A.N- Yeah, so this is where some MAJOR things happen, so let me know if you think this is going to fast. I'm kinda losing inspiration for this little ficlet and I want to wrap things up... But I don't want to leave you unsatisfied or anything. Also, thank you all my lovelies who followed, favorited and REVIEWED!

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"Hey Charlie!" I greet my best friend.

A week had passed, and the baby raptors had become a nightmare. We thought that falconry gloves would make the cut, but after a nasty incident with Brownie [note to self: never give velociraptors sugar. If they ingest sugar, get out of the room as fast as possible and barricade the doors.] they had us wear special chainmail gloves. Or at least that's what they felt like. But those made it very difficult to use our fingers, and controlling raptors was out of question. While Brownie and Melon were total daddy's girls, Blue's trust was still yet to be earned. She had a particularly vicious streak, and absolutely hated to listen to us. However, she responded slightly better to my instructions than Owens, and he was so hung up about it, he didn't talk to me for two days.

But finally, they had given us the weekend off, so that our fingers would recover, and hopefully they would find better gloves. I won't mind a full body-suit either.

But anyways, we had the day off, and it was finally time to catch up with my best friend.

Charlie smiles back from the screen. "Looking good, Amber! So give me everything. Where are you even working? What are you doing? When are you-"

I laugh. "Take it easy Charlie! One at a time!" I could see his face turn red even in the bad quality of our video-chat.

"But to answer your questions, I'm working at a- renowned dinosaur amusement park. I'm pretty sure you'll know all about it." I add an accusatory undertone.

Charlie looks very uncomfortable. "Uh- This is- I hope not- Mesozoic Menagerie?"

I roll my eyes. "No Charlie," I smile evilly. "I work at Jurassic World. Care to share why you missed out the part where your ex-girlfriend also works here?"

"Hey! I didn't know where you were going!"

"Yeah Charlie, sure. Like I didn't beg Aunt Ellie to tell me every single detail about Jurassic Park when I told her that I'll be going to Jurassic World and that you weren't-"

"Okay fine, you got me." He folds his arms across his chest. "What do you want me to do about it?"

"Well, it would've been nice to have a friend here. Lillith seems to hate me, for some unfathomable reason. What did you do, Charlie?" I ask him, accusingly.

"I-" he fidgets with the hem of his shirt. "I may or may not have told her-"

"Hey Amber!" Owen calls out from behind me. "Who's this?" Excellent. Count on my idiotic room-mate to ruin what could've been the most game-changing moment of my life.

"No one Grady, now get lost." I tell him off.

"Who's that?" Charlie's voice echoes from behind me.

"Fine. Charlie, meet Grady; Grady, meet Charlie." I quickly introduce them.

"FYI, I'm actually called Owen. Amber however-" Owen clarifies and grins at me. "She calls me d-"

"Shut up!" I glared at Owen.

"So, Owen, what do you do? Why are you with Amber?" Charlie asks Owen, clearly annoyed at the interruption of our conversation. Can't say a lot about Mr. Grady.

"I'm her partner. We train-" If there was any way to convey 'DO NOT MENTION THE RAPTORS. IF YOU DO I WILL KILL YOU, YOUR CHILDREN, AND YOUR GRAND CHILDREN'S CHILDREN' I would have, but a simple glare did the trick. Owen understands and immediately tries to cover up what he said.

"-I mean we trained together. No we do partner-stuff" he finishes off. Partner stuff?

"Partner stuff?" Charlie was confused. "Are you two like-"

"No we are not. Anyways, you were telling me something?" I interrupt them.

"Yeah, um, can we talk in private?" Charlie was clearly uncomfortable around Owen. Or was that jealousy?

Owen gets the message. "Okay guys, I'm out. Yeesh, such defensive friends you've got with you sweetheart." He gets up and goes to the kitchen. "I'll be cooking Pasta," He adds.

Charlie looks at me accusingly after Owen is completely out of sight. "Are you like, sleeping with him or something?"

You know that ringing sound that you hear when everything is quiet and there is actually nothing making the sound? Yeah, well that was exactly what I was feeling.

"What?"

Charlie turns red. "Nothing. Just thought he said you called him-"

"Oh no. oh no no no no no. Get your head out of the gutter man!" I retort back. Even the very thought makes me cringe.

Or does it?

Yeah, no one asked you. Shut up Inner A.

"Hey! You were the one who was suggesting-" Charlie defends himself, but I quickly cut him off.

"Doesn't matter. Now tell me what did you do to Lillith?" I quickly change the subject. I did not want to be talking about my relationship with Mr. Grady. Or lack thereof.

"I told you before Amber! I didn't love her anymore." He defends

"Oh, so you said the L-word before breaking up, did ya? Stupid, you should never ever do that Charlie. Please tell me you didn't say 'It's not you, it's me!'"

Charlie looks down. There is a large amount of silence.

"Awesome. You said that. Please tell me you left her because you wanted to get rid of her and not because of another girl involved."

He looks down and sighs. "Do you remember my college graduation party?"

I rack my brains but come up with nothing. I try to break it to him nicely, but my emotions are evident.

He runs his hand through his hair. "Well, along with the whole graduation thing, the juniors hold a dance of sorts. It's like Prom, but with way more decorum and etiquette and fancy wine. I had tried to invite you as my date, but-"

"I was working on a field assignment with dad. Yeah, I remember now, I had just applied for my PhD, hadn't I?"

