Page 101 of Method Acting

“That’s generally how communication works.”

“I don’t know,” he cried. “I’ve never done this before.”

I gave him a sad smile, still playing with his hand. “Jimmy said you’d never liked anyone before. He said he’d never seen you play the boyfriend role before, and even though you were acting, you kinda weren’t.”

“Jimmy has to a lot to answer for,” he said. “And he needs to start advertising for a new best friend.”

“He brought me in here and let me in.”

Chase scowled at me. “Don’t take his side.”

I sighed, not sure what exactly we’d accomplished, but at least he was talking to me.

“Don’t quit the show,” I said gently. “If you fail, you’ll need to retake the class and it’ll push your graduation back. Just see it through. We only have a few days left of filming. How about we just take a backseat for now? I think Max and Holly are filming their big scene today. We should probably be there right now, but...”

Here we were in his bedroom trying to have an adult conversation while he was still wrapped in his bedcovers.

“I’ll finish filming,” he said quietly. “But I don’t think we should do anything more than that. As good as the BJs were, and the sex was amazing... I just don’t think I can take that. I think that’s where I got mixed up. You can compartmentalize it so much better than me, and I know it’s because I’ve never let myself be all cuddly with anyone before and I now realize how amazing that actually is.” He frowned. “No one ever told me that being a boyfriend is cuddling while watching Rick and Morty and then having awesome sex. I mean, what’s not to like about that?”

I snorted. “It was kinda great.”

“Was it? For you too?”

“Well, it wasn’t... what did you call it? Terrible.”

He pouted and sighed. “No, that part wasn’t terrible. The after part was. The feelings part. When you said you didn’t feel the same.”

“I never said I didn’t.” Fuck, now even I was confused. “No, you said it was terrible. I said it wasn’t.”

He narrowed his eyes at me. “When?”

“Just now.”

“But not before.”

“You didn’t either.”

I groaned and ran my hand through my hair. “I’m so glad there are no cameras here right now.”

“Same.”

“Look,” I said, trying to clear this whole mess up. “I said I like you. I know Jimmy dropped the L-word and it caused you to freak out?—”

“I didn’t freak out. You freaked out.”

“What did I do that could be constituted as a freak out? Run off and swim fifty laps and quit the drama production?”

He opened his mouth, then promptly shut it, then threw himself back down and pulled the covers over his head. “Feel free to leave at any time,” he said, mumbling from somewhere in the middle of his blankets.

“I’m not leaving. Christ. You’re such a child,” I growled, frustrated and annoyed. “How is it possible for you to annoy me so fucking much and for me to still be here? How is that possible? I can’t decide if it’s because I like you so much or if it’s because I hate myself more.”

He threw the covers back. “You do like me?”

I groaned and stood up. “Be right back. Going to walk into traffic.”

He reached up and grabbed my hand. “No, don’t leave. Stay here. I’m sorry. I’m a mess of... feelings. And it’s awful.”

I groaned again.

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