Moving In With The Enemy

Chapter 65 ~ "As Long As You're Happy"

"Did you want to stay longer?" Walker asks as we step into his car and I smile, closing the door and putting my seatbelt on.

"No, we've been there for hours." I mumble, safely tucking my birthday card into my coat's inner pocket. "If we stay longer, we're staying for dinner."

Time with my family was amazing, it meant the world to me and I was thankful I had it so close to my birthday. 

"Your parents are really cool." He admits, turning on the car and shifting it into drive.

"No, they really aren't." I snort. "Did you miss the part where mom pulled out my baby album and sang my favourite lullaby? To all of us?" I ask and he chuckles. "Or my dad talking about his Master's thesis? His theoretical chemistry Master's thesis?"

"You know what I mean." He defends. "They're......people. Like real, normal, kind people who care about everyone."

"I guess they have that going for them huh?" I laugh and he smiles. "I.....I can't believe that cheque, that's not like them. They don't just hand out money to me, they never have."

"That was nice." He nods. "You......you think you'll keep working at the pool then?"

"Yeah, I'll need to work somewhere come the summer anyway." I shrug. "Probably just one shift casually here or there.....but they have me as a supervisor so I don't know how that's going to work." I mumble.

At the end of February my leave was over and my requested time was done. I was supposed to go back to work, but I was debating what to do about that.

"Do you want to go back?" 

"Fuck no, who wants to work somewhere that's always hot and smells like chlorine." I answer and he smirks a bit. "But the money's good and I know how to do it."

In truth, I still wasn't sure I was over what had happened in the fall. Doing a big rescue like that and watching someone's life flash in and out of their eyes had stuck with me. It made me consider changing my role at the pool or not go back altogether.

"Take it as it comes, don't stress over it." He whispers, reaching for my hand and I sigh, lacing my fingers through his. 

He was right, I had some time to decide. Besides, this wasn't the time to get all worked up about stupid things.

"Was it nice to see them?" He asks, changing the subject and I nod.

"It was." I whisper. "I love them and I like being near my family, it's.......it's the biggest reason I want to stay at Brown." I shrug. "Or, at least it used to be. Now you're tied."

"I moved up a spot?" He laughs and I nudge him. "I'm sure you'll get it, they fucking love you in that building, Annie. Every time I walk you there or back some teacher is eating out of your hand."

"Do you really think that?" I laugh and he nods.

"I do." He shrugs. "It's the weekend, don't think about grad school right now."

"Alright, you've talked me into it." I chuckle and he smiles. We're about ten minutes from our place and I sigh, knowing there was lots of opportunity. "What if we went to a bar for dinner?" I suggest. "You and me, live music, a beer?"

This look crosses his face, almost a nervous one and I blink, furrowing my eyebrows. What was the matter with that?

"S-sure....I just.....I don't have my wallet. Let's stop by the house."

"Okay." I snort, rolling my eyes at his strange behaviour.

We pull into the driveway shortly after and I pull out my phone, waiting for him to open his door and go inside. But he just sits there, looking at me.