𝐔𝐍𝐃𝐄𝐑𝐆𝐑𝐎𝐔𝐍𝐃 ♚ 𝐥.𝐡𝐞𝐦𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬

39 - he's not my boyfriend

"Hey Lyla," Calum said, spinning around in the chair to face the girl sprawled across his bed. "Can I ask you a question?"

This question had been bothering not only Calum for the last few weeks but Ashton too. And he guessed that now – since he was alone with the girl – would be the perfect time to ask it.

"Sure," Lyla shrugged, pausing the show on the laptop to listen to what her friend had to say.

"Are you and Luke, like dating?"

Lyla's heart stopped at the question; silence quickly filled the room as both of them waited for the answer.

To be fair, Lyla had no idea what she should call her relationship with the blond. Yes, they both liked each other, and yes, they've done things that couples would typically do. But are they dating? No.

The girl had thought about the answer to this question a million times before. However, it seemed as if all that rehearsing has gone out the window.

"Uh," she said, searching her brain for any type of valid response. "No, we aren't dating," Lyla replied.

"What the fuck do you mean by no?" Calum questioned; he was surprised – to say the least – about the response he got.

Calum expected Lyla to elaborate, maybe say something along the lines of being in an exclusive relationship just not official, but no. The girl simply said no with her entire chest.

"I mean that we aren't dating Calum," Lyla repeated hoping to make it clearer in the boy's little head.

He was shocked at how nonchalant Lyla was acting, saying it as if she had been asked the question a million times before. When in reality, she was telling the truth – they, as in Luke and Lyla, are not dating.

Calum scoffed, refusing to believe anything that the girl had to say. "Bullshit," he said, "you're telling me that you and Luke are not in a relationship! Not a couple. You guys don't refer to one another as, like, significant others?"

Lyla shook her head, furrowing her eyebrows as she found the right words. "No. I mean, maybe we're exclusive but we aren't like officially dating or whatever. I don't think it really matters," she shrugged.

It was evident who was more upset in this situation.

Calum couldn't process the information that he had just received. How could his two best friends not be dating? They sure do act like they are.

"How are you not upset about that!" Calum yelled, frustrated with the complete and utter ridiculousness he's currently witnessing, "I'm upset for fucks sake!" He huffed.

"I don't know, I don't really care." Lyla said, "I mean yeah it would be nice to have someone to call my boyfriend. But then the overall definition of a partner or boyfriend kind of... gives me the ick." She explained.

"The ick?" He repeated, "Are you telling me that committed relationships make you sick?"

"No," Lyla quickly defended, "I'm saying that it doesn't matter that Luke and I don't have a confirmed label."

"Unbelievable," Calum muttered, spinning back around in his chair.

"I don't think you're getting what I'm saying Calum," Lyla said, "I'm saying that I don't care about labels. If we do start dating, great! But if we don't, that's also fine." She clarified, "If it makes you feel any better, Luke and I are basically dating."

"Does he know that?"

"Dude, I don't know, probably." Lyla responded, "Ask him if it bothers you so much."