"Friends are those rare people who ask how we are and then wait to hear the answer."

- Ed Cunningham

I sit there staring at my phone while Morgan rummages through my desk looking for God only knows what. Why did I have to use that phrase, our phrase? By obligation, I can't lie my way out of this one now. I let out a heavy sigh and flop back on my bed.

"Okay, that was dramatic. What's wrong?" Morgan asks, perking her head up so she can swivel around to look at me.

I stare at the ceiling for a good moment. It's both nice and weird to have my best friend back. I haven't had anyone to talk to about Ben, ever. The urge to spill my guts is strong, fueled by our life long friendship and the desire for someone to tell me what to do about this boy.

"Ben texted," I mumble holding up my phone.

Morgan snatches my phone with a thoughtful expression. "Huh, I thought of him more of a Brett kinda guy." She responds, seating herself back in my computer chair as she begins to read and then scroll.

"Damn girl. If you seriously don't want him I'll take him off your hands." She jokes, returning my phone to me by tossing it onto the bed.

I pull myself back up into a sitting position and tuck my legs under me as I peg Morgan with a dark glare. "You couldn't handle him." I snipe.

"Yee of little faith." She laughs, waving me off with a hand as she begins to spin in her chair, letting her head fall back. "Cakewalk." She gloats towards the popcorn ceiling.

I scoff at her confidence, she doesn't know him as I do. If she did she might not be so sure of herself. "He's never once given me what I want, contradicts everything I say and never gets angry so he's impossible to fight with," I complain in finality. If there's anything Morgan hates more than Liam it's not getting what she wants.

Morgan stops spinning to make direct eye contact as her eyes go big and her lips slowly curl up into a grin that fills almost half of her face. "Oh, my, God!" she gapes at me.

My brow creases at her response. "What?" I ask, quite sure I don't want to know 'what' this is all about.

"Kindra Ray Pruet!" She exclaims sliding to the edge of her seat. " You are so in love with him!" She exclaims.

Shit. It's one thing to lie to myself about how I feel, it's another thing to lie to my newly reinstated best friend. I thought that I could hide it but I guess I haven't done such a bang up job. My feelings for Ben don't matter anymore though. Not after the secrets both of us have kept.

"No" I deny dropping my gaze and shaking my head.

Morgan keeps staring at me an incredulous look smeared over her face. "Right..."

I let out a heavy sigh of frustration, leaning back against my bedroom wall. None of this even mattered. Too much has happened and too much has been said. The reality is that Ben and I were never supposed to even meet. "It doesn't matter what I feel okay. It's over between us."

Morgan rolls her eyes. "I let you get away before, I don't make mistakes twice." She mocks, quoting the text Ben sent the night of our fight. "Kindra, those aren't words from a guy that wants nothing to do with you."

"Not helping" I mutter, fidgeting with my nails. The feeling in the pit of my stomach only validates Morgan's opinion. They aren't the words of someone who wants nothing to do with me, not by a long shot. He has every intent on mending our relationship and just knowing this brings an odd sensation to my gut.

"That boy is head over heels for you. You tell him you love him I bet you anything he says it right back." Morgan lectures with a smirk on her lips.

"I'm not making that bet."

Morgan lets out a loud laugh. "Why because you're scared?" She challenges.

I peg her with a flat stare. "No, because I hate it when you say I told you so."

Our eye contact doesn't stay serious for long, a smile slowly forming on Morgan's lips and then my own. Our laughter intertwines and ricochets off the walls as we momentarily slip into our own little world.

"So what are you going to tell him?" Morgan asks, her laughter starting to dwindle and a serious tone overtakes the room once more.

I let out a long sigh, there isn't any other option at this point. "The truth."

"Which is?" Morgan prompts, brow once again raised in question.

Before I'm able to speak there is a knock on the door seconds before it opens to reveal Liam. Morgan swivels her chair to give him her back. Despite Liam and I making amends Morgan still hasn't made hers.

"I'm going over to Harbors tomorrow to ask Lily to be a flower girl. I think you should come." He states, leaning against my doorframe.

I grimace at the thought, having not thought about those specific problems for a while now. At one point I had given it extensive thought meeting the little girl that shares the same parents as me. Maybe building a relationship with her, one that she would count on like the one I did with Liam.

"Won't that be awkward?" I ask a grimace still on my face.

"Honestly when won't it be awkward?" He retorts raising an eyebrow.

Touche...

I let out a long breath of air hating that he's right. It really would be best to start building this relationship now rather than later. "Yeah, okay sure. Just don't leave me there alone?"

Liam nods and offers a smile. "I'm proud of you squirt."

I roll my eyes and point towards my door. "Get out before I change my mind." I joke even though I know I've made the right choice and won't be changing it anytime soon.

As the door closes once more Morgan turns around, both eyebrows raised towards the ceiling.

"Who's Lily?"

I chuckle under my breath as I realize Morgan may not know that the story she hid all those years ago has taken on a life of its own. Boy is she in for a shock.

"Lily is my little sister."