Best Friends with the Player

Chapter 20- What's Said Is Never Promised

"Why-"

"Because I'm dating Spencer." I interrupt him. "I felt guilty because I thought if Spencer was there seeing all that I knew he'd be mad at me and think something was going on. I know it's just that we're comfortable around each other and none of it is done for romance, but I just feel like you act like my boyfriend too much. I don't want Spencer to get the wrong idea. Last weekend too Nick was even saying the same thing and he just got me thinking and I hadn't realized it that way because it's been going for so long that it just feels normal. I don't know if I'm making any sense to you what so ever, but it's the reason why I've just been a little distant. Not because you did something wrong, but I think we just need to grow up, you know? How are we going to be able to be with other people if people think we're the couple? Your girlfriends and my boyfriends, whoever we end up dating, they're going to feel intimidated and feel the need to compete and try hard to win the other one over and if that were me on the other side of things I would hate it. It's not meant to hurt you or sound mean, I can assure it's the opposite that's why it's been hard for me to figure out what to say to you so I don't sound so cruel-"

"You're rambling... as usual." Asher interrupts like he always does when I'm on a spiel. I gawk at him, really annoyed that he just did that. "I always wonder what your record would be if you held your breath because when you go on and on like that you never take a breath." He adds, like it was the most important thing in the world. He literally just interrupted me for no good reason. 

"Thirty four seconds, like it matters though." I mutter, mixing all the ingredients together. To be honest it looked like a bowl of turd.

It was silent for a few moments. Up to the time until I got to the point where I could just roll and drop the cookie on the baking sheet. I turned to pre-heat the oven and I still couldn't believe he wasn't going to either apologize for interrupting me or comment about my lecture. "So what you're telling me is there's do-s and don't-s in our friendship now?" He realizes, knitting his bushy brown eyebrows together. When I took a quick look up to him I realized that today his blue eyes didn't seem so bright today, they looked more pale or a shade of blue grey.

"Boundaries." I correct, dropping cookies on the baking sheet and moving them around easily on the buttery pan.

He scoffs, crossing his arms over his chest and looking away. See, I knew he wouldn't be open minded and I knew he'd take it the wrong way! "Has Spencer even said anything yet?" He asks, sounding a bit annoyed.

"Not yet, but I don't want him to have to." I explain to him.

"What kind of boundaries are you thinking about?" He asks mockingly. 

"There's only, like, a few to be honest, but if you're too annoyed right now I don't want them to push you over the edge and have you storming out of here." I tell him, shaking my head.

"Try me." He challenges, narrowing his eyes, "I'm calm." He lies.

I find it hard to believe he's calm about all this. "An easy one. No sleeping in my bed." I throw out to him. Dropping the last cookie that could fit on the sheet.

He looks at me like I'm insane, "What's that... I bet he doesn't even know!" He argues, shrugging his shoulders up as he speaks.

"He doesn't have to know Asher! It's just wrong." I defend, looking at him upset. "You still don't get it, do you?" I mutter, sliding the cookie tray in the oven and setting the timer on.

"All I know is ever since you got a boyfriend you want to change things, like you're so experienced in this field." He continues to argue.

"Well I know you have much more experience in this field than I do, but at least I want to do it the right way. It doesn't matter if he knows or doesn't know, it's wrong to go behind his back." I exclaim, turning back around and crossing my arms over my chest. "You may have not cared that when you were dating Tiffany or hooking up with her or whatever you want to call it, that you were still sleeping in the same bed as me and hugging me and kissing me and walking around with a towel to cover your bottom half. You may have not cared because you thought what she doesn't know won't kill her, but that's not being faithful, that's not how committed relationships work and I want a committed relationship. I actually want to have one with a guy I've liked for a long time and not some fling I could give two shits about that will last for the most of two months. I actually want to have a real relationship-"