"Yeah, so you weren't there, and I had to take someone, so-"

"You took Lillith?"

"Who wouldn't? She was pretty and smart."

"Okay?" I motion for him to continue.

"Yeah, and I was in a loss in the relationship department anyway. So when she popped the question, I accepted."

I open my mouth to retort but he cuts me off.

"Look, Amber, you know I'm not the best at connecting with people. I liked her, and I did eventually begin to care for her, and we were good for a while. But then she became way too invested in our whole relationship, I was pretty sure she was expecting me to propose!"

"And you didn't want that?"

"No!"

"Why? I mean she is, or at least was a great girl. You're a great guy and you cared for her. Also, she loved, no I think she still loves, you. I don't see a downside."

"I won't deny, we had some pretty great nights, seriously, she's very flexible-"

"Back to the point." I say, sternly. I was not interested in the other aspect of Charlie's love life.

"Yeah, sorry. But I just wasn't… feeling the whole fireworks thing and everything."

"So you broke up with her? Cause there were no fireworks? Charlie, do I need to take you to the hospital?"

"I know what's going on in your mind Amber, but trust me, I only loved Lillith as a friend. Nothing more."

"So did you try, the other side of the equation?" I wiggle my eyebrows, suggestively.

He looks at me with a dead expression. "Yes. I did."

"Was it 'good'?" I make double quotes with my fingers.

"I'm still sexually inclined towards girls, if that's what you mean."

"But no romantic feelings?"

"Nope."

"Okay, so you're not gay, you like sex with girls, but without strings?"

"Yeah. I looked it up, too. I'm Aromantic."

There's some silence.

"Well damn. I always wanted to be an aunt to baby Deglers."

"I never said you couldn't be one, Amber. Just that the kid wouldn't have a dad who loves his mom from a 'romantic' aspect. And no, I will love the kid. Just like I love you. And mom and dad. "

"So you won't get married? Not even a girlfriend?"

"Nope."

"Okay."

"Okay? You aren't mad?"

"Why would I be? You're my best friend. I love you just as you are; just as you always have been. It's not like you're a secret psychopath, is it? Plus, you never getting a partner significantly reduces the pressure put on me for not getting one either."

He chuckles. "You're so selfish."

"Hey! Just doing my job of being the annoying best friend. By that way, does Aunt Ellie know?"

"Nope. I do plan on telling her, though I think she's going to be a little disappointed to know that she won't have a daughter-in-law. Dad doesn't really care much. He believes I can do whatever with my life. He doesn't intervene much."

Then it suddenly strikes me. My best friend's abrupt break up and Lillith's hatred towards me made sense.

I gulp. "You don't like, like me, right?"

His smile immediately drops in frustration. He looks very done. "I just told you Amber! Also, that's disgusting. You've always been like a sister to me. I won't lie, I did consider it once, but it just felt weird. I was kinda happy you didn't come when I asked you to the graduation dance. But," he pauses. "I noticed the way you look at your partner. Trust me Amber, he's very pretty, but weren't your eyes on-"

"Not another word!" I yell at him. "But why is Lillith so hostile?" I ask him to immediately change the subject. That part was still unclear.

"I don't really know. Here's my guess, though. Lillith knew about you, how you were going to be my first choice. She's probably angry because she thinks me being aromantic is just an excuse for breaking up with her. I tried to convince her, but I dunno what to do. Maybe, you should just work it out? Talk face to face?"

"You don't know much about girl world, do you Charlie?"

He grins. "Can't say I do."

"How do we know that she'll even believe me? She loves you but still doesn't trust you. Do you think that I'll be any better? She hates me!"

"Hey Sweetheart! Do you mind your pasta salty? Cause I accidently poured in half the container in it." Owen shouted from the kitchen. He is so bad at hand-eye co-ordination, I wonder how he even manages to hold a wrench.

"Stick a few potatoes in it!" I yell back. "Make sure you peel them first!" I add, for safety.

"So? What do I do?" I ask Charlie.

"Well, since you don't want to confront her directly- and I know she has a bad mean side so I get what you mean, but-"

"She avoids being in the same room as me!"

"Fine. You want to be passive-aggressive?" Charlie smirks. "Fake it."

"Fake what?"

"Show that you don't have any interest in me. 'Broaden your horizons.'"

"Are you asking me to- date someone?" I get the evil glint in his eyes now.

"Hey. I never said date. But sure, yeah, that works." It takes me a while to let that sink in. My eyes widen when I realize what Charlie meant to say.

"No. Not happening. No way on Earth am I going to date Owen. Nuh-uh." This was an absurd idea. I keep shaking my head. The very thought repulses me.

Does it, really? Yesterday you were thinking about lovely kids…

Shut up, Inner Amber; No one wants your opinion.

Just helping hon…

"Who said it had to be Owen?" Charlie grins, the same look in his eyes when we played pranks on Sarah.

I hate you so much Charlie. I hate you so so much.

"Plus, I've seen the way you look at each other. I'm just saying, it could work out-" he defends himself but I don't give him the chance.

"I hate you a lot Charlie. GOODBYE."

"I hate you too." He smiles. "So remember, you might want to-"

I end our call immediately, unable to bear his idiocy anymore.

You're just mad 'cause you actually might like dating him.

Inner Amber just sounded like Owen Grady. Boy, am I screwed.

So yeah, I have no experience with Ace/Aro... Did I do anything wrong? Please let me know my wonderful LGBTQI+ readers out there. Happy pride month!