The Senior (College Years 4)

What the hell? No, I will not just use her for sex. We’re more than that. I love that girl. She lives in me. That sounds corny as hell, even in my thoughts, but it’s the damn truth. She’s everything to me.

Everything.

Caleb takes the ball all the way to his basket and sinks it into the net with ease, the ball bouncing on the ground. He snatches it from the air, turning to look at me as he continues dribbling the ball.

“You all right?” he asks.

I nod, not even bothering to steal the ball from him, even though it’s rightfully mine. “Can I ask you a question?”

He frowns, still bouncing the ball. “Sure.”

“You ever uh…just have sex with a girl but not want a relationship attached to it?” I rub the back of my neck, feeling like an idiot for asking.

“Pfft.” Caleb makes a dismissive noise, passing the ball straight to me. I catch it before it can do damage to my abs, like I did to him only moments before. “I invented that game. Baylee, remember?”

“Oh right.” How could I forget? He kept that girl on a string since high school, and only ended it when Baylee told him she was done. We were already halfway through college by then.

“We were total fuck buddies, though I know she caught feelings.” He frowns. “I regret how badly I treated her.”

“Well, now she’s practically married to Carson,” I remind him.

“Isn’t that crazy? That guy never impressed me much, but they’re still going strong.” Caleb shrugs. “I’m happy for her.”

That’s great and all, but I don’t want to divert from the real question that’s lingering on my tongue.

“How were you able to never catch feelings for her?” I ask, my voice light. Like this conversation is no big deal.

Caleb watches me, his eyes narrowed into slits. “You got someone in mind to be your FWB?”

I frown. “FWB?”

“Friend with benefits,” he explains.

I start bouncing the ball, warming up to practice a trick I learned and perfected in seventh grade. “Nah.”

“Liar.”

“It’s true.” I shrug and bounce the ball harder, until I flip it into the air and stick my middle finger up, balancing the fucker right on it. “Check this out.”

“Not bad,” Caleb acknowledges before he runs up and bats the ball away. “Who you got in mind? There are girls lining up to get with you, bro. The pull is strong this year. We’re seniors. We could have anyone we want.”

We both watch the ball roll across the paved court, until it bounces against the black wrought-iron fence, coming to a stop.

“Do you want anyone else?” I ask him, just to make sure.

“Nah. No way. I’m happy. Gracie is my girl,” he says with boastful confidence. I remember feeling that way. So sure in my relationship. Positive she was going to be mine forever.

Now look at me.

“That’s great,” I say, and I mean it.

I’m also envious. I want that back.

I want it with Ava.

“After our encounter last night, I’m thinking that’s what Ava and I can be,” I say. Caleb frowns at me in confusion. “Friends with benefits.”

“What? You gotta be fucking kidding me.” Caleb says, an incredulous look on his face before he busts up laughing.