Best Friends with Benefits

35

"Fine." Dad said standing up. "If you find time in your busy schedule, please come for a visit."

"We'll see." Hunter said trying to play along.

"Great." Dad patted my shoulder and left.

"You're an asshole." Hunter said.

"You agreed with me apparently." I laughed.

"No. I'm just trying to be more supportive." Hunter said. "That was hard."

He sighed and trudged off to him room.

Amari

I flipped through channels boredly. I had been home for about three hours and I was waiting for my last load of laundry to get done drying so I could fold them and put them away.

"These are disgusting." Lana groaned passing me my bag of hot popcorn.

"I like them." I laughed popping one in my mouth. "With pickle juice..."

"Don't have an orgasm while I'm here." Lana said. "Wait until Jake comes over."

I hadn't told her about my argument with Jake. I didn't have any plans on telling her about that. I didn't plan on telling anyone except Tyler. Maybe. I wasn't sure. What would happen if I told him that the entire time I was with Jake, I was thinking about him? If I told him that I wanted him? Would he just reject me once more? I couldn't handle another rejection. The next time I have him my heart would be the last time I would give him the chance to hurt me. I was sure of that.

"So..." Lana smiled sitting so we were face to face. "How was your break?"

"Fine." I smiled.

"Anything happen between you and Tyler?" She asked.

"Why would something have happened between us?" I asked.

"Well, you like him." She said. "Or did."

"Nothing happened, but something is going to happen." I looked down at my hands.

"Are you going to tell him you like him again?" Lana asked. "What if he rejects you again?"

"Then I'll deal with that." I shrugged. "I'll get over it."

"I don't get you." Lana shook her head. "Here you have Jake, more than willing to be with you faithfully. Yet, you want Tyler, who has a girlfriend and has rejected you before. I don't see how we're friends."

"Naomi isn't his girlfriend." I shrugged. "I don't know. I just... I want to be sure. If we're going to be together, this is his chance. If we're not, then..."

"Then...." Lana edged me on. "Then you're done for good?"

"That's the plan." I shrugged.

"Do you think you can do that though?" She asked.

I didn't know. I didn't know if I was capable of cutting Tyler off. He was all I knew. All I thought about. He was everything to me even though I sometimes felt like nothing to him.