Strings of Fate

61- Apologies and alarm | shriek and leap out of his lap. Or I try to, | trip over my own feet and get caught by Bellamy’s hand in the edge of my top. Bellamy tries to catchbut we both end up overbalancing and the chair tips over. We both land hard, sprawled on the floor. Bellamy manages to slip a hand behind my head as we fall so at least | don’t break my skull. Bellamy groans as | sit up and | realise | landed hard elbowing him in the stomach. I jump up.

“Sorry!” He sits up and rights his chair. Megan is in the doorway and is frozen. | make eye contact with her. I'm sure | must be tomato red and | can’t believe that just happened. Megan bursts out laughing. She laughs so hard that | can see tears in her eyes. Bellamy can’t help but join in.

“You guys!” | whine but | can’t help but smile and | try to resist the desire to giggle. Megan throws herself into the recliner Bellamy moved in foras she manages to calm herself.

“Oh | needed that. | was going to capologise for falling asleep and ditching you, but it seems like you were having plenty of fun without me.” She smiles at me. A real smile and while I'm still completely embarrassed, I'm glad to see her smile, even if it is at my expense. Bellamy answers cheerfully.

“You haven't been asleep that long, you sure you don’t want to head back to bed? I'm happy to keep Ryann company for as long as | need to.” He winks.

“Bellamy!” His ncomes out in a shriek of outrage. Megan rolls her eyes.

“Oh yeah, | can clearly see how much you were suffering with her company, but nope. I think I'm going to stick close to Ryann from now on. Together twenty four seven, sleepovers every night. I'm just so distraught you see. | can’t bear to be alone. Not only did | lose. my fiancé but my brother has been keeping secrets from me. Clearly you can't be trusted. I'll have to keep a VERY close eye on you and watch out for my best friend. Unless of course you can make it up tosomehow.” Megan flutters her eyes at Bellamy and tries to fake an innocent expression like she isn’t threatening to keepaway from him. Bellamy grabs my hand and pullsinto his side, wrapping an arm around my waist. He narrows his eyes at his sister.

7 his tone a “Just try it, I'll just have to hang around you both. ALL. THE TIME.” he responds dare. | push his arm offand step away, hands on my hips. They might be joking but 1/4 61- Apologies and alarm there's an edge to both of them that tellsthat they're both just a little bit serious.

“I'm not a toy for you to pass back and forth. Megan, just tell him if you're mad, don’t draginto it. Bellamy, don’t be so defensive. You know she won't really do it. Just apologise to her properly so we can all move past this as much as we can.” | demand. Both Bellamy and Megan look atwith identical expressions of guilt. Never have they looked more like twins than they do at this moment. Megan mutters an apology toand Bellamy sendsa pleading expression as he holds out his hand. I sigh and take it as he turns back to his sister who is still lounging in the recliner. | can see she is stiff and uncomfortable, now that she’s rested a bit her anger is kicking in. Bellamy takes a deep breath and | squeeze his hand in encouragement.

“Megan I'm sorry | didn’t tell you my concerns about Tristan sooner. | was worried you wouldn't believeand that you might choose trusting him over me. | should have had more faith in you and your judgement. | will try to be more honest in the future.” He inhales a deep breath and I realise he said all that in one go. He is tense and holding my hand tightly.

This really is difficult for him. He glances atand | give him an encouraging smile. Megan sighs and collapses back in the chair.

“Alright, alright, | forgive you. | guess given how badly things turned out | can see how you might mistrust my judgement at the very least. | don’t think I'll be dating again for a while. Thankyou for apologising Bels.” She sighs then sits up.

“So, ideas for dinner? I'm thinking shorribly greasy unhealthy takeout. Thoughts anyone?” While Bellamy and Megan figure out food, | grab my phone and call Darrien. His voice is rough, I've clearly woken him.

“Is she alright? Do you need me?” He sounds anxious and a little out of it.

“She's just fine. We're about to order dinner. This isinviting you, my friend, to dinner. Not asking you to cwork since we aren’t going out. Be here in twenty?” | don’t want to only spend ttogether when he’s technically working, and | think Megan will appreciate that he’s coming to hang out when he really doesn’t have to. Darrien gives a half laugh.

“I'll be there in ten.” He replies then hangs up without saying goodbye. | return to the office 2/4 61- Apologies and alarm where Bellamy is using anto order food.

“I invited Darrien for dinner. It will be nice to hang out when none of us are working for once.” Bellamy givesa knowing smile. Sure, Megan isn't likely to be ready for a new relationship for a while, but it is still a good idea for Megan to be surrounded with people who support her. Plus, if all goes to plan, Darrien can use this tto get closer with her so that when she IS ready he will be the obvious choice. | know | already gave her spretty obvious clues but | haven't specifically said he is her fate, she could assthey're meant to be friends or just that | trust him. Either way, | don’t want her to end up dating someone else and start this whole problem over again. Megan looks a bit confused. Like it never occurred to her that he might want to be invited. | think she is stuck in her view of him as a paid guard and hasn't realised how far above and beyond that he really is. | tilt my head and fal confusion.

“What? He's our friend isn’t he?” | prompt. Megan shrugs.

“I suppose so, but he spends almost all day withpretty much every day. He might be sick ofby now.” She points out. | can’t hold in the short burst of laughter that escapes me. I'm fairly sure Darrien would be thrilled to spend literally every moment with Megan if he thought he could get away with it.

“Megan, no one could ever be sick of you.” Darrien arrives in under six minutes. | know because | check my phone call history when he arrives to see if | had the twrong. He lets himself in. He apparently has a key to the house. Megan is apparently almost never ready on tand Bellamy felt bad letting him wait outside in bad weather because his sister was still half dressed and couldn’t answer the door. We move to the rarely used living room. Megan drops into the single remaining recliner and Bellamy guidesto the couch and sits beside me. Darrien searches the room turning in contusion.

“Wasn't there a second recliner in here this morning?” He comments.