After work, I head over to Beck's apartment. With all the time I spent fighting to get back into Layne's good graces, I didn't want them to feel left out.

"Well well well," they harass me anyway, Nat making the first comment, "Where dafuq have you been?"

"And why do you seem so... Happy?"

"I don't seem happy," I get unnecessarily defensive.

"Okay," they back off, "Pizza will be here in a little."

I collaspe on the sofa, and Tex, sensing my presence, bolts from wherever he was in the apartment, hopping onto the couch with me. I scratch behind his ears as he gets comfortable.

"My boy's getting big," I comment.

"Stop distracting us," Beck sits next to me, his interrogation face on, "Are you and Layne back together yet? I mean--- You took a cutting board to your face for her. The least she can do is fuck you once in a while."

"He's right," Nat agrees, "Those are the lesbian rules."

"I'm not a lesbian," I interject, "And for the rest of that statement--- No comment."

"We're just saying," Beck presses, "I've seen you moving all those boxes."

"You're helping that bitch move and y'all still aren't together?" Nat chimes in, "You're getting played."

"I'm running a long game here," I try to defend myself without snitching on myself. There was no way I was spilling our bedroom business like that. Not that they need me too.

"You sound like you're just escorting yourself into the 'good friend' zone," Nat suggests.

"I'm more than a good friend," I scoff, then immediately regret it. 

"Soooo what I'm hearing?" Beck, my filter-less son, catches me immediately, " Is you're still getting laid."

There's a way too on time knock at the door before I have to answer that question. He goes to get door while I try to focus on Tex, and not Nat's gaze.

"Stop staring at me," I mumble, before changing my voice, talking to Tex, "Isn't Nat fucking creepy? Yes she is! Yes she is!"

Tex, smelling food, abandons me, rushing Beck in the kitchen. Nat wiggles, her eyebrows, smirking, "I see you, Best Friend."

"Dinner!"

***

With the weekend behind us, I start the second phase of my plan. Or at least, I try to start the second phase of my plan, if Layne wasn't being a piece of shit.

"Do you wanna do something tonight?" I catch her after class, walking her to her car as usual. Since we'd done much of the work moving them out Saturday, it was getting harder for me to keep finding excuses to be around. Pretty soon they'd be all moved in to the new place. And I was not in the market for an at-school-only girlfriend. "I don't have work tonight?"

"No thanks," she responds, "I have plans."

"Since when do you have plans that aren't with me?"

"Since now."

"Okay..." I take exhale, trying not to get frustrated, "How about Saturday?"

"Are you trying to ask me out on a date?"

Well yeah but you keep playin'....

I realize that she's toying with me, "I was just seeing if you were busy is all," I digress, "Call me if you're free sometime."

"I'll think about it," she gets into her car, "See ya." What game are you playing Sinclair?

Okay... I brush off her rather cold reaction to my invite and drive home, polishing off some remaining homework before crawling into bed.

This game between us continues for the whole week. Layne's time is shared with everyone but me, including Wren, not that that matters. Our cuddle sessions halt and her texts become more and more dry.

"Layne?" I approach her after class, "Is something up?"

"Nope. Is something wrong?" she asks me innocently. Yes! And you know something is wrong why are you asking!?

"Uh, nah," I shrug, "So did you wanna grab something to eat after school?"

"I really would but--"

"Yeah, yeah. You have plans," I exhale and mumble, "I don't know why I asked."

"Maybe because you know one day you'll convince me to cancel them," she leans in, whispering in my ear. The bell rings and I head out to the parking lot to my car.

***

"You're busy tonight," I say to Layne at the start of class. She looks up at me and gives me a playful smirk.

"Am I?" She responds coolly, but I can see her eyes light up at the sound of my voice, giving her away.

"Yep," I lay down an outfit on her desk, "And you're wearing this."

Everyone at the table (and surrounding area for that matter) waits for her response, Lori lurking in the background, grinning.

"I have plans," she replies.

"I know," I say, "They're with me. I'll pick you up at seven."

I walk back to my seat, not glancing back to see her reaction.

Even with all that confidence, I'm jittery as ever getting ready for my date with Layne. To make sure I have the house to myself, I pay for my father to take Mindy on a date, gross as it is, at a hotel downtown. When I'd handed them the reservation, I could see the suspicion in Mindy's eyes, but who was she to turn down a night away from me? Dinner included.

I shower, and get dressed in black jeans and the other collared shirt from Karry, this one black and white pinstriped. I put on my black combats, my hands clumsy with the laces. Calm down, KJ. You got this.

My finished look is dark, but in a dapper, fuckboi way, oddly suiting me. Classy, but masculine. I accent my eyes with mascara and eyeliner, then head out the door. My stomach ties itself into knots, not knowing what to expect. Technically she hadn't agreed to it, so I don't know what to expect as I head over to her house. I get up and head to her apartment. I raise my hand to know but before I can, the door opens, revealing Layne in a black skirt, white blouse, and black platforms, which raise her to my height.

"Hey." I pray my voice doesn't sound as shaky as it does.

She smiles shyly, "Hey."

I take in her appearance looking her over slowly, wanting to remember the way she looks. Which is absolutely, beautiful, by the way.

