Reed & Roden

8 / sorry

this chapter is dedicated to rye, the ultimate sweetheart. love you, babe. x (and i will reply to your mssgs later!)

thank you for all of your lovely comments on the last chapter. i hope you enjoy this chapter as well. happy reading x

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"Okay," Knox starts, tossing a small, black envelope onto the coffee table. "Plan B."

Roden raises an eyebrow and takes it, carefully treading his fingers through its flap before discovering an invitation inside with embedded gold prints. "The Augustana Conroy Foundation Ball," he reads slowly, eyes raising up to stare at Knox. "Care to explain?"

"It's from Lacy."

"I kind of figured." Roden scoffs and leans back against the couch. "So her mother is holding a ball to celebrate the establishment of scholarships for the university?"

Knox nods. The excitement is clearly glinting in his eyes. "She gave out the invitations a week ago actually, and I wasn't planning to bring it up because I know how...sensitive you get about her."

"I'm not sensitive about anything when it comes to Lacy," he says truthfully. "She's my ex, we dated, that's it."

"You're not getting my point."

"I wasn't aware you had one."

"Okay, smartass, I know I said I was going to support you with any decision that you make about the fucking Disease, but I have to be honest with you." His best friend rubs the nape of his neck and looks away, obviously embarrassed about what he's going to say next. Roden smiles. "You...you look shittier than ever."

"...shit man, don't know if you've noticed, but that's kind of obvious—"

"Fuck, what I mean is—the plant inside you? It grows. It's gonna grow until your lungs can't take it anymore, and I'm not about to watch that happen."

Roden pushes his tongue against his cheek. "And suggesting a ball hosted by Lacy's mother is plan B why...?"

"Shit, do I really got to spell it out for you?" Knox rolls his eyes and takes a seat on the table to pick up the invitation. He thrusts it towards Roden's face. "You need a distraction. You need to get rid of your feelings for Reed. This is the perfect way to do it."

The brunet laughs. "Dude. What makes you think meeting with Lacy again will do the trick? It's not an off-switch, Knox. I can't just turn my feelings off."

Knox shoots him a flat look. "The reason why you and Lacy got together in the first place was because you slept with her, remember?"

Roden clears his throat. "Yeah, I'd rather not talk about that—"

"Do it again."

"Excuse me, what?"

"I said, sleep with her again—"

"No, Knox, fucking hell, I heard you the first time," Roden snaps, shaking his head as he stands. "I am not going to use Lacy as a distraction or as a cure."

Knox stands too. "Look. I know you, man. You get attached with anyone you sleep with too easily, and Lacy's the same. You both tried to keep it strictly friends with benefits but it didn't work out."

"Our relationship didn't work out."

"I'm not trying to tell you to get back into a relationship with her," his best friend reiterates. "I'm just saying that you could easily forget about Reed if you sleep with her and maybe your affections might transfer back to Lacy, who you can avoid for the rest of your fucking life. Better yet, tell her your situation and I'm glad she'll be all too willing to help. Trust me."