What About Yout Friends

TALIA

Early Monday morning, Jenna and Moses headed back to New York. We had texted each other most of the day as they headed back to New York. I was sitting at my aunt's house, watching TV and eating breakfast when there was a knock on the door.

I looked at the time before getting up and going to the door. I peeked out and was surprised to see Joel on the other side. I opened the door.

"Hey."

"Sorry for not calling," he put his hands in his pockets as he looked up at me. "I dropped Nyla at the airport and figured I'd stop by before heading home."

"I thought you had left with everyone else."

"I wanted to make sure Ny got on her flight back home," he licked his lips as he looked at me. "I also felt I owed you an explanation in person."

I pulled the door shut as I stepped out outside. Joel took two steps back as he looked at me. I crossed my arms tightly across my chest as I braced myself for what he was about to say.

"Whenever you do make it back to New York - you should know that Nyla will be at the house," he cleared his throat.

It felt like a prick to my heart. "You're moving her into our house?"

"No," he shook his head. "Remember: I moved into King's house in Uniondale. He's back in Amityville with Moreno, Jenn, and Jess. Nyla is moving back to New York and I offered her her old room."

"The one... she shared with King?" I furrowed my brow, a bit confused.

"Yes. I asked if she wanted to move back into the house she lived in before everything happened. She agreed so she and I are going to be roommates."

"Roommates?" I laughed. "Is that what they call it now?"

"Tal," Joel exhaled as he shook his head. "Believe it or not, but she and I are just friends. We both feel that we're better as friends."

"I'm sure," I rolled my eyes as I shook my head.

"You and I broke up, Tal. We can't make us work. You are still stuck on - whatever King was to you and I can't be in a relationship with a woman that is stuck on another man."

"Moses is happily married."

"Yes, he is," Joel nodded. "He is head over heels in love with his wife and she loves him just as much."

"So, how can that affect us?"

"Because you still have feelings for him. Jenn may be able to overlook it and understand and be patient, but I can't," he shook his head.

"Well, moving in with the woman that hates me I guess is easy."

"I mean... do you not understand why she feels the way she does? You slept with her boyfriend. And, it's not the having sex with him part that's making her insane - it's the fact that you did it inside her house. You cheated with him in her house and then you honestly thought he was going to leave her and be with you."

"And I was wrong about that," I exhaled.

"Yeah. You also had nothing but negative things to say about Jenna."

"What are you - her spokesperson? I'm sorry for that. For all of it. I made a mistake," I dropped my hands to my sides as I looked at him. "That woman hates me, Joel. I tried to make amends. I asked you to bring her here so she could get her best friend back and instead of thanking me or even using my real name, she just calls me Side Bitch and decides to move in with you."

"No, I'm not her spokesperson, but I did ask why there was so much animosity. Can you blame her, though? Would you forgive her if the situation were reversed?"