Babysitter or Boyfriend?

Chapter 17

A/N
If I could have a quick word...okay, so I know some, if not most of you just completely DESPISE Alex right now, and think he's the biggest idiot in the world. I understand where you're coming from--I totally, totally do. But please. Really?? He's known Avery for her ENTIRElife, and most of his. He's best friends with her older, VERYprotective brother. Yes, if they dated things could go amazingly well, but in these situations you also have to look at the cons....which are:he tells Avery how he feels, she feels the same and they date. Then it ends BADLY and 1) his amazing friendship with her is competely ruined, and 2)Jake KILLS him. So really...can you REALLY blame him for being slightly in denial about his feelings? Haha. And do you like that I'm acting like this is a real, live story? But seriously, the story is coming to an end SOMEWHAT soon. I hope you all like it, though I can't promise to make all of you happy. Ok. Sweet, that's all I have to say. Read on. Yay for long chapters!

Chapter Seventeen

"Seriously?" Becca stared at me, the expression on her face one of incredulity mixed with pure glee. "Avery, this is fantastic news! Why do you look so upset?"

I groaned, covering my face with both hands. "I can't fall for Alex, Becca," I told her as though it were the most obvious thing in the world. "We've been friends forever. Alex dates girls like...well, like my roommate, obviously. Gorgeous girls. To him I'll probably always be Jake Watson's scrawny little sister."

"You don't know that, Avery," Conner said gently, rejoining Becca on the sofa. Immediately she reached for his hand, and he twined their fingers together. I suppressed a sigh; I was still in the process of getting over Conner, but it was impossible to deny that he and Becca were an adorable couple. "Alex might have feelings for you, too."

I threw a pillow at him. "Don't get my hopes up," I grumbled. They both laughed, making it hard to resist a grin.

"Seriously, you should tell Alex how you feel," Conner insisted, his expression growing serious. "You might be surprised. Take me and Becs, for example. She was afraid I wouldn't take her back, but all I needed was an explanation."

"Love you," Becca grinned at him, and they leaned in for a kiss.

"Alright, that's my cue to leave," I said, rising to my feet and gathering my backpack. I'd gone straight to Becca's after class, in serious need of some 'girl talk.' Unfortunately, she didn't want to wallow with me-she thought the news of my newfound feelings (or possible feelings) for Alex was fantastic.

"No, I'm sorry," Becca said, lifting her hand-the one Conner didn't have wrapped between both of his-as though to stop me. "We won't be mushy anymore. You can stay."

I shook my head. "No, really, I've made the two of you put up with my grumpiness for over two hours now. I think I'm just gonna go home and get started on my essay." The thought of writing a three-to-five-page paper on Shakespeare's Othello did not put me in a better mood.

"Think about what I said," Conner gave me a pointed look. "What's the worst that could happen if you tell Alex how you feel? He doesn't feel the same and things get kind of awkward for awhile? You two have been friends forever, you said it yourself. I don't think your having a crush on him is going to destroy the friendship."

After a moment, I nodded. "I'll think about it," I promised, my hand on the doorknob.

"Bye," Becca chirped, and I waved as I exited the apartment.

I knew that the second I closed the door behind me, they'd go right back to kissing and being 'mushy' as Becca called it, and for some reason the thought made me inexplicably sad. Not because I wanted Conner to myself (only sort of), but because I wanted someone to look at me and kiss me the way he looked at and kissed Becca.