“Why don’t we do the whole friends with benefits thing?” he asks seriously.“Because I don’t think I’d enjoy having the benefits you give me removed” I answer back not missing a beat.“Just friends it is then” he says not perturbed and starts eating his lunch.”

“You need a job and I need a PA, why don’t you come and work for me?”“No thanks, God knows what being your PA would involve.”He laughs. “Well it would involve the usual, faxing, filing, answering the phones, takingbookings, relieving my sexual needs, etcetera.”“Yeah I thought as much.” I tell him, my tone doing all the rejecting for me.“Seriously though, the offer stands. Think it over.” He tells me in a soft voice.“I don’t have PA experience.”“I’ll teach you,” he says, in a tone that insinuates other things.“Sure.”He lowers his voice. “I think I’d enjoy teaching you things.”“Can’t say I w-would enjoy it.” Yeah, right.“You stuttered,” he says”

“A study at the University of Utah found that if you ask someone why he is friendly with someone else, he’ll say it is because he and his friend share similar attitudes. But if you actually quiz the two of them on their attitudes, you’ll find out that what they actually share is similar activities. We’re friends with the people we do things with, as much as we are with the people we resemble. We don’t seek out friends, in other words. We associate with the people who occupy the same small, physical spaces that we do.”

“This is the hard part about having best friends that I feel no attachment to -- I don't give them any benefit of the doubt. And being best friends is always about the benefit of the doubt.”

“Thank you,” I said, turning around a little so I could talk to him. “You’re a good friend.”“I know,” he said, as he tightened his hold around me. I leaned back against his chest, resting against him. “Beckett, I–,” I started to say, but he stopped me.“Shh,” he said. “You don’t need to say anything. Just watch the fireworks.”

“I want you to know that I’m serious. You’re not a hook up. You’re not a friend with benefits. You’re more than that to me.”