Page 60 of How We Loved

A pang of jealousy races through me. “That’s different.”

He cocks his head to the side, raising his eyebrows. “How?”

“I’ve known these guys my entire life. They might as well be blood-related to me.”

“How do you know the girls I’m going to hang out with tonight aren’t the same to me? Why did you assume they weren’t?”

I sigh and instantly get his point.

He’s totally right. I have no clue who those girls are and how long he’s known them. They could totally be lifelong friends, too, and it would make me just as uncomfortable if the tables were turned.

I let out a breath and nod my head ever so slightly. “I see what you mean.”

“I don’t want to pull you from your friends, but I don’t trust Ben. Especially after what he said to me in the restroom. I know I asked you to put some distance between you two, but I’d rather you just not hang out with him anymore. Period.”

I bite on my inner lip, not sure what to say. Ben and I are more than just friends. He’s my best friend in the entire world—my person. Yes, I’ve blown him off this week, but that was me trying to teach him a lesson to mind his own business. Putting distance between us is one thing; cutting him out of my life is another.

I see what Trevor is saying, but there’s more to our story.

“I don’t think you understand how that will actually work. Our lives are intertwined in so many ways besides us just being friends. He’s practically family.”

He grabs my hand. “I get it. But sometimes, even family members drift apart. I would just feel more comfortable, knowing he’s not around. Will you do that? For me?”

I put myself in his shoes and can totally see how I would feel if he had a girl best friend. I know that would make me uncomfortable, especially if it was one of the girls I met that night. They didn’t seem like the type who would care if someone was taken.

So, I do what I thought I never would do and nod, agreeing that my relationship with Ben should be over.

Now that I’m with Trevor, I’ve been thinking a lot about what my future with Ben would look like. We’re growing up, and next year, we’ll be in college, where I’m sure he’ll find someone who won’t like our friendship either. If I don’t do this now, he’ll probably do it to me later. I know he’ll never be out of my life completely—it’s not possible—but it’s time our lives started to go in separate ways, and this is the first step.

“Okay. See you tomorrow.” I give him a quick kiss again, then slide back away from him and open the truck door to hop out.

“Tomorrow,” he whispers as if the word has much more meaning than the normal definition.

I know what I said to Trevor about not hanging out with the guys, but every part of me is saying it doesn’t feel right, so I pick up the phone and call Natalie to talk it through with someone else, someone who hasn’t been around since the beginning and can see it from an outsider’s point of view, like Trevor does.

“Hello?” she singsongs as she answers the phone.

“Hey, you got a second?”

“Of course. What’s up?”

“What did you think about Ben and me before you really knew us?”

She lets out a sharp laugh. “Do you want my honest opinion?”

“I do.”

“I thought you guys were always a couple. That’s the way you acted at least.”

I let out a breath, realizing even more that Trevor is right.

“Why are you asking?” Natalie takes me from my thoughts.

“I’ve told you how Trevor doesn’t like me hanging out with him, but now, he’s saying I shouldn’t hang out with the other guys too,” I say timidly, not wanting to say it out loud because I’m afraid it will make him look bad, but I need her advice.

“Well …” She pauses. “From the outside, looking in, no one really knows how close you all are.”

“Did it bug you that I hung out with Dalton when you guys first got together?” I ask, hoping she felt the same way about me being the girl in the group that Trevor feels about the guys.

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