Page 25 of Neighbors With Benefits

Aiden won the first game, I won the second, and then he won the third—by just four points. “Wow,” he said as we packed up the board. “That was really close.”

“Yeah, you won fair and square. Feel free to rub it in.”

He shook his head. “I’m not trying to brag, but I pretty much never lose.”

“That’s because you’ve never played me before,” I said. “Next time, I’m taking two of three.”

He smiled at me. “Next time, then.”

Next time wasn’t just a polite hypothetical invitation. I got a text from Aiden Tuesday morning.

Aiden: Bananagrams tonight?

Me: Obviously.

Aiden: The only thing that’s obvious is how much I’m going to destroy you.

Me: I’m glad you’re trash talking now, because you clearly can’t handle it during the game.

Aiden won four games out of five. I was infuriated. “Best of seven?”

“I have to get up early.”

“Sure. Make excuses.”

“Why would I need to make excuses? I won!”

“Just one game of Scrabble,” I insisted.

“Jazz,” he groaned, “I have to go to bed.”

“Thursday, then?”

Aiden ran a hand through his dark hair. “You want to get your butt kicked twice in one week? All right.”

For the next month, that became our routine: Bananagrams on Tuesday night, Scrabble on Thursday, and then we got together for a group dinner on Sunday. Sometimes Bash joined us for a simple game, like Clue or Monopoly. Those nights were fun, with the competitiveness dialed way down.

But eventually he called it a night, and Aiden and I put away the childish games and got down toseriousbusiness.

“Let me get this straight,” Cat said during lunch one day. “You’re hanging out with them three times a week, and you’renotfucking?”

“Everything is about sex with you!” I complained.

She waggled a black-nailed finger at me. “No, Jazz. Everything is about sexin reality, you just don’t realize it.”

“I like hanging out with them! They’re like my best friends.”

She made a coughing noise.

“My best friends other than you,” I quickly clarified. “But it’s really nice having two friends next door! Two totally platonic friends.”

She squinted at me for a long moment. “You like them.”

“I just told you I do.”

“I mean youlike them. With your vagina.”

I rolled my eyes. “I guess I should be grateful you didn’t use a stupid nickname like clam or gash.”

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