Come Back To Me (Previously No Friends Just Benefits)

2

We left the bar and stepped into the fresh air which reinvigorated me after being all clammed up in a crowded bar. I was thankful enough that I was only wearing three inch sandals, so I was prepared to walk. It was only then when I stood beside Jason that I realized how much taller than me he was as we began our stroll down the sidewalk.

"Okay so," I began with arms crossed against my chest. "I know this is weird, but it could work for us both. It's mutually beneficial, and I really need your help. Think of it this way, you scratch my back and I scratch yours."

He laughed again and shot me a funny side look. "That is the weirdest way I have ever heard anyone put it. But go on."

A small squeal erupted from my mouth. "So you're not totally against it. It's sort of like No Strings Attached. I'm Mila and you're Justin. I'll throw it down for you when you want, and you just play the role of my good boyfriend."

I noticed Jason's smile falter as I stated the rules. "No strings attached?" he asked.

"Dude!" I exclaimed, throwing my hands up in the air. "How could you have not seen that movie?" My voice was up to a screech at this point. "It's the best rom-com to ever exist. Step one of being my fake boyfriend includes us watching that."

He stopped his stride for a second and turned to look at me incredulously before he shook his head with a small smile playing on the edge of his lips. "I wasn't talking about the movie. I meant, us, no strings attached?"

"Oh." I muttered feeling a little more than stupid. "Sorry..."

He shook his hands at me, "No, no, that just gave me more of an insight into what you're passionate about. This could work." He mused to himself.

This time, I stopped walking. My eyes widened slightly, "So you'll do it? Really?" Jason stood wordless for what seemed like ages, just working things out in his mind. Every minute longer he took, my heart sank, thinking that he wouldn't want to go through with this. There really wasn't anything to worry about, though. It wouldn't go on for long, we'd just do it until we felt we didn't need it anymore.

"Alright." he mumbled. My head snapped up and my face broke out into a huge cheesy grin.

"Really?" I asked hopefully.

"Yeah, I'll do it. But one thing," he began. "You've done this before, right? I'm not going to be your first?" he squeezed his eyes shut tight as if he was expecting me to say the worst.

I laughed, leaned closer and reached my arm up to ruffle his silky hair. "If that's what you're worried about, yes I've done that before. So it's all good." I glanced at the time on my phone. 

"It's getting late and I should probably go. Here's my number." I snatched his cell and typed it in.

"I'm saving myself as Charlotte. Not Charles or Charlie." I said, handing him his cell back. He looked up at me from under his thick long lashes. "So I'm free tomorrow. Give me a call and we can meet and talk about how we're going to make this work."