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“What if something happened to him?” Avery asked. “You wouldn’t be able to live with yourself or the time that you wasted on unnecessary anger.”

“That part.”

“Okay, tag team back again,” Sevyn again rolled her eyes. “Since when did the two of you become hashtag team Dallas?”

Brushing her hair out of her face, Avery shot her friend a small smile. “We’re always team you. But we wouldn’t be your friends if we didn’t tell you when you were fucking up.”

“We also wouldn’t be your friends if we didn’t point out that the issue here isn’t your feelings. It’s your pride. Okay, no he didn’t realize what he had in you at the same time you realized it about him. But the point is, he realized it. And, he’s attempted to fix it.”

“In between dating other bitches.”

“Well do you expect the man to sit around and wait on you?” Avery snorted. “You’re lucky that none of those situations have worked out or you’d been even sicker than you are now.”

“She would know,” Lorren hummed, pursing her lips.

“Lorren,” Avery sang warningly.

“Okay, okay!” Sevyn interrupted the two before they could get started. “Enough. I don’t want to talk about Dallas anymore, alright? I don’t even know why I told y’all what happened.”

Lorren grinned, “As if we wouldn’t have found out anyway. But this is the last thing I’ll say, and then I’m done with it. You use Dallas as a scapegoat, but your problem isn’t him, Sev. It’s you. Now, you can either get past your feelings and claim the man you love, or spend the rest of your life wondering what if. That choice is yours.”

“And I think I speak for everybody when I say that nobody wants to deal with the fallout of you wondering what if,” Avery said.

Turning on the television, Sevyn dropped the remote before clasping her hands together. “Well, if the two of you are finished. My mom decided to have a last-minute Christmas party this year. My dad was supposed to take her on a trip, but she canceled after finding out that Kohl would be home for the holidays. You two are welcome to come.”

“Ehhhh,” Avery dragged out. Lorren beat her to the punch before she could utter any coherent words.

“Don’t even think about trying to get out of it. You’re going to have to face the music sooner or later, Ave.”

“I don’t understand how the two of you seem to continuously ignore my feelings about this.”

As much as she loved her friend, Sevyn quickly found herself growing frustrated with Avery’s knack for looking at every situation with blinders on. She tended to see everyone's flaws but her own.

“I’m not in the mood to take the conversation there today so please, let’s change the subject,” Sevyn said, finally finding a movie to settle on. “Lor, are you planning on finally revealing this new boo of yours at the party or not?”

“Questions that need answers,” Avery snickered. “Because I’ve been waiting.”

Lorren kept her nonchalant demeanor, shrugging lightly. “To be determined. I haven’t even told him about it yet.”

Sevyn’s eyes widened as she paused the movie. “What!? What do you mean you haven’t told him?”

“Haven’t y’all been dating for around seven months?” Avery scrunched her nose. “Isn’t this the time where you two should consider things being serious?”

“The two of you are in no position to lecture somebody about dating,” Lorren snorted. “But if you must know, we’ve had the conversation several times. During none of those conversations have we been on the same page. We enjoy each other’s company, and we have fun. That’s where we are and that’s where things are going to stay.” Her eyes bounced between her friends. “Therefore, the chances of me introducing him to my family and friends are slim to none. Okay? Thank you and new subject.”

Sevyn and Avery glanced at one another and smirked, non-verbally communicating that they were on the same page. Lorren’s excuses sounded good, but Sevyn knew that her best friend was likely the only one in her situation that had the issue with commitment.

But Lorren was the type to keep things close to her chest until she was ready to reveal them, so Sevyn let it go. She had her own problems. Problems that were only going to get bigger until she found a way to solve them for good.