by L.H. Cosway
“Uh huh,” I replied, sheepishly exiting the page and clicking back to my excel sheet.
“So, what do you think?”
“I think I don’t look anything like him,” I responded stiffly.
“I meant what do you think of the video? Does it make you question your sexuality?”
I pursed my lips, shooting her an uncomfortable look. “A little bit, yes,” I admitted grudgingly.
Afric barked a laugh. “Ha! I knew it. It makes everyone question their sexuality. That’s the magic of that video.”
“I should get back to work,” I said, turning away from her.
“Right, yes, you work. I’ll be out here if you need me,” Afric replied, ducking back out of the room.
I got a good two hours work in and was packing my things when she returned.
“You’re leaving?” Afric asked as she leaned against the doorframe.
“Yes, I promised my grandma I’d stop by for dinner.”
“Aw, that’s nice. Are you two close?”
I nodded. “Pretty close. She raised me and my sister, Rosie, after our parents passed away.”
“Your parents died? Oh, my God, Neil, why didn’t you tell me?!”
I shot her a perplexed look. “Um, it didn’t come up during the three brief occasions we’ve spent time together.”
Afric came farther into the room, sitting on the edge of her bed as her bright blue eyes met mine. “I’m so sorry for your loss.”
I frowned, something about the sincere look in her eyes hitting me right in the chest. I cleared my throat. “It was a long time ago. Listen, I need to get going.” I wasn’t too keen on having a heart-to-heart. I was exhausted and hungry and not in the mood for anything deep and meaningful, especially not with her. Afric already knew way too much about me.
“Right. Sure,” she replied, looking up at me when I stood. My eyes were drawn to the cute smattering of freckles across her cheeks. “When will I see you again?”
“I’ll stop by tomorrow after work.”
“Great, see you then.”
***
By the time I arrived at Grandma’s house, it was almost seven-thirty.
“You’re late. That’s not like you,” she commented when I entered the kitchen. She sat at the table with a cup of tea, a magazine open in front of her.
“Sorry about that. I was helping out a friend.”
“You’re a good lad, always doing favours for people, so much like your father,” Grandma said wistfully. “Rosie and I have already eaten, but there’re some lamb chops, potatoes, and carrots in the oven. Oh, and I made my special rosemary gravy.”
“That sounds like heaven. I’m starving,” I said as I pulled out the plate, grabbed a knife and fork from the drawer, then sat down across from Grandma to eat.
“So, which friend were you helping?”
“She’s a new friend,” I replied. “Her name is Afric.”
“That’s a pretty name. How did you meet?”
“Through Michaela. They used to be flatmates before Michaela moved in with her partner, James.”
Grandma gave a thoughtful frown. “This isn’t the same friend of Michaela’s you said was particularly unpleasant, is it?”
I was surprised she remembered me saying that since it was a few weeks ago now. Then again, Grandma was a shrewd woman with a memory like a steel trap. Very little evaded her. “Actually, yes, but I was wrong about her. Mostly. I thought she was unpleasant, but I’m beginning to learn she’s just a bit eccentric. It takes a little getting used to.”
“First impressions aren’t always correct,” Grandma nodded. “What were you helping her with?”
“She’s self-employed, and her accounts are being audited. I offered to lend a hand sorting through the mess.”
Grandma’s lips curved in a smile as she lifted her mug for a sip. “You must like her to make an offer like that.”
“Don’t give me that smile. I don’t like her in the way you think. She’s not my type at all. And besides, you know tidying messes is my favourite pastime. I’m doing myself a favour more than anything else.”
Grandma laughed. “That’s true. You do love a good tidying up.”
She returned her attention to her magazine while I cut into the lamb chops. Rosie entered the room and took a seat at the table. “Hey! I didn’t hear you come in.”
“He was late because he was doing a favour for his new friend Afric,” Grandma said, still with that faint curve to her lips. She thought she knew something, but she was dead wrong. My friendship with Afric was pure convenience. She was helping me with Annabelle, and I was helping her with her accounts. It was that simple.
