The Art of Bullshit

Bonus part - Moment of Realisation

Excerpt from part 5

"Hey."

Asher grimaced when she saw Nathan approaching her. It wasn't that she disliked him, they used to be friends too, still were but since Taylor had chosen him specifically to vex her, she couldn't be in his presence for long without getting irritated.

"Hi." She replied rubbing her hands against her legs.

"Is there something going on between you and Taylor?" Nathan questioned, cutting right to the chase as soon he took a seat beside her.
"What!?" Asher sputtered "What would give you that idea!?"
"Uh you guys? I don't know, you seem to walk on eggshells around each other now so I was wondering what happened." He pretended to act clueless.
"Oh uh no no nothing happened, we're still friends. Just friends."
"Ohhh." Nathan hummed in agreement, nodding his head repeatedly.

"Why do you ask?" Asher asked with what she hoped was nonchalance.

"Well if there's nothing going on between the two of you then you won't mind if I ask her out on a date, would you?" Nathan pouted tilting his head in mock confusion as he was talking to a dog.

Asher immediately tensed up before hesitating, "You want to date her?"
"Well yeah."

She went quiet for a minute or so before she smacked her lips together, grunting "Sure."

"Okay thanks." Nathan smacked Asher's back, making her jolt forward as she glared at him.

"Oh and Ash?" he turned around one last time.
"What?"
"If you refuse to make a move, someone eventually will."

He left Asher gaping at the words he said as he walked away.

"What's going on in your head?" Asher was snapped out of her thoughts by Tana who sat on the same space Nathan had occupied earlier.

"Do you think Taylor has feelings for me?"

Tana laughed, "That's funny."
"What?"
"Wait." She turned to Asher. "You're not messing with me?"
"About what T?"

"That girl has been in love with you since forever!"

"No she hasn't! Haven't you seen her lately? She seems to hate me." Asher mumbled the last part.

"You know that's not the case." Tana put a comforting hand on her shoulder. "She adores you."

"Doesn't feel like it." Asher whispered.

"You really don't see it do you?" Tana smiled in amusement.

"What's there to see!? She's only ever been my friend!"

"God you're so full of shit, the way you both look at each other when you think nobody's noticing or the way you guys talk about each other. It's clear you love her."

"Of course I love her she's been my friend for ages and I just think it's easy to confuse feelings for something they aren't when there's eye contact involved."

"Come on, you are so in love with her that it doesn't take an idiot to figure it out! Just put us all out of our misery and admit it already."

"I wanna believe you, I really do T, it's just-"

"Okay forget about Taylor, what about you, you're in love with her aren't you?"
"I am not-"
"Are you still hung up on Tyler or something!?"
"Who Tyler my boring ex-"
"Okay no, so what's the problem!?"

"FINE! I might like her or something but I know for a fact that she doesn't return my feelings."
"Ash, you guys have been like this for years now."

Asher went quiet for a second before hesitating "But what about Nathan?"
"Oh god that's what you're worried about? He's just her friend."
"I thought friends didn't kiss each other."
"Please, he's basically another Sarah."
"I don't really think that's true." Asher sighed.

"Look just grow some balls and be honest with her."

"Oka-"

"Oh ew that doesn't sound right most of the men I know are fucking pussies-ooh that's not right either, oh maybe it's grow some pussy and be honest with her because the guys I know are balls or is it have balls? Hm no that doesn't make sense either. God what happened to my English, I got a C last month that's supposed to be good right? But my professors all don't seem to like me so it might not be-"

"Tana snap out of it!"

"Sorry what was I saying? Oh yeah! Fuck that guy, show her what she's missing-no I actually like Nathan so no not fuck him, I mean I would fuck him-"

"Okay that's my cue to leave."

"Okay! And text me as soon as it happens or if it ends up in sex then don't, actually you know what? I won't mind I heard Taylor's amazing in bed-"

"YOU CAN STOP TALKING NOW!" Asher yelled from a distance as she walked away.