The Best Man novel Chapter 33

"I didn't realize we were like", she fidgeted with her fingers nervously "-seeing other people while we have what we have going on"

"I thought we agreed on no commitments, pressure or labels so even if I was seeing other people, it shouldn't be like a problem"

"It doesn't work like that, Nathan", she whisper shouted, seeming to lose her cool but not loud enough so that the others could hear

"How does it work then Liv?", I placed the beers on the counter and folded my arms. "I've never been in a situation similar to this one before in my life so obviously I'm still a little clueless"

"You can't hook up with other people while we still have what we have going on"

"Why not?"

"It just doesn't work like that. It's against the rules"

"I thought there were no rules to begin with", I retorted, and she inhaled a sharp breath while pinching the bridge of her nose to calm herself down

"You know what?", she laughed a little, but I could tell she was holding back a sob. "I just can't do this right now, I think I'm just going to go"

"You're just going to leave?"

"There's no point in talking about this further", she grabbed the bowl in her hands and turned to walk out of the kitchen

"I don't get it Liv", I said, and she stopped in her tracks. "You're the one who wanted us to keep this thing between us on a low profile and keep it between us and I went along with it. Now you have a problem if I see other people?"

"You don't understand"

"I think I do. We both know the reason why you don't want us to go public with this is because of your ex. You're afraid that I'm going to hurt you the same way he did and the sad thing is that you just don't see it"

"I don't see what?"

I was about to explain to her what I've been dying to tell her from the beginning but Kevin's voice interrupted

"What's taking you two so long in there?"

She took one long hard look at me, waiting for me to say what I've been meaning to tell her, but I couldn't, I just shrugged and took the beer bottles and walked past her and I could hear her sigh heavily before following after me

Thinking about it made a few veins in my temple throb a little, so to keep my mind off things for a while, I decided to make myself a late night snack but was soon interrupted by the continuous knocks on the door. For a mere second, I wish I hadn't switched on the TV and the bright lights in my apartment in case that was Nathan at the door so that he might think I wasn't home to prove to him that I have a life outside of hanging around with him and that I'm also more than capable of seeing other people like he was.

Not that any of that would have worked though, but it was definitely worth a thought...

I pulled the door open, and I was quite relieved it was just Anna

"Hey", I invited her in, and she threw herself in my arms, exhaling tirelessly, and I immediately sensed something was wrong with her because she wasn't her bubbly, cheerful and ready-to-kick-my-ass-any-second-now self

"Are you okay babe?", I withdrew from her, and she gave a lazy shrug, her eyes were all teary and puffy

"Can I spent the night here with you, Liv?", she sniffed, and I noticed she was carrying an overnight bag with her

"Of course you can", I said while closing the door and watched as she plopped down the couch and sighed heavily

"What's wrong?", I stood opposite her, and she sighed again before tapping the space next to her on the couch

"You might want to sit down for this"