Rosie’s eyes widened with interest. “Oh, really? You know there’s this girl online I follow called Afric. I didn’t think it was a very common name, but that always happens, doesn’t it? You learn a new word you never heard before, and then suddenly, you’re hearing and seeing it everywhere.”
I glanced at my sister as I chewed a bite of carrot. What were the chances it was a different Afric? Especially since my Afric was an online personality, or whatever it was you called people who did what she did.
“Who’s the girl you follow?”
Rosie grinned. “It’s this Irish girl. She livestreams while playing video games. I’m not really into the games, though. I watch mostly for the funny banter. There’s a Scottish guy and an American girl who she plays with, and the three of them are just hilarious together.”
Hmm. I didn’t remember there being a Scottish guy when I checked out her stream. I must’ve been wearing my thoughts on my face because Rosie gave an excited gasp.
“Oh, my God! Is your friend the same Afric? This is so cool. Can you get me her autograph?”
“I never said it was the same person,” I countered, but my sister waved me away.
“Your expression said it all.”
“She’s right,” Grandma added. “Rosie has always been great at reading expressions.”
“If I weren’t a librarian, I’d become one of those fake psychics who use cold readings to pretend they know stuff about your dead relatives.”
“Do that, and we’ll all disown you.”
“So, what’s she like in real life?” Rosie went on.
“Who?”
She rolled her eyes. “Afric. Who else? Is she as funny as she is on her stream?”
“I’m not sure funny is the right word. The woman doesn’t have a filter. I suppose some people find that sort of thing amusing.”
“Oh, don’t act like your sense of humour is so high-brow. I saw you chuckling away at an old episode of Faulty Towers last week.”
“I was not chuckling,” I argued. “I might’ve smiled in mild amusement, but that’s all.”
“Please get me an autograph. Please,” Rosie begged.
“Fine,” I relented grudgingly, suspecting Afric would be unbearable when she discovered what a huge fan my sister was of hers. “I’ll see what I can do.”
5.
Afric
“Okay, everyone. I need to grab a shower. See you all tomorrow.”
“You’re showering at six p.m.? Do we need to stage an intervention?” Yellowshoes asked as I turned off my stream. She and TheBigSix were still online, and since she was so used to interacting with us, calculating the time difference between the U.K. and Florida had become second nature.
“Sometimes I shower late. What of it?” I countered as I pulled off my hoodie. I wore only a tank top underneath, something I never wore when I was streaming because that was just asking for trouble. But Yellowshoes and TheBigSix were my pals. I trusted them enough to see me in something that wasn’t three times too big.
“Is Neil coming over again?” Yellowshoes went on, and I could practically feel TheBigSix’s silent disapproval simmering through his mic.
“Yes, he is. He’s helping me with some personal stuff.”
“Personal, eh?” There was a smile in her voice now.
“Not that kind of personal, gutter brain. It has to do with my finances. Neil’s a numbers whizz.”
“What’s wrong with your finances?” TheBigSix asked, finally joining the conversation.
“Nothing for you to worry your pretty little head about,” I answered. “Now, I better go. He’ll be here soon, and I stink to high heaven. Seriously, I think it might be a health and safety hazard at this point,” I continued jokingly.
Yellowshoes laughed. “Okay, girl. Go shower. Talk tomorrow?”
“Yep, talk to you tomorrow. Bye, you two,” I said and logged off before TheBigSix could channel any more annoyance at me. His current profile pic was a quote from some fantasy novel he was obsessed with, but I’d seen a picture of him when he first started playing Greenforest and remembered he wasn’t bad looking. He seemed tall, with dark auburn hair and brown eyes. That was as much as I could remember. He typically gamed with only his mic on. Yellowshoes turned her camera on every once in a while, but normally, she preferred just to use her mic, too.
