"Damn Sebastian is a dick," Griffin breathes out as he finishes his last rep on the leg press.

I chuckle as he rests the machine back down, "I know,"

He climbs out of the low seat and wipes away his beads of sweat, "And your parents, no offense are fucking terrible for siding with him—I mean you're their daughter,"

I let out another humourous chuckle, "Oh I know," I respond sarcastically. It's currently Thursday and Griffin and I are finally catching up after being busy with school and finals approaching. I mean you know it's bad when we're in the gym having a full conversation to catch up on everything at six in the morning.

On Monday, the day after I spoke with Sebastian, I called my parents. My mom voiced how disappointed she was in me and how there was no hope for me to marry a good guy, or possibly get married at all. She began rambling about me being old and alone, which caused my dad to intervene in our conversation. What hurt even more, was when he interrupted her only to say he agreed, and how great Sebastian is. I feel like they expected me to declare we'd be getting back together after that conversation, but I didn't and I think that made my mom even madder while my dad just accepted it.

She then began ranting about Christmas approaching and how we'd have to have it at our house, which I still didn't understand the big deal. Our house was really large and designed by an esteemed designer, while it wasn't as big as the Meleri's compound—it was still massive, yet I haven't spent the last two years there due to our holidays being merged with the Meleri's. I think my mom liked the idea of merging our families and Kate also became one of her closest friends—along with my dad and Liam, which is why I made sure to mention that they could all be friends even though Sebastian and I weren't together. The intense phone call ended with their blunt bye which left me feeling upset against my own wishes. Even though I knew they were wrong for making me feel bad about a decision regarding my own life, they're still my parents, and I guess I still care what they think.

"And Cayden? I mean the best friend Vina?" Griffin laughed as he grabbed his black water bottle, "You have no shame,"

"Had," I corrected him considering Cayden and I aren't ever going to happen, she hasn't tried to reach out and I don't think she ever will. While we never exchanged numbers, she knows where I live, and it wouldn't be weird for her to stop by and ask to talk. Now for me, it would be since she was the one who rejected me numerous times and even had me begging at one point.

"Really Vina? After everything you told me?" He shook his head before taking a long gulp of water from the bottle, "I mean the way she saved you that night from Sebastian—"

"She didn't save me," I cut him off as I correct the term.

Griffin jokingly scoffs with a wide smile, "The fuck if she didn't, you yourself said you wouldn't have left that relationship had it not been for her—I mean you knew you were gay, using him for the image, there was no sex, he already had shady hostile behavior from what I heard, and then he gets physical and you still won't leave? Girl, you're worse than those women in the movies,"

I roll my eyes playfully deciding to not comment given that he's technically right, Cayden did save me that night.

"Then she offered to take you back to New York that night even if it was so fucking inconvenient, then you guys get a hotel and you decide while you're showering to mastur—"

"Shh Griffin!" I slap his shoulder lightly as I look around at everyone in the fairly empty gym, but I quickly notice everyone—who is here—has headphones on.

Griffin dramatically rolls his eyes before continuing, "Then she gives you a bomb ass massage, has flirty commentary with you during the car ride home while you guys hold hands, then even though it took her a week—which we're not mad about, am I right?" he asked as he hip bumped me, "You ran into each other at the club and she took you back to her condo—I get she expressed how she felt wrong for pursuing you, but then you guys ended up, wait, how did you put it? Mutually mastur—"

"Griffin!" I cut him off as my face burns red.

"Psh they all have headphones in," he shrugs it off before continuing once again, "You guys clearly have something special going on between you so I say go for it,"

"Go for it after being rejected numerous times? Yeah, such great advice Griffy," I mocked sarcastically as we began walking to the leg curl machine.

"But she clearly wants something, I mean you guys cuddled before that whole argument happened,"

"No she doesn't and she was probably half asleep when that happened—and exactly, an argument happened and she rejected me yet again," I pointed out in a smart tone.

"But Vina—"

"No Griff, it's just... It's done okay? I mean besides she's my ex-boyfriend's childhood best friend, and my roommates nor parents know about me being gay yet,"

"Not yet, but they can, and who cares that she was Sebastian's childhood best friend?" he asked with raised brows as he climbs into the workout machine.

"Clearly she does," I said animatedly, "Besides even if she didn't, the timing of all of this looks bad, I mean she drove me home that night, so people are going to think—"

"Who gives a fuck? Besides... what people think is actually what happened," he raised a knowing brow before starting his reps.

"No-no it didn't, we didn't sleep together. And apparently, she does give a fuck or maybe it's the fact that she values their friendship which I don't blame her for,"

Griffin leans up from the machine and catches his breath before continuing, "You're just choosing to make obstacles—"

"I'm not the one making them," I point a finger at him with narrowed eyes.

"But you're accounting for them—you're choosing to let them get in the way of what you guys could have and so is she," he lets out in one breath before sliding out of the leg curl machine, "I get why she's so hesitant okay? I'm not a heartless ass person to not see that she cares about her childhood best friend, which I'd be a little concerned about her if she didn't, but... New York is so fucking big, why not date on the DL? No one has to know, and then you guys could feel out the whole dynamic. She also has her own place so your roommates or parents don't have to know about you being gay yet, and you have me—your fake boyfriend who will generously cover for you,"

I silently slide into the leg curl machine and complete my three sets of ten as I let what Griffin said, sit with me, but in the end, I decided that it was all unrealistic. Even if I didn't decide that, it's still up to her too, and I know she won't go for it. Plus I'm not willing to get rejected again given how bruised my ego and feelings are currently. I just need to move on, I think I feel such strong feelings for her because she helped me out of a terrible relationship that I forced myself into.

"No Griff, I just... I can't, and even if I could—it's still up to her," I shake my head as I climb out of the machine.

Griffin lets out a dramatic sigh, "Fine, but you at least need to try to rebound with someone tonight when you go out with Jade and Jaci—and by someone, I mean an actual woman okay?"

I huff, "Okay,"

Griffin smiles, "Glad that's settled, want to head to Yolei's and grab a coffee?"

I smile cheekily at him, "Coffee after a workout?"

"Hey I'm parched, and tired after working this sexy body, plus you'll be getting tea anyways so it shouldn't affect you," he pointed out.

I weighed his suggestion before giving in, "Yolei's it is,"

Griffin and I go our separate ways to the locker rooms so that we can freshen up before heading to the local coffee shop. After feeling refreshed enough, we head over to Yolei's which is luckily only a five-minute walk from the gym we share, and it's also a five-minute walk to my house given that it sits halfway between the gym and my house. Griffin and I's topic shifts to him and his current flings as we sip our warm beverages, but soon it's time for both of us to head home to shower and clean up before class and finals. Ironically, these two things are the last thing I'm worried about, it's more about tonight and finally finding a real rebound because we all know Cayden is far from that, at least for me. It's nerve-racking to think about trying to find a woman since I've never actually done it before, and there's also the part where I have to hide it from Jade and Jaci—but I told Griffin I would find a rebound so that's what I'm going to do. Who knows, maybe I'll feel better after.