Mabel’s sitting next to you on your couch, her body wrapped up in your warm blanket. Her arm is wrapped around your shoulder as you’re curled up next to her, rewatching ‘Easy A’ for the third time that night. Your fingers are dangerously close to hers — her hand twitches in her lap, wanting to hold yours…

But she can’t, because this relationship isn’t real or, at least as real as she wants it to be. It’s just a casual fling. Nothing meaningful, just physical, even though Mabel longs for something more than that.

Mabel’s aware that this is casual; a “No attachments” relationship. The moment she agreed to this, you made it clear that you weren’t looking to get attached. Mabel was perfectly okay with that — At least, at first she was.

She knows she isn’t supposed to get attached to you. This is casual, a relationship that both of you fall back into whenever you need a break or you just need some fun. But it’s hard sometimes.

She isn’t sure if this relationship can still be defined as ‘casual’ at this point, either. Is it casual to flirt in front of your friends? Is it casual to introduce her to your mom? Is it casual to go on a beach trip with the two of you? Is it casual to hangout like normal friends outside of your late night hook-ups? Is it casual when her favorite bra lives in your dresser? — Is it casual now?

“What are we?”

She suddenly blurts out, biting her tongue. She’s gonna lose her mind.

“I know you said this is only casual, but… this doesn’t really seem casual anymore.”