Sarita was staying at Mabel’s tonight, so I had the place to myself. I would’ve indulged in a bubble bath, but I didn’t have time since Neil already texted saying he was on his way. He worked in Shoreditch, so it’d take him at least half an hour to get here by the Tube, if not longer since it was rush hour.
I turned on the shower and stepped under the spray. I’d just finished shampooing and conditioning my hair when there was a knock at the door. What the hell? How had he gotten here so fast? I quickly rinsed myself off, threw on my enormous fluffy bathrobe, and went to answer the door.
“You’re early,” I said when I found Neil standing there, his satchel bag over his shoulder.
“And you’re dripping,” Neil replied, eyeing my wet hair before his attention drifted down to my robe.
“That’s because you caught me mid-shower. I didn’t expect you to arrive so quickly.”
He shifted uncomfortably from foot to foot, eyes on the floor. “Well, go and finish. I’ll wait here.”
“Nonsense,” I said, reaching out and grabbing his arm to pull him inside the flat. “Go into my room and get started. I’ll be with you in a few minutes.”
I shooed him inside my room, noticing he was wearing jeans today. They showcased what I already knew was a very nice backside. Neil glanced back at me, catching me clearly checking out his arse. He seemed to flush then went to sit down at my desk. I flicked on the ceiling light, knowing he wasn’t a fan of the neon lamps, then went to finish my shower.
When I returned to the bedroom, clad in thick fleece pyjamas, Neil was quietly working, his back to me. I picked up my tablet and began checking through my emails and various social media accounts. I was scrolling through my brother Billy’s latest pictures. With eight kids, my family was big, but I was closest to Billy since he was the youngest and I was the second youngest.
Billy was a bit of a wild card. You never knew what new job he was working at or what he might be up to, which was one of the reasons why I loved him. He was unpredictable, his mop of curly brown hair as chaotic as the person it sat atop. Missing him, I sent a quick message.
Afric: Like the new pics. Where were they taken? Also, you better be coming to visit me soon!
It didn’t take long for him to reply.
Billy: Me and some of the lads went to Lough Derg last weekend. Beautiful spot. As regards coming to visit you … Go and check outside your front door.
My heart skipped a beat. I wouldn’t put it past Billy to surprise me with a completely random visit. Neil cast me a quick glance as I rose from the bed and went to the front door of the flat. I threw it open, letting out a disappointed sigh when I found the doorway empty.
Afric: You bastard! You got my hopes up!
Billy: Muah ha! Just know I could appear at any moment. You better be ready for me.
Afric: I was born ready.
“Everything okay?” Neil asked, pulling my attention away from my tablet.
“Yeah, just my brother Billy being an arsehole and tricking me that he’d come to visit. He lives in Dublin, so we don’t get to see each other often.”
“Are you close?”
I nodded. “There were less than two years between us, so growing up, we always did everything together.”
“It must’ve been nice to have a sibling near your age. My sister, Rosie, is six years younger than me. I’ve always felt more like a parental figure than a brother.”
“That’s probably because of your parents passing away,” I said in a soft voice, noticing a hint of sadness behind his eyes. “You became the dad. My oldest brother, Ryan, was like that. Our parents were always working, so he was the one who took care of us younger ones.”
“How many siblings do you have?”
“Seven.”
Neil’s eyes widened. “Wow, that’s a lot of kids.”
“Yep. My parents are a pair of absolute horndogs, obviously,” I joked, and Neil’s lips gave the barest hint of a twitch.
“Was it hard living in such a big family?”
“Not really. At least, if it was, I didn’t know any better. But it gave me a thick skin. My brothers and sisters were endlessly slagging each other off.”
“That would certainly give you a thick skin,” Neil agreed, falling silent a moment. He looked like he was building up the courage to say something as he bounced his knee. “Speaking of siblings. My sister is actually a big fan of yours. She was wondering if I could get her an autograph?”
My grin spread wide across my face. I could tell it bothered Neil to make such a request, and I couldn’t resist the opportunity to tease him. “Your sister is a fan of moi?” I asked, preening as I placed a hand to my chest.
