Babysitter or Boyfriend?

Chapter 4

Chapter Four

After the beach, the eleven of us stopped at In and Out Burger for dinner-looking undoubtedly fine with our sand-covered arms and legs, wrinkled and damp clothing, and tousled wet hair. As soon as we made it inside the restaurant, all three of my roommates scampered off to the restroom. I hadn't been too afraid to use the portable toilets at the beach, so I was good to go.

Alex sidled up next to me. "Hey, stranger," he wrapped an arm around my shoulders and squeezed. "I feel like I haven't talked to you hardly at all today."

He wasn't exaggerating; not five minutes had passed all day that Brooke wasn't standing, sitting, or swimming right next to Alex. Not that he seemed to mind all that much-several times I caught him laughing with her, or finding some subtle way to tickle or touch her.

"Yeah," I replied nonchalantly. "Did you have fun?"

"Sure did," Alex responded with a nod. "How about you? I saw you and Connor chatting for awhile there. Did you manage to get more than two sentences out of him?"

I smiled, glancing over at Connor. He was standing on the opposite side of the counter, staring sort of blankly up at the menu. Blake approached him and threw his arm around Connor, saying something I couldn't quite hear over the noise of the restaurant. Connor grinned one of his supposedly rare grins, and I felt myself smile. "We had a good conversation," I told Alex. "He's definitely quiet, but he's nice."

It was the truth-aside from our initial conversation, while everyone else was swimming, Connor and I had managed to chat twice for several minutes throughout the afternoon. I'd found out his love for soccer (he'd played on teams since he was a kid), classic rock music, and mint chocolate chip ice cream. They were random little tidbits, but that was part of what made it so endearing.

Alex followed my gaze towards his roommate, and I heard him sigh softly under his breath. "Ave, just...just be careful when it comes to Connor, alright? He really is a good guy, but like I said, he's pretty broken after the stuff with Becca. I just don't want to see you fall for him, then get hurt."

Though a part of me appreciated Alex's concern, and understood where he was coming from, his words stung-just a little. It was obvious Connor had been hurt by his ex, and it wasn't as if I was formulating some plan to make Alex's roommate mine...but even if I did like him, just a little, who was to say I didn't at least have a chance? The way Alex made it sound, I was doomed if I developed any sort of romantic feelings for Connor.

"Okay," I said coolly. "Thanks, Alex."

Alex bent so that our gazes met. "Aw, Ave, did I upset you?" When I didn't reply right away, Alex frowned. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to hurt your feelings, or make assumptions. I just don't think Connor is going to give you what you want."

My mouth dropped open. I knew he hadn't meant the statement to sound so insensitive, but the truth was, it sort of had. "And what do you suppose that is, Alex? Geez, way to make me sound shallow."

He sighed, running one hand over his face. "Shit, you're grouchy tonight."

I nudged him hard in the ribs with my elbow. He was turning into the Alex that drove me completely up the wall-sometimes he was so sweet, and talked me through my anger or disappointments. Then, other times, he was too much of a...well, of a guy. "Don't swear," I snapped. I didn't like it when Alex used cuss words just for the heck of it. "And don't talk to me until you've decided to actually care."

I walked away from him, fully aware that I was being just a little bit petty and oversensitive. I couldn't help it-the stress of moving to a whole new place, mixed with feeling like a third wheel around Alex and my Barbie-doll-like roommate, also mixed with possibly liking a guy that, according to Alex, would 'never give me what I want.'