Best-Friends With Benefits (Under Reconstruction)

Chapter 41- Time's Up

I'd like to think that I managed to pull it together after my little pep talk with Alex.

For the rest of the day, Conner continued with his rather unorthodox assault. Except now, the slight touches and the dark looks that had me melting on the inside, were met with little to no reaction on my part. 

And oddly enough, it seemed to be working. Which is strange, because my plans usually have a success rate of 0%.

My look of indifference was clearly starting to freak my boyfriend out, judging from the intense glare I could feel drilling holes in the back of my head.

I wasn't sure when I became so good at acting exactly, but I was fairly certain that it had something to do with my experience convincing people that Conner was absolutely just my best friend, which hasn't been entirely true since middle school.

So it seemed that all the hard work and hiding in bushes had finally paid off.

 The final bell rang, and I took no time in strolling out of my final class and making my way outside, feeling Conner's persistent gaze still following after me. I held my head up high with false confidence, and I was internally praying that I didn't end up falling flat on my face. That would certainly ruin the moment.

I calmly walked through the parking lot with swaying hips, over to where Alex and Lilly were waiting for me, both leaning against Lilly's yellow bug. Alex had a rather proud smirk on her face, her eye twinkling knowingly as they glanced past my shoulder to where Conner was no doubt trailing after me.

 "My little girl's all grown up." Alex sniffled, before yanking me into a bone crushing hug and pretending to sob into my shoulder.

"Aghhhh!" I yelped as she crushed my ribcage in her arms, leaving me short of breath. I immediately tried to wriggle out of her grip, but she had my arms pinned efficiently to my sides. "You're. Choking. Me."

She released me, holding me at arms length with a bright smile that soon transformed into a scowl at the sight of something behind me.

Well, I guess Jerry has arrived at the scene.

Lilly rolled her eyes at Alex's bipolar antics, automatically leaning into Tom's side as he came up next to her, throwing an arm casually around her shoulder. I noticed her eyes flicker briefly over to Conner, most likely taking note of his uncharacteristic silence.

"Hellooooo ladies." Jerry slid up next to me, Conner on his other side with a thoughtful look on his face. 

Alex snorted, crossing her arms over her chest and deepening her scowl. "Jerry, sexist as ever, I see." She regarded him as if he were a dirty pair of gym socks, her nose wrinkled like she was smelling something awful.

That instantly seemed to change Jerry's mood, as he scowled right back at her with just as much distaste. "Alex, slutty as ever, I see." 

"Here we go again." I heard Lilly mutter under her breath, but the two hotheads seemed to be far too caught up in each other to take notice.

"You have absolutely no right to call me slutty, as long as your jeans are tighter than mine." Alex retorted, pointedly eyeing Jerry's black skinny jeans.

"Yeah, we're gonna go now." Tom announced to no one in particular, glancing between Jerry and Alex. When neither responded, far too preoccupied glaring daggers at each other, Tom led Lilly into her car.

By the time the two had driven out of sight, Jerry was already sending back a snarky reply to Alex.

"Well, women don't seem to be complaining too much." His cocky smirk had found it's way back to his face, and I could see Alex's eye twitch. "Right Selena?"