine!" I say slightly annoyed, she doesn't need to thank me, I'd be happy to do anything for her. 

"Okay! See you soon. Bye"

"Bye"

With that I hang up.

…

I reach Marie's building and give her a call to tell her I'm here. Within a few minutes Marie comes outside. She opens the car door and heads outside. She smiles at me, "Hi Marie" I say.

"Why do you keep doing this? Helping me out?" She asks.

"I guess I just like spending time with you!" I smile at her as I start the car.

"So, this is the place huh?" Marie asks as we reach the supermarket. 

"Yup. You'll find everything. Let's go, shall we?" I ask and Marie nods her head.

We walk inside the supermarket and grab a trolley.

We've been here for almost an hour; the store is so big it's really hard to find what you're looking for. But we're having fun. I think besiDavid the cashier we're the only two people here.

"Okay now we need Sugar, Milk and Ice cream. You look for the Sugar here and I'll go check for the Milk and Ice cream on the other side. Don't go too far, I'll be right back." Marie orders.

"Yes Mam!" I answer with a Salute. She giggles and heads to the other aisle. Sugar. Sugar. Sugar. Sugar. I can't find any Sugar. I was too busy focusing on the shelf's that I didn't look in front of me. Before I knew it, I crashed into a person. I looked up to be face to face with a young man.

"Sorry, mate. I wasn't paying attention to where I was going"

"It's alright. No problem" he had an American accent and I could smell the cigars on his breath.

All the sudden I heard Marie, "Kar! I found all three items. Sugar, Milk and Ice Cream. Win win win!" She says without looking at me and places the items in the trolley.

The stranger speaks up, “Marie? Is that you?" Wait this guy knows Marie. Marie looks up and her eyes widen.

"Sam?" Marie asks and walks closer to me and this guy. Sam, wait Sam? The asshole? Her ex? The one who cheated on her?

Sam smiles, "May, what are you doing here?"

"It's Marie to you. I got transferred to London" she spat.

"C'mon May. Don't be like that. I'm here on a business trip. We should have dinner, catch up, maybe get back together?" I couldn't believe the audacity of this asshole. I'm literally going to punch him now.

"Only my friends and family get to call me by my nickname. And no thanks. I'm done with your Bullshit Sam." Marie growls at him.

Sam looks at me, "Why? Cause of this guy?" He points at me.

"No because you're a d**k!" Marie snorts at him.

"So, who is this guy anyways? Please Marie you can never do better than me. I mean just look at you" He says arrogantly. 

Before Marie can even open her mouth, I speak up, "Okay that's it. Listen to me you little dickhead. It doesn't concern you what I am to Marie but keep this in mind I can kick your ass easily if I want to. And No, YOU can never do better than Marie. I mean look at her and then look at you? UMess asshole who's probably living on daddy's money. I'm just going to take a wild guess but "business trip" probably means using work as an excuse to take an early spring break? I bet you're even drunk or high right now, aren't you? I tell you this, you ever bother Marie again and you'll see the worst of me! You hear me? She's done with your f*****g shit." I spat at his face.

"I don't need this. Whatever." Sam says and walks away probably scared, pathetic loser.

I walk to Marie and she speaks, "You didn't have to do that Karter, I could have handled it myself"

"I know you could have; I know you would have been fine by yourMf but I just had to give that prick a piece of my mind. He's lucky I didn't kill him there and then" I say angrily thinking about him.

Marie moves closer to me and holds my hand and laces our fingers together. "Thank you" she says with a smile.

"Let's not let him ruin our day. My list is complete, let’s go home?" She asks with a smile.

I return the smile and nod.

After getting all the stuff we reach the car. As we sit inside Marie speaks, “So what am I cooking for you?"

I smile at her, “Surprise me?" I suggest.

"Okay Karter." She says.

We reach her apartment and take all of the groceries upstairs. After placing everything in the cabinets, Marie starts to heat up the oven and chopping vegetables here and there.

"What can I help with?" I ask.

"Open the fridge", I do as I'm told, "take out a beer" I take it out, "Open it" I open it, "Now go sit in front of the TV and relax" she orders.

"Mar-"

"Go!"

"Fine."

At around 11 I head home. Marie made the best chicken curry with rice and we watched Modern Family and just talked, drank wine, ate and just enjoyed each other’s company.