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I roll my eyes and walk to the sofa. This has gone on too long now. “So, is there anything you want to tell me?” I say, throwing the most cliché line I can think of at Asher. He deflates and joins me on the sofa, his eyes moving from me to the TV. I grab the remote and turn it off.
“I — I guess… I mean, yeah.”
I pinch the bridge of my nose. This is going to be painful as fuck. I’ve been ignoring whatever is going on with them because I was avoiding this. Asher’s awkward behavior.
“I mean, we aren’t seeing each other. I, no, that’s not it. I mean, Kate and I, we…”
I run a hand through my hair and frown at my best friend. He’s the guy I’m starting a company with and he may well be the smartest guy I know, but when he gets nervous, he gets awkward as fuck. It wasn’t so bad when he was still playing ball, but since he tore his Achilles tendon, his confidence has been more shot than usual.
“Are you dating my sister?”
Asher blinks and stares at his hands. “Um, sort of. She and I… Kate and I, we aren’t dating. She isn’t looking for commitment, and I guess she’s scared about letting you down? I don’t really know.”
I inhale deeply and rest my head against the sofa. I was hoping for better than that. To think the two of them are just seeing each other but aren’t actually dating makes me uncomfortable.
“I see.”
“I’m so sorry, man. I didn’t mean for it to happen. I don’t know how to even explain. I’m sorry.”
I shake my head and clap him on the back. “It’s fine, Asher. I just wish you’d told me. You’ll always be my best friend, you know? Can’t say I’m particularly happy about what’s going on with Kate and you, but my sister isn’t a child. I won’t interfere with the choices you guys are making.”
How could I interfere? I’d just be a hypocrite. After all, for the longest time I was chasing Emilia. How can I condemn my sister for doing the same thing I was doing?
Asher runs a hand through his hair and looks up at me. “Will you tell her you know?”
I shake my head. “Nah, since you two aren’t dating officially, it’ll just be awkward. What am I supposed to say? If it gets serious, she’ll tell me herself.”
Asher exhales in relief and smiles. “Fuck, I’ve been wanting to tell you for so long. I’ve felt so guilty for ages.”
“You do realize I knew all along, right? I saw you disappear into her bedroom at my graduation party.”
Asher looks at me with wide eyes, and I shake my head.
“So, are we good?”
I nod. “We’re good.”
Asher jumps up when the doorbell rings, as though he can’t get away from this conversation quick enough. I bite back a smile and wonder if I should’ve made it a bit harder on him. He’s seeing my sister, for God’s sake. I should’ve made him suffer just a little more.
I’m surprised when Emilia follows Kate in. Kate didn’t mention that she was coming with her. Not that it matters, but still. I look down at my clothes. I’m in sleeping bottoms my Mom got me and a tee. If I’d known she was coming, I’d at least have put on a bit of body spray or something, damn it.
Emilia has been avoiding me since the last time I saw her. She consoled Lisa as best as she could and then quietly left. I’ve been wanting to reach out but stopped myself from doing so. After all, the misunderstandings work in my favor. They keep Emilia at a distance, which is exactly where I need her to be.
“Hey,” she says, her voice soft and unsure.
“Hi,” I murmur. I extend my hand and point toward the coffee table where we’ve studied before. Emilia takes her usual seat while Kate and Asher sit down opposite us.
Much to my surprise, we all manage to get some work done without too many interruptions. It doesn’t take Kate too long to drop her pen in annoyance, though.
“I’m bored,” she says. She gets up and walks to the kitchen to rummage through the cupboards. She returns with a bottle of tequila and four shot glasses.
I groan when she hands each of us one and then proceeds to fill us all up. “Let’s play a game,” she says. “How about never have I ever?”
I shrug and close my textbooks. It’s a Friday night. I didn’t think we were gonna get that much studying done, anyway.
“Okay, I’ll start,” Kate says. “Never have I ever cheated on an exam.”
Everyone but Emilia drinks and Kate rolls her eyes at her. “Seriously, Milly? Never?”
