For Her

Chapter 7.

Her eyebrows furrowed at the sound of my voice and she sat up a little straighter. I watched her for a moment and noticed she didn’t recognize me, at least, not until I spoke. Then it looked like something clicked in her. It looked like she was listening.

She didn’t move, she didn’t say anything, it was like she was waiting for confirmation that I was who I am. Not that I was the person who claimed to be her brother, the person she was waiting to meet, but the person from the other day. She looked like she defiantly knew me, but she couldn’t place it. She didn’t recognize me…

“Um…” I mumbled, then cleared my throat, trying to think of something to say, to start a conversation. but I just settled with the obvious starter.“I’m.. I’m Alex.”

“You’re him.” She whispered, her eyes going wider. I was wondering for a second what she was talking about, but then I remembered again. “you’re him?” She asked this time.

“I’m him… And you’re you apparently?” I asked, chuckling nervously. I could hear Garret mentally face palming at how my conversation was going. 

“I-… Thanks.” She suddenly said after a brief stutter.

“Yeah, I-um was just around at a good time, I guess.” I shrugged, a soft smile on my face.

“No, not many people would have done that. They mainly just looked on… So thank you.”  I was at a small loss for words at the moment so I just looked around the room, then she spoke up again. “So do you always play hero?”

“Not much, no.” I chuckled.

“So I should feel honored? Or is that one of your pickup tactics?” She asked, raising an eyebrow at me. Although her voice contradicted her facial expression just then, it was quiet and held a shy, innocence to it.

“My wha-… No! no… That’s a lame pickup tactic.” I ran my hand through my hair kind of nervously.

“So, you’re an expert on pickups then?” She asked, her arms now crossed over her chest. Her head turned to the side, kind of downcast after I couldn’t reply, I didn’t know what to respond to that. I didn't even know what was going through her mind, but I didn’t have to dwell long on it as Garret decided to stick his head in at that moment and respond for me.

“He’s a natural at pickups. He just doesn’t know how to keep them.” He said, making me jerk my head in his direction just fast enough to see him give a cheeky grin before slipping back out of the room.

I was mentally cursing him out. My stomach now forming itself into a knot…again. It wasn’t enough that I was nervous on the way over here, thinking I’d make a bad first impression. I had to actually make a bad first impression.

I didn’t want to turn around and see her face, I couldn’t face the horrified look that was most defiantly awaiting me. I counted the three. Then, when that didn’t work, I counted to ten. Then again, and again. Finally, after I hit a full forty-eight seconds, I turned around and faced my fears. Only to see an amused smile, slightly gracing her face. 

My eyebrows furrowed in confusion. 

“Wingman?”

“I-i guess you could call him that.” I nodded, then cleared my throat. “You know, I’m not a slut… or guess ‘player’ would be the right word here.”

“It’s okay. You don't have to explain to me, It’s not like you owe it to me or anything.” she said softly, her chin now resting on her knees.