Page 7 of A Little Secret

“Because he’s Everett’s best friend,” I remind him. “His little sister is my best friend and roommate once the renovations are finished. It’s not like Griff and I have a class together, and I can simply…sit somewhere else.” I hesitate, attempting to even fathom how I would go about Drew’s ridiculous proposition before remembering how impossible it really is. “Drew, our entire lives are literally entwined. Like, what do you want me to do?”

“I want you to tell him you can’t be friends with him anymore.”

“You’re joking.” I squeeze the bridge of my nose again and fight off my pending headache. “Tell me you’re joking.”

“What’s there to joke about?” he asks. “If you’re gonna call me up and be pissed about Mollie, then?—”

“Fine,” I snap. “Fine, you can hang out with Mollie.”

“Oh, so you’re saying you don’t care about Mollie anymore?” he challenges.

“I’m saying I can’t cut Griffin off, and if you’re going to compare the two, then fine. You can hang out with Mollie.”

“No,” he decides. “No, you don’t get to do this. You don’t get to twist shit around and decide you’re fine with me hanging out with Mollie all because your precious friendship with Griffin—which is fucked up, by the way—is on the line.”

“So, what are you saying?” I ask. And I hate how I can feel it. The familiar weight. The heaviness. The charge of this conversation. The question is…is this it? The moment he ends things, and we’re over? I’ve thought about it. I’m not going to lie. I even suggested it two minutes ago. Long-distance relationships suck. But it’s Drew. My Drew. Mine.

“I’m saying I love you,” he murmurs, “and your friendship with Griffin bothers me. Just like how my friendship with Mollie bothers you.” His tone is softer now, but it doesn’t ease the rigidity in my muscles or the way I want to cry and scream and throw something.

“Did you cheat on me?” I whisper.

“I would never cheat on you, Fin.” He’s so resolute. So matter of fact. “I’m not just saying it, either. I promise I wouldnevercheat on you. You’re my forever, baby.”

I close my eyes again, letting his words wash over me.

We’ve said them a thousand times. Made promises we both had every intention of keeping.

Westillhave every intention of keeping.

“I love you, too,” I whisper. “And I would never cheat on you, either.”

“I know you wouldn’t,” he answers. “But I’m still not comfortable with your friendship with Griffin. I know you think he only looks at you like you’re his friend, and maybe it’s true, but it’s still torture for me. Knowing he’s close to you. Knowing I’m not.”

I hate this, too. That I get it. I understand why my friendship with Griffin would bother him. He’s Griffin. He’s the captain of LAU’s hockey team and looks hella good without a shirt on. He’s also thoughtful and friendly and sweet and dedicated and…my brother’s best friend.

“I don’t know what you want me to do,” I murmur.

“I know you can’t avoid him entirely,” Drew admits. “I know you live together until the renovations are finished, but…if you could at least set some boundaries,” he offers.

“I’ve set boundaries,” I remind him.

“Yeah, well, maybe you could set some more.”

Defeat settles in my bones like a bag of bricks, and I press my fingers to my lips, staring out my bedroom window without seeing anything at all. Not really. Nothing but the future I’ve built, the one I’ve dreamt about, with someone asking me to do the impossible.

“What would you like me to do?” I ask.

“Tell him you can’t be friends with him anymore. As far as you’re concerned, he’s friends with Everett, not you. It’s what you’ve been insisting with me anyway, right?”

Yes. It’s what I’ve insisted for years, even if it isn’t entirely true. Sure, there’s nothing but platonic love between me and Griffin, but…I do care about him. He’s one of my best friends. The idea of hurting him to protect my relationship with Drew feels…wrong. Especially when Drew’s being a controlling dick about the whole thing in thefirst place. There are boundaries in every relationship, and he’s dangerously close to crossing one of mine. I don’t like being controlled, and I sure as shit don’t like being told what to do. But it also feels wrong ending things with Drew over a stupid Instagram post.

When did this get so hard?

“And your friendship with Mollie?” I push.

“Dead in the water. Promise.”

My teeth dig into the inside of my cheek, and I clear my throat. “I’ll think about it.”

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