"Ready?" I offer my arm and she blushes, making me realize she'd been doing the same to me.

"Yep," she takes my arm and we walk down to my truck.

"You realize this is our first date right?" she says as we pull away, "Like actually?"

"You mean eating fried chicken in our bras wasn't a date?" I remark. She laughs, "KJ, I'm serious. This is the first time for us. Like a real date."

I think about it, "I dunno I guess it is. Every moment I'm with you is special to me so I guess I never considered it."

She was right. Of course we did things together, but I don't post-sex Starbucks counts as an actual date.

"I feel like we did this relationship way out of order," I murmur.

She touches my shoulder, "And who's fault was that?"

I don't reply, knowing that a lot of the problems we were having had a lot to do with me. We pull up at my house and she gives me a weird look, "Kaylie Jane if this is an elaborate ploy to get laid I swear---"

"Shut up before I start kissing you," I say, killing the engine. I get out and then get her door for her, before we head up the path to my house. Inside I take her into the dinning room, which I'd already set with dim lights and candles. She takes a seat and I fetch our dinner from the oven, which I'd set to keep warm while I was out.

"I present to you, garlic herb chicken with mashed potatoes, and sauteed asparagus," I put the plate in front of her and fetch a pitcher of orange drink from the dollar store.

"Orange drink?" Layne questions, "You went from classical cuisine to orange drink? Really?"

"I may or may not have forgotten a drink," I take my own seat, "Look, it's the thought."

She rolls her eyes and takes a bite of her food, "Oh my God this is delicious!"

She closes her eyes and seems to transcend, actually moaning, "I didn't know you could cook like this. Oh my God."

"Thanks," I feel my face heat, the compliments slightly embarrassing me. She continues to rare about the meal until it's gone. Then I break out dessert, creme brulee garnished fresh berries and whipped cream. When we're done we head outside, where I have one of our tv's set up on our patio. I start a fire in our pit and we get comfortable on the outdoor couch out there with blankets and the movie Friend with Benefits, one of my favorites with two of my favorite actors.

Layne snuggles close to me, leaning her head on my shoulder. She yawns as the movie nears the end. "I love you," I whisper, finding myself holding my breath.

"Hm?"

"I know I love you," I gain confidence, speaking a little louder, "I know I love you because I see you smile and I have to smile back, no matter how shit of a day I'm having. I know I love you because anytime you call, whether we're fighting or not, I drop everything to go to you. I know I love you because sleeping alone hasn't been the same since I know what it is to lay next to you. Actually, nothing's been the same by myself, knowing what it was to have you by my side. I know I love you because you could literally ask me for my right foot and I'd cut it off myself. Like, oops I guess I'll just have to learn how to hop everywhere," I take a breath, "I wasn't sure before, when you told me you loved me, but I am now. I love you."

"That's cool," She yawns again, her attention still on the movie.

"Really? That's it?" I sit up and she laughs, and then I relax, realizing what she just did there, "Are you kidding me, Layne?"

"Yeah hurts, don't it? See how you sound," she kisses my cheek, "Don't be upset. I know you love me, Kaylie Jane. I just wanted you to know you love me."

"I'm not even gonna pretend to know what that means," I entrap her lips in mine and she melts into the kiss, before pulling away, diverting her attention back to the movie, "Wait this is my favorite part!"

I pause the movie, kissing her again anyway, "I love you."

Now that I've said it once, I don't want to stop saying it, "I love you."

"I love you too," she giggles, kissing me back, "Baby..."

I pull away, reigning in my passion, "Yes?"

"I'd never ask you for your right foot."

I laugh, relieved, "Thanks. Cause I kind of need it."

"We need to talk better care of ourselves this go around," she says, "I'm serious."

"Okay."

"No, I'm serious," she says again, "I mean we're looking out for each other this time around. We care about each other's feelings as much as we care about our own. We're communicating. We're rooting for each other. If we're doing this again, we're a fucking team okay?"

"Okay," I repeat, "We're a fucking team."

"Good," she smiles, "Now un-pause the movie."

When the movie is over she helps me clean up before I have to take her home again. On the ride there we kiss at every stop, which pisses her off as I take the longest way possible with extra stop signs.

"I love you," she says, grabbing my hand. I beam, knowing there's no way she can know how much of a burden was just lifted off of me.

We reach her complex and she kisses me one more time, chastely on the lips. I resist pulling her closer, knowing I need to get home, and that if I kiss her anymore that won't happen. She pulls away way too fast, "Goodnight Kaylie Jane."

"Wait," I pull her back to me, kissing her again. She doesn't stop me, gripping my shirt. My hands find there way to her hips, and I gently caress her butt.

"Baby," her voice shakes, "You have work in the morning."

"I know," I don't stop what I'm doing, pulling her close again.

"Kaylie Jane," she pulls away again, avoiding looking in my eyes. We both know that if we both saw the lust in the other's eyes, I'd never leave, "Baby, please stop before I invite you inside."

"Okay," I submit. I place a final kiss on her forehead, "Goodnight."

"Goodnight," she disappears into the building and I drive home safely, moving the TV back inside, and proceeding to have the best sleep of my life.

I swear it.