Continuum

VI.

He mutters to himself in annoyance, hating how I constantly bring up Aspen during conversations like these. Sometimes I think he forgets he has an obligation to her, and that I'm the one who deals with her complaining about how distant he's being, or how she doesn't like him being so close to other girls.

Nolan was quite the flirt before they got together late freshman year. He constantly had girls flocking him, and Aspen hated seeing it. I was surprised to hear he had agreed to go out with her when she finally got the gall to confess her feelings. He didn't strike me as the type to settle down. Since getting with Aspen though, he seems to only have eyes for her. He must really love her.

"You're the one that's injured, not her. Don't worry about what she thinks about me being here, it's not like she's the one here right now. Plus, you and I both know she's extremely insecure."

"She has a good reason to be." As good as Nolan looks and as great of a person he is, it's hard to miss the glances that other girls give him to attract his attention. With the way he used to flirt with everyone around him, if I were her, I'd be worried too. That's the reason why I don't want her to feel like she has to keep an eye out for even her closest friends. "If you know that she's insecure, why would you come here and give her a reason to feel a way about the nature of the relationship between me and you?"

Nolan slams the top onto the pot that he's been throwing ingredients into, startling me a little. "I need you to stop worrying about me and Aspen. No matter what she thinks, we're good. Just grate the cheese and stop asking questions, Sabina." His tone is so low it's almost a growl, and the way he says my name turns me on. Every syllable flows off his tongue and dances over my skin. I listen to him though, and grate the rest of the cheddar and parmesan cheese in silence.

I can't help but feel like someday I'm going to be a major issue for them.

Nolan leaves later that evening after watching Simone and I enjoy the chicken alfredo he made. I would have appreciated him staying to help with the dishes, but it satisfied me more to see him go and agree to not come back. I'm more than ready to get back to my regularly scheduled programming, and I'm sure Simone is tired of seeing him around the house. The two of us tackle the mass of dishes together, me washing them, and her drying and putting them away. I was expecting it to be a silent task, but Simone begins chuckling to herself. I'm curious what she thinks is so funny.

"Are you internally telling yourself jokes to keep from getting bored?" I ask, glancing at her over my shoulder. She shuffles from her end of the kitchen and takes the dripping glass that I'm handing off to her.

She follows that with a shrug, "I just find it hilarious how bad you want Nolan." The glass plate I was scrubbing clunks loudly against the other dishes in the sink after it slips from my grasp. Her ridiculous statement knocks the wind out of me, and I belt out in laughter myself.

"Are you kidding me? He has a girlfriend, a girlfriend who happens to be one of my best friends."

"And yet, here you are, not denying the existence of feelings for him." My laughter is cut short and hers resumes, leaning against the sink while she waits for me to hand her the next dish to dry.

I look up at her and see the humor in her eyes, her expression light and nothing like it was during the ride home from the hospital. Laughing at me and poking fun at my social life is making her feel good, and that doesn't surprise me one bit.

"Simone, I do not have feelings for him. Not even a little bit. And you don't have the right to accuse me of that to make yourself feel better. Are you sure you aren't the one who has feelings for him?" She's hysterical now, bending over and wheezing about how her stomach is hurting from how hard she's laughing and just how humorous this really is to her. I roll my eyes. She's so extra sometimes.