Shout

Chapter Ten - That's a Rough Version

"I don't think we can be friends anymore," I wrinkled my nose at the maraschino cherry ice cream he was currently licking out of a cone.

He winked at me before the cashier handed me my chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream cone. My eyes widened in anticipation. The last time I had this flavor was when Aaron and I got into a fight and he went to the ice cream store to grab me a pint of my favorite. He came back with it and handed it over with a brash "here". I just remember how routine our fights had become at that point. He would flirt with someone, I'd get upset, he'd ignore me for a couple days and then get me a gift - ice cream, flowers, chocolate. All of it made me feel cheap. We never resolved our problems. We covered them up and hung out with our friends, pretending to have moved on. I guess it catches up with everyone.

I reached into my wallet to pay for the ice cream before Alexander handed cash to the woman behind the counter.

"Please, let me pay. You paid the last time we were together!" I insisted, trying to pull his arm back before he handed the cash over.

He laughed, handing the cash over and dragging my hand along with his in the process. "You'll catch the next one."

"You said that the last time." I crossed my arms in frustration.

"Maybe one day I'll mean it."

I shook my head at him before leading us outside to sit on a bench. Alexander sat next to me on the bench and we enjoyed our cones in silence. My mind was still swirling with what had happened with Aaron. I wondered where Heather was waiting for him for her pint of ice cream. Not a month ago, that was me. It was the most abnormal thing to have to cut yourself off from someone you knew for two years, having to make the distinction between them being yours, to them being nothing at all.

My mind traveled to what they would do when Aaron got to Heather's house. My heart clamped up. Aaron had never been very affectionate with me. He wasn't fond of public displays of affection in the least. He preferred to hold rather separate lives and I understood because we were always around the same friends. But, when the girl he just happened to be sleeping with was also in that same group, it made things awkward.

"What's on your mind over there?" Alexander asked quizzically.

I turned to face him, "I want to hear step two." I stated confidently.

He raised an eyebrow at me, "I've never been so proud," he smiled gently at me.

"Shut up," I rolled my eyes but a smile tugged at my lips. "Where are those papers that you're perpetually hiding?"

He stood up biting the last piece of his cone before pulling out his wallet and opening it to tug out a piece of paper that had been folded and re-folded numerous times. He sat back down next to me.

He cleared his throat. "Rule number two: set healthy emotional boundaries with people. Each time you say yes to something you don't want to do, you're giving the other person power over you."

My mouth gaped open, "It does not say that," I grabbed the paper out of his hands and it stared me in the face.

"The first step to admitting you have a problem is to say it out loud." Alexander teased.

"It is pretty much hitting the nail on the head," I admitted glumly. I never wanted to believe that I had a problem confronting my problems. But recent events had forced me to admit that this wasn't a personality trait. It was a flaw that I was determined to work on.

He snatched the paper back, "Well it won't be for long." He folded it back up and placed it back in his wallet. "So the next time that ass comes up to you, speaking in a tone that implies things are your fault, what would you say?" He gazed at me encouragingly.