“Quit pressing your ears to my wall, you freak.” I smack him in the stomach, not nearly as hard as he makes it seem.

“I hate you,” he grumbles, curling into himself. But the corners of his mouth twitch into a grin.

He settles back into the couch, propping his feet on our ottoman. “Why does your dad hate you so much?”

I stare at the ceiling like it holds all the answers I don’t have. “He doesn’t hate me. He just wants me to be... him.”

This is yet another gig I’ll miss because my father scheduled a “mandatory” meeting at 7 PM. Because apparently “mandatory” is code for “you belong to me.” Half the time, these meetings are nothing more than ego parades over zoom calls. It’s honestly time sucking and I loathe them more than anything.

I thought graduating college would loosen the leash. I was wrong.

"He pays for this whole place, Tony. What am I supposed to do? New York is expensive."

Tony gives me a look, the kind that makes you feel like you’re standing in front of a mirror you don’t want to look into. “You’re lucky, sure. But at what cost, man?”

I don’t answer. Because deep down, I already know the cost. And it’s steep.

My phone buzzes beside me.

SarBear: You’re an idiot.

I smile despite myself. Looks like she finally got my drunk snap I took for her last night.

“That Sarah?” Tony cranes his neck to peek at my phone.

I tilt it away. “Mind the business that pays you,” I mutter, kicking him gently.

“I don’t know why she puts up with you. You suck.”

I shrug. He’s not wrong. Sarah and I have been tangled up in each other’s lives since high school. Sometimes we’re lovers, sometimes we’re exes who talk too much, all I know is we’re constantly in each others lives some way.

“Maybe she found out about Jamie last night.” Tony snickers.

I throw another pillow at his head that he dodges. “She wouldn’t care.”

Our relationship status is currently…off? Undefined.

It started with me trying to pull her away from Nathaniel. That’s the part I don’t like to think about. But once I saw who she was underneath the popularity and cheerleader outfit, I realized she was actually pretty sharp, witty, and the kind of funny that sneaks up on you. So yeah, we just clicked. And stuck.

But we’re both addicts in our own way. She craves attention while I run from commitment. The sort of duo that never really settles into anything. But, it works for us so who am I to complain?

My phone buzzes again.

SarBear: I’m in the city tonight. Let’s grab dinner. I need to talk to you.

Shit. Maybe I was wrong.

“Sarah’s in town. You good for dinner tonight?” I call to Tony, who’s already halfway into the fridge.

“As long as you bring back food,” he says, pulling out a container of rice and turkey like it’s gold.