I came face to face with Francesca one morning, after not speaking to her for over a week. I had to retrieve some books for my lecture and the encounter we had was not how I expected it to be.

"Maya, is that you?" I heard her calling from her bedroom. I had just stepped into the apartment, there was a sense of nervousness when I came around the corner and into the living room. The door to Francesca's bedroom stood open and there she was laying in her bed.

"Fran, is everything alright?" She looked pale as the sheets.

"No." She groaned and gave away a slight cough. Sitting up in the bed she waved for me to enter. "Where have you been? I was so worried."

"Yes, so I've heard." I thought about what Sophie had said, however, rent wasn't due until another week so there was no reason for Francesca to be worried that I wouldn't be paying my share.

"My brother said that you have been staying with your parents. Is that true?"

"It is." I said, slightly curious about how her brother talks of me when I'm not there. Is there any hint of his attraction for me or is he good at pretending not to feel for me?

"Why would you be staying with your parents?" She asked and appeared genuinely surprised. Watching her from afar I wasn't too sure, perhaps she was just pulling my leg.

"Hello? Earth to Maya."

The silence between us had grown awkward.

"I...you..." My lips shipped between my teeth. "The birthday party."

"Oh that." She said, rubbing her eyes. My words caused an initial reaction in her expression but not of significance. "Is that all you can say?" I wanted to shout at her. Once again the silence grew between us, however Francesca didn't seem to mind.

"Could you get me some vix next time you go to the store, I think I'm coming down with a cold."

"Erm...sure."

"Great."

I watched her crawl back under the covers and I remember thinking, why couldn't her brother be this simple? Francesca was so simple as a person, very difficult to upset, very easy to forgive.

I remained at her door although she had disappeared underneath the covers. I thought: now that I have a friend again.

"Devon and I broke up."

Slowly her tousled head reappeared from the covers. "Broke up?" She exclaimed. "I didn't even know that you guys were together."

"We were, or at least for a little while (a week to be exact). He called me his girl." My lips moved fast and I was unaware of climbing into her bed. "Before staying with my parents I had been staying at his apartment."

"Maya." She gasped excitingly.

"It was all great really, until I broke his heart."

"Broke his heart, how?"

"I cheated." I said but quickly regretted it. Francesca looked back at me with wonder, slightly impressed. I should have seen her next words coming.

"With whom did you cheat on him with?"

I bit my lip. This was it, I could tell her the truth about Francesco, perhaps she would take it easy on me.

"You don't have to tell me if you don't want to. " Her words were sincere. "At least not now."

I nod my head, before laying down my head on the pillow next to her. She is quick to pull the cover over us and we lay in a spoon.

"I'm sorry." I whispered.

Behind me she chuckled. "What do you have to be sorry about? I won't judge."

Her words bit into my consciousness. I'll remember them forever, hold her to them once the day comes.

"Speaking of cheating." Francesca gasped. We were gossiping like little girls. "Apparently my brother and that woman from your cafe got something going on. Did you know that?"

"Who, Sophie?" I frowned, although well aware.

"Yes, she's been over here a couple of times and I keep telling him that it may be weird for you considering that she is your boss. I guess they really got on the first time they met."

"Hehe I guess." I mumbled, turning my head inwards towards the pillow.

"Welp, Pecco's girlfriend will not be thrilled about that."

"Pecco's what?" My mouth went dry,

"His girlfriend. He has a girlfriend from way back, his high school sweetheart. I've told him to break up with her but they insist on this long distance thing."

"Long distance?" I hear myself say, although it is an out of body experience.

"Yeah, she lives in South America now."