"What’s going on with you and her?" I say in reference to Marissa.

The blonde leans back, feigning interest in the cheap table cloth.

"You’re thinking about getting back with her aren’t you?"

I slam my head down on the table when she shrugs her shoulders.

"Check!" I shout, not bothering to hide the disappointment.

"Aiden, come on."

I look back at her, scowl covering my face.

"It’s just, she…. it’s Marissa, you know?"

"No Spencer, I don’t know." I say, my words free of emotion.

She leans towards the center of the table, voice hushed.

"She was there Aiden… when everything bad was happening, Marissa was around…"

I laugh a genuine laugh.

"She was also the cause to most of your problems."

She doesn’t respond to my words, she knows I’m correct.

"What about Ashley?"

After leaning back in the black chair she begins to pick at her fingernails.

"I don’t know Aiden… When I’m around her I feel…. it."

I give her a simple nod, knowing exactly what she’s talking about.

"Do you know how hard it is to tell people I want in my life about what happened to me?"

I don’t answer because I don’t know, I’ll never know.

I curse myself inwardly for pushing the subject when her words come out choked.

"Marissa knows everything, I wouldn’t have to explain."

The fact that she’s willing to be with someone she really doesn’t care about just because its easy angers me, making all my understanding for her situation vanish. I pull my wallet from my back pocket.

"So you’re just going to settle for Marissa because you’ll get to dodge some really difficult conversations?"

She leans back and refuses to make eye contact. The look on her face tells me the topic is no longer up for discussion; this is one of the downfalls of being best friends with a lawyer. Once she feels like she’s given you her closing argument there is nothing left you can say. In defeat I decide I might as well end this encounter.

"I gotta get back to the house Spence. To make sure the twins are okay, they just came down with the flu, ya know."

"Make sure you give them plenty of fluids." She states, not bothering to make eye contact.

I throw a couple twenties down on the table.

"I’ll call you when I’m on my way."

After a brief hug and a few apologetic smiles I head for my car, flipping my phone open as soon as I’m inside.

"…..Ashley?"

"Yeah?" Her voice responds through the phone.

"I think its time to set this jealously plan in motion."