Neil’s lips formed a straight, disgruntled line. “I just found out. Apparently, she watches your stream.”
“Well, in that case, I’d be more than happy to give her an autograph, but if you want, I can do you one better. How about a video call?”
He shook his head. “Rosie’s very shy. She might have a heart attack if you video called her.”
I found it cute that he was protective of his sister’s shyness. “Okay, an autograph it is then.” I went to grab a pen and paper. Neil returned his attention to his laptop, but I sensed him surreptitiously watching me out the corner of his eye. I was tempted to write something cheeky to his sister, like, sorry your brother has such a big stick up his arse, but I tried to summon some maturity. After all, we were being nice and cordial with one another today. Instead, I asked him, “Does she spell her name with a ‘y’ or an ‘ie’?”
Neil cast me a quick glance. “With an ‘ie’.” There was a pause before he continued, “Don’t write anything ridiculous.”
I shot him a fake offended look. “Well, I wasn’t going to, but now that you’ve warned me—”
“Forget it. Don’t bother. I’ll tell Rosie you said no.”
“Hey, don’t be so prickly. I was only going to write, Dear Rosie, thanks for being a fan. P.S. Your brother has a lovely bottom. Yours sincerely, Afric.”
At this, Neil’s cheeks flamed bright red, and it was silly how much I enjoyed embarrassing him. In fact, he seemed a little tongue-tied, and it was absolutely adorable.
“What?” I asked. “I know you caught me looking earlier. You’ve got a nice arse, and being that I spend most of my days cooped up in this room live streaming, I noticed. No need to be all weird about it.”
“I’m not being weird.”
“Yes, you are. Your shoulders are all hunched, and your cheeks are like two big raspberries.”
“My cheeks are not like raspberries,” he objected. “I’d just appreciate it if you didn’t sexually objectify me like that.” I sensed he was trying to cover up his embarrassment. “This might not be a place of work, but I am doing you a professional sort of favour, so please, keep your ogling to a minimum.”
“Oh, so now you’re gonna play the sexual harassment card?” I teased. “Fine, I shan’t cast my covetous gaze u
pon your fine derriere ever again. Happy?”
He glowered at me. “Yes, now, please, could you be quiet so I could actually get some work done?”
I made a show of zipping my lips before scribbling down a very normal message for his sister, followed by my signature. I folded it in half and got up from the bed. Neil’s fingers were typing, his eyes on the screen as I slid the piece of paper into the little pocket on the breast of his shirt. I heard him inhale a sharp breath at the contact.
“There you go. Oh, crap, was that more sexual harassment? I just can’t seem to keep my crazy libido in check around your potent masculinity.”
“Funny,” Neil deadpanned, not bothering to look at me.
Well, it seemed his humour had died a gruesome death. I returned to my bed and answered a few more emails, all the while sneaking peeks at him here and there. Over an hour went by, and his cool façade never broke. Maybe I’d gone too far with my teasing. I was so bad at knowing whether or not I’d stepped over the line from entertaining to offensive.
Finally, Neil blew out a breath and sat back, powering his laptop down.
“All done for tonight?” I asked.
He nodded, finally deigning to look at me. “I’ll have to do the rest remotely if that’s okay? The new season of Running on Air starts filming in a few days, so I’ll be in New York for the next six weeks.”
Six weeks? That was … Well, it was a long time. Kind of. I guess I just felt sad that I wasn’t going to see him for so long. I’d strangely gotten used to his prickly self.
“I don’t mind you finishing the accounts up remotely, but what about our plan to make Annabelle fall in love with you?”
Neil raked a hand over his cleanly shaven jaw, a hint of self-deprecation in his voice when he replied, “Right, that. We can message back and forth, I guess, and you can give me pointers, but any in-person meeting will have to wait until I get back.”
“Okay, that’s doable,” I agreed, again feeling that weird pang that I wasn’t going to see him again for ages. It was probably why I asked impulsively, “Are you busy tomorrow?”
