As the days go by, I get more and more used to Aden's sometimes dirty but mostly sweet flirtations.

The cheesy jokes are soon phased out to make way for our interests, hobbies and friends.

One day, I see my phone vibrating on my bed and shuffle all the papers sitting on and around me, so I can lunge myself over to answer him, still scowling at a restless Tonya.

It's upsetting that she uses my house as a waiting room for until London goes for her monthly hair trim at the salon Tonya used to work at(God forbid her bob not be shoulder length - but then again, I'm told it's a Singaporean thing).

But what's even more upsetting is that her penchant for gossip has once again backed me into a corner when it comes to my friend. I can't deny the truth.

"He is the fucking quarterback. She should learn to lie better because I'm telling you, there's no way Faust really hit on her - not Faust the motherfucking furious.

"You know Sybil's always been delusional about her chances with guys. She doesn't even ever approach any of them, and when she does, she sounds like those stupid cartoon mice that follow Cinderella around. Wouldn't be surprised if that's her role model."

I say as Tonya laughs.

I giggle when Aden asks why I'm out of breath after saying my name in the sexiest way possible.

"I was doing Pilates with Sybil."

I give Tonya a warning glance when her head lifts, her face elongated in amusement.

I can't have Aden thinking I ran out of breath after one lunge and a twenty-second rant. I put him on speaker phone, so I can gather the mess I've made of my papers. Shoving them all on top of the cardboard paper that is meant to be the final poster.

"I'd love to see that." He cheers.

"I bet he wouldn't want to smell that."

"What? Who's that?"

I cringe and elbow her as her cheeks stretch the cluster of freckles further across her face.

"Nothing, it's Tonya."

"Don't worry, Aiden; I'm just here painting my nails and minding my business." She hunches over exaggeratedly.

"My name is Aden, actually."

"Yeah, that's not what you're saved as on her phone. Get used to it too because I'm still saved as Tony to this day."

"It's that autocorrect thing." I defend. "The keys do that weird thing-"

"I could get you a new phone." Aden offers innocently.

Tonya snorts as I take the phone off speaker. It's impossible to have a decent phone call if she's around.

"Don't. I'm okay. It's not that I wouldn't take it, but it would be too hard to explain to my parents where I got a brand-new phone from."

"Oh, yeah."

I close the door of my bedroom and go sprawl my body on the sitting room couch.

"I miss you." I smile.

"I'm right here."

"What are you looking at?"

"A flower pot; you know I'm a fan."

"Quite the avid fan if you're mentioning it to your girl. I mean, wait..." I quickly try to backpedal. "Uh... If you're mentioning it to me."

Ugh. I sounded so pathetic.

"McKay?"

"Hmmm?" I squeak, slapping a hand over my face.

"Don't be embarrassed."

"I'm not. The thing is, I feel weird when I have to explain to other people why I speak to you every day."

"You could tell them we're dating."

"I don't know. I don't want to get confused." I fidget.

What the fuck are we doing? Because it really has become quite the clusterfuck.

"If you suspect something, know that you're probably

right."

"So, you are secretly stalking me."

I'm relieved when he chuckles, because the last thing I need is us defining what we are. That way, he can't hold it against me when I end up asking for the scholarship because we were never official.

"You've been thinking about it non-stop, haven't you?"

"No." I half lie.

Yes, I thought about it. But at least I didn't dream about it.

"And don't think I didn't hear that face palm. Sounded painful."

"It was my pleasure, really. I've always wanted to know if it can be heard over the phone."

"Uh-huh."

"Can we move onto animation please? You promised you'd tell me what you've been in."

"Oh, I voiced the snow man from Frozen, the fairy godmother in the new Cinderella adaptation; if you noticed, her voice was much gruffer than usual but still believable, right?"

"What? Really? That's amazing! When I was-"

His quiet sniggering stops me.

"Ha-ha. If we're going to rip each other off, then I should tell you I didn't do Pilates today or any other day for that matter.

"So, when you say you're into animation, what you mean is you're the avid fan and animation is the flower pot?"

"One day, I'll make you sit through one of my marathons. And, oh, I should warn you: I love Toy Story."

"You're in luck; I only dozed off during the second half of the Lego movie I saw with Olive."

"Not the same thing. You're obviously a lost cause when it comes to discerning-"

"Come on, see it on the bright side: whatever you watch, you'll get me for exactly half of your marathon - that's already more than most people."

"Alright, Pollyanna."

"What's that?"

"Pollyanna? You know, the children's book character? I used to hate her when I was a kid. I felt like she was a phony with her eternal chirpy optimism."

"Now I'm a phony?" I adjust the phone to my ear.

"No, it's a children's book about never-ending hope and kindness. Ring any bells?"

"Huh?"

"That's you, dummy. You're pretty much her."

"So, you think we're phonies?"

"No. I always thought that type of person could never exist, and then I met you."

"Oh, Aden." I coo, elated that he sees that in me. "So much cheese."

"It's an English book so maybe that's why you've never heard of it."

"You know what?" I stop him as I get an idea. "Why don't you get Mitch to talk to her tech friends; I'm sure they can come up with a graphic designer who could make cartoons for you."

"For me?"

"Yeah, sorry. I only meant that you could voice your own animated characters. You could do different voices for the characters like those guys who created South Park, or you could even bring in Callisto - he looks like he'd be glad to help."

"Sounds like a lot of work."

"It'll be worth it."

"Yeah, I don't have that kind of time. Even this time I take to talk to you is a bit much in my schedule."

"Oh, I guess you should go, then." I say quietly, checking the screen.

"No, that's not what I meant. I-"

"I'm not mad."

I'm tired of the restrictions though. I didn't need to be reminded of them.

"I know you are. I didn't mean it like that. I love making time for you."

"I'm not mad, I promise. We've been talking for seventeen minutes according to my clock."

"I... okay, I'll go; not because of this but because Nathan is waving me over. I have to go, bye."

The line cuts before I can say anything. I sigh. I don't feel entitled to complain. This is what I signed up for.