𝙋𝙍𝙀𝘾𝘼𝙍𝙄𝙊𝙐𝙎

Talking Tough

* Nieva *

We went from helping each other finish the mile test in ninth grade to wanting to finish each other off.

"...and then I told her I could slip my finger in her butthole if she gave me some of her legendary head."

I shake myself out of my thoughts and look up at Unity. I'm at the car wash, and once again, only a few customers have been trickling in. "You be wild wit deez shawties," I laugh, not really in my element.

Unity, my long time friend and buddy, nudged me. She was sitting on the counter and I was slumped in a chair, bored of standing outside. "What's going on. You look depressed?"

"Just...I don't wanna say. It's a friend we both have so it wouldn't be fair to put you in the middle of this," I shrug.

"Aspen?" she frowns.

I sigh, remembering that she's the only mutual friend we have in common. "We have feelings for each other but shit's complicated," I shrug. "I'm not ready to be with someone on that level."

"Oh," Unity blinked, "well, you're right. I don't wanna get in between that. But some good advice for the both of you: Stay true to your feelings."

"Speaking of her," Unity mumbles, and pretends to be busy with her phone. I look up and see Aspen coming inside. I feel nervous and confused, and I try to hold eye contact.

"Hey, I didn't think you'd be here today after," she trails off, looking away from me awkwardly. "I was actually here to ask Unity what time she gets off." Aspen turns her attention away from me. "I wanted to hang out." Unity glanced over at me, as if asking me for permission to hang out with our friend.

But she's my best friend, my mind echoes.

And I care for her, it continues.

I only shrug, pretending to be caught up in my phone as Aspen and Unity make plans for after her shift. "Alright. I'll be going den, I guess," Aspen says a bit louder. I look up to watch her go, but she's already gone. "I wonder if she did that on purpose," Unity comments, as soon as she's gone. "I mean, yeah you're depressed about everything, but why would she assume you wouldn't show up to work?"

I shrug. "I don't know," I mumble, feeling like shit. Why do I feel guilty like I've done something? She's the one acting all weird. "Well, we're hanging out at the mall, if you happen to show up. Or...you know bring her flowers or some shit to cheer her up. Fems like that."

"But Aspen isn't a fem," I throw my hands up. "She doesn't even know what she is- what she likes. I don't wanna be just some experiment to her and ruin our friendship. I don't want our relationship to feel like some big cloud of indecision," I say, frustrated.