Best Friends with Benefits

20

"I'm warming you up!" He laughed letting me go and I fell to the floor.

Dad laughed and walked away leaving me sitting there.

"Amateur!" He called out to me.

"Those aren't your socks!" I yelled back.

"They are now!" And he ran upstairs.

I stood up before being wrestled back to the ground.

"Where are my socks?" Hunter asked sitting on my back.

"My Dad has the whole bag!" I laughed.

"I want my three dollars back, Rose!" He said slapping my forehead.

"Ow! You're heavy too!"

"Well, my feet are practically blocks of ice. I wouldn't be this heavy if I had warmer socks." He huffed.

I struggled to laugh as I tried to knock him off of me.

"Is it sit on Amari time?" I heard Jake ask before I felt someone sit on my legs causing me to groan and laugh at the same time.

"Yeah. We're sharing stories right now." Hunter laughed.

"Really? Whose turn is it?" Jake asked.

"Mine." Hunter cleared his throat. "I remember a time, not too long ago, I had given my favorite sister, well, when she was my favorite sister, three dollars to buy me warm socks because my feet were cold. I never saw that three dollars or those socks after that."

"Oh my god!" I laughed. "My Dad has them!"

"Well, I have a story. Similar, really." Jake started. "I gave this girl, who actually looks like this seat, a ten dollar bill because she said she was going to drive to the store with her Mom. I told her to bring back snacks and I still don't have any snacks. I was going to share with her, too!"

"My Dad has it!" I laughed.

"Don't fib on me." Dad said coming back downstairs.

"You're not going to help me?" I asked turning my head to look at him. "This is your fault after all."

"No I'm not going to help you. I didn't even know you were going to the store when you left!" Dad said. "Serves you right!"

"What's happening down here?" Naomi asked as she and Tyler came downstairs.

"We were scammed!" Hunter said jumping up and pointing at me.

Jake laughed and helped me up.

"I didn't scam you!" I pointed at my Dad. "I was robbed!"

"I'm leaving!" Dad sang walking away.

"What? I missed sitting on Amari time?" Tyler asked fake disappointed. "Thanks a lot, Hunter."

"What can I say? We don't take lightly to scammers." Hunter shrugged throwing his arm over my shoulders. "Where are you two going?"

"Nowhere. We just wanted to see what you guys were doing." Naomi said.

"Amari!" Dad called from the top of the stairs.

I ran over and he threw the bag downstairs.

"Are those my socks?" Hunter asked.

"And my snacks?" Jake asked.

"Yes." I laughed. "Get them out because I'm keeping my stuff in the bag."

I handed the bag to Hunter and he and Jake went into the kitchen to get their things out. Hunter and Jake had actually grown very close to each other over the last few days. They'd play the game together, they were always talking about sports, and they teamed up against my regularly. It was the type of relationship you hoped your brother would have with your boyfriend. The type of relationship I hoped Tyler would've had with Jake.

Naomi had gone into the kitchen with Jake and Hunter leaving Tyler and I alone.

"You're moping." I said before I could stop myself.

"Huh?" Tyler asked looking at me.

"Nothing." I shook my head.

I wanted to ask him about the party. Why had he chosen to be with Naomi rather than me when it was clear that we wanted each other. I wanted to ask him why he had rejected me so many times before only to come back and have feelings for me. Where had his feelings come from?

"Is everything alright with you and Naomi?" I asked.

"Everything's fine." He nodded. "You and Jake?"

"Same." I looked away. "What's wrong with you?"

"Nothing. Why? Does it look like something is wrong?" He asked.

"Tyler, I know you. Why're you hiding things from me?" I asked.

"I'm not." Tyler shrugged. "Can you let it go? Please?"

I stared at him for a moment longer before shrugged.

"Sure. I mean, if you can let important things go, so can I." I rolled my eyes and walked away.

Only he made me act like this without provoking me.

Tyler

Did she have to be so over dramatic? Did she have to have an attitude with me when I couldn't do anything about it? I thought she wanted Jake! I thought I had made things easier for her. Me. Everyone! I followed her into the living room and sat beside her on the couch.

"Stop being angry." I sighed running a hand through my hair. "I don't like when you're mad at me."

"And I don't like when you pretend I don't exist." She mumbled flipping through channels on the TV.

"I don't act like you don't exist." I said staring at the side of her face.

"Yeah you do. You are!" She said. "You don't talk to me anymore and you're hiding things from me."

"I'm not hiding anything from you, Amari." I laughed grabbing onto her hand causing her to look at me. "It's just something you shouldn't have to worry about."

"If you're worrying about it, I should too." She said softly.

I glanced at her lips then back to her eyes. They were in the kitchen. I can't do anything with her. I can't kiss her or it'll ruin things for her and Jake.

"No you shouldn't." I shook my head letting go of her hand. "It's private."

"Tyler..." I cut her off.

"Just drop it. It's not that interesting." I shook my head. "What's taking them so long?"

I stood up and walked to the kitchen leaving Amari alone. This is the only way i could control myself. Isolate myself and push her away. Focus on the problem at hand, not her.