What Do You Want From Me?

“JACK” Laney groaned at the loud voice. “Woah. Sorry dude.”

Laney opened her eyes to see Alex standing over her. She was confused for a second, until she heard another groan and realized that what she had thought was a pillow was actually Jack. She had fallen asleep on the couch with Jack last night while watching movies. When she had asked to stay the night, she hadn’t thought she’d be sleeping on the couch, but rather sleeping in Jack’s guest room.

“Dude. Why are you so loud? It’s early.” Jack groaned as Laney sat up, allowing him to stretch a bit before eyeing Alex.

“It’s almost one genius.” Alex said with a laugh, still looking between Jack and Delaney confused. “What were you two doing last night? I thought you were sick Laney.”

Delaney almost cringed when Alex called her Laney. She had gotten so used to him calling her Del when they were alone. He only called her Laney when they were around other people.

“Jack brought me back here so he could watch me. Said something about how I shouldn't be by myself if I’m sick, so we came here. I guess we fell asleep while watching movies.” She said with a shrug, but she didn’t miss the way Alex was looking at her suspiciously.

“Anyways, what did you come in here yelling about?” Jack said, trying to ease the awkwardness that was in the room. He didn’t know how he hadn’t noticed it before, but now that he knew about Alex and Delaney, it was like it was staring him right in the face.

“Oh. Right. I wanted to know if you wanted to grab lunch.” Alex asked, turning his attention back to his best friend.

“Oh. Yea. Sure. Let me go shower and change and we can head out. Food sounds great.” Jack said, rubbing his eyes a bit. “You gonna come to Laney?”

Of course Jack would be polite and invite her since she was here.

“No. I’m gonna head home. Still feeling a bit off.” She said, and Jack looked a bit worried while Alex raised his eyebrows at her.

“So you won’t be coming out tonight then?” Jack asked and Laney shook her head no.

“Think I’ll stay home and try to sleep whatever this is off.” She said, trying to get the message across to Jack that she had no intention of being around Alex tonight.

“Ok. Maybe I’ll come check on you later ok?” Jack asked, and she nodded in agreement before Jack stood up. “Give me like, ten minutes Lex.” He said before heading out of the living room and towards his room to shower.

Delaney started to get up and grab her purse, planning to leave and get away from Alex as quickly as possible. Alex spoke up before she could get her jacket on. Of course she couldn’t just leave without a single word.

“What’s going on with you and Jack?” He asked, and she looked at him, a bit shocked and a bit confused.

“What do you mean?” She asked.

“Are you two back together?” She couldn’t help but roll her eyes at his question.

“Not that that is any of your business, but no, nothing is going on between Jack and I.” She said and he scoffed.

“It is my business if you’re sleeping with him. You can’t sleep with both of us Del” There was that nickname again, harsh and rough as he said it.

“I’m not sleeping with Jack, but just so you know, I’m not sleeping with you anymore either. So I guess that problem is solved in case I do sleep with Jack now, isn’t it?” She hadn’t really planned on this being the way to break things off with Alex, but he was really irritating her.

“Oh please. Now you’re just being ridiculous.” Alex said, rolling his eyes as a smirk graced his face. “You can’t resist me.”

Delaney choked out a laugh. “Oh please. Get over yourself Alex. You may be fun in bed, and you may be a really good friend, but really? I can’t resist you? I don’t want anymore fringe benefits. I want a relationship. And the only way to have that is to stop sleeping with you so I can do that.”

“I don’t want a relationship Del.” He said and again, she couldn’t help but laugh. Was he even listening to her?

“I didn’t say I wanted a relationship with you. God, you’re so full of yourself. But I can’t go looking to get into a relationship with anyone if I’m still sleeping with someone else. So I’m done. We’re done.”

“You want to get back together with Jack, don’t you?”

“Alex.” She sighed, pinching her nose between her eyes in frustration. “This has nothing to do with you. This has nothing to do with Jack. This has everything to do with me and what I want. And what I don’t want is to keep sleeping with you, keeping it a secret, and not have something come out of it. I want a relationship. I’m ready for another one. But I can’t in good conscious go looking for a new boyfriend if I’m sleeping with someone. Get off your high horse and accept the fact that we’re done.” She said before storming out of the house and down to her car.

While that certainly wasn’t how she thought any of this would go, it also wasn’t how Jack thought his lunch with Alex was going to go either.

Once they were at their favorite diner, seated and having ordered, Jack was caught off guard by Alex.

“Are you sleeping with Laney?” Jack almost spit out his coke.

“Not that it is any of your concern who I sleep with, but no, I’m not sleeping with Laney.” Jack said, hoping this was the end of the conversation, but Alex kept pressing.

“Do you want to get back together with her?” Alex asked, and Jack raised an eyebrow. It was obvious Alex didn’t know that Jack knew about him sleeping with Delaney, so Jack figured he wouldn’t say a thing.

“I’m not sure. Maybe. I mean, she’s Laney.” He said with a shrug, carefully gauging Alex’s reaction.

“I didn’t know you were thinking about getting back together with her.” Alex said, and Jack noticed just how upset Alex sounded, even though he was trying to hide it.

“Why do you all of a sudden care about whether or not I’m with Laney?”

“I don’t” Alex said a bit quickly. “Guess I was just caught off guard by seeing you two asleep on the couch together this morning. You’ve never mentioned wanting to get back with her.”

Jack just shrugged. “I always think about it. Laney and I were really good together. I don’t know. I don’t always know why we broke up.” He finished, trying to find any hint of what Alex was thinking. “So what about the redhead from last night?”

Alex laughed and shrugged. “Don’t know. I’ve got a date with her tonight though. So I’ll let you know how great she is in the morning.” Alex said with a laugh as Jack smiled and shook his head.

“Don’t you ever want someone to be with for more than a night?” Jack wondered. Alex looked at him and shrugged, taking a drink of his soda.

“I don’t know. I’m just having fun. I don’t feel like I need to be with anyone for more than a night right now. I’m not ready to start searching for “the one” or whatever. I’m still young and having fun.” Alex said.

“Fair enough.” Jack said, letting the conversation die. He felt so bad for Laney knowing what he knew now. Especially because now, he knew that Alex wasn’t looking for someone to be with.