Endless Anti-Romantic

Chapter 1: Naomi and Connor

Naomi and Connor

"CONNOR!" I stand on top of my bed in tears when I hear the door slam open.

"WHATS WRONG!"

"KILL IT!" I point down at my bean bag chair and Connor groans loudly.

"Seriously Naomi?"

"CONNOR!"

"FINE! Shit. Hold your horses." Connor walks out of my room and the Devil's pet moves across the floor.

"AHH! CONNOR!" I feel more tears falling from my face.

"I'm here." Connor walks over to the spider and squishes it with a paper towel. Connor smiles up at me. "Aww. Look Nomi." He thrusts the paper towel toward me and I feel even more tears flow.

"CONNOR STOP!" Connor pulls his hand away, laughing.

"Shit! Sorry." Connor walks away and seconds later I hear the toilet flush. I collapse onto my bed and cry into my knees. "Nomi." I feel the bed sink in beside me. "Nomi I'm sorry. I didn't know your fear got worse." I lift my head and Connor wipes my tears.

"It crawled on my hand Con!"

"Stop crying. Jesus. I killed it. It's gone." I punch Connor in the chest. "What the fuck Naomi!"

"That was for throwing it at me."

"I fucking showed it to you. I didn't throw it at you."

"Whatever." I set my head on my knees again and Connor sighs.

"Nomi."

"What?"

"Look at me please." I shake my head and he sighs again. "I'll buy you gummy worms." I lift my head and Connor laughs. "That-a-girl Nomi." He pats my head like a dog and I slap it away.

"I'm not your dog. Don't pat my head." Connor laughs and hugs me.

"I'm sorry Nomi. You know I love you."

"I love you too Con."

Connor and I have been best friends since we were babies. Our moms both died giving birth and that hardly ever happens anymore. So of course our dad's said it was fate and kept us together. We're total opposites but we compliment each other very well.

I'm a book worm, he's sporty. I'm on the chubby side and he's pretty thin. I'm fairly optimistic and he's a bit of a pessimist. I can get just about anything from sucking up and he can get just about any girl from being flirty; because of that I get extra meals at lunch and he gets a 510 dates a day. I'm a hopeless romantic and he's anti-romantic. He doesn't have a romantic bone in his body.

"Naomi!" I pull away from Connors hug and run downstairs.

"Hey daddy."

"Hey Mr. Winters."

"Of course Connor is over." I roll my eyes and laugh. "I'm assuming you're staying for dinner this week?"

"You know me so well Mr. Winters." I turn to Connor.

"Why don't you help me cook so my dad can relax?"

"Sure." Connor and I walk into the kitchen when my dad yells after us.

"If you want me to relax, bother Connor's dad next week!"

"It's a deal if you bring me back a knife." My dad and I look at Connor with our eyebrows raised.

"Connor how many times have I told you I'm not bringing you a knife back from work?"

"More than I was hoping until you gave in and agreed." I slap Connor's chest.

"Enough. Come on. Brown the beef please."

Connor and I always switched off at who's house we would stay at. My dad and Connor's dad did have guest rooms set up but after Connor and I kept sneaking into each other's rooms, they gave up and told us to leave the door open. Most of the time Connor and I sleep in the same bed but that's for my benefit. As a hopeless romantic I love cuddling, and Connor allows me to cuddle with him without it being weird. Normally he makes me beg and when I finally tell him to forget it, he picks me up or drags me to the bed and cuddles with me.

Most people don't believe we're just friends. I can see why people don't believe that. We sleep at each other's houses all the time, half of his clothes are at my place and half of mine are at his. We have extra toiletries at each other's houses and we even change in front of each other. Out of everything that couples do, Connor and I did. We even kissed once when we were 10 but that was when Connor and I promised each other that we would be each other's first kisses. I think even when we were 15 we said we were gonna be each other's first everything but Connor has had many many girlfriends who boast about getting with him. And getting WITH him.

My dad makes knives for a living. They're actually very high quality and pretty cool. Connor's dad is a personal trainer so that's pretty awesome. Our dad's agreed that if we stay in town when we reach 20 years old then they'd combine their two careers and teach us how to fight with weapons. Needless to say Connor and I are suffering through our second year of community college just to make this promise a reality.

Just recently Connor and I have been going to different concerts during the summer, so far we've been to Black Veil Brides, One Direction, Linkin Park, The Script, and Pierce The Veil. Next week we're going to an Of Mice And Men concert. Of course One Direction was mine but Connor got them for my birthday and promised we'd go together, I like their music! It's catchy and some of them are actually really great. As much as I don't like things that are top level mainstream, I don't regret going or liking their music, even Connor likes a few of their songs.

"Hey Nomi?"

"Yeah?" I turn away from cutting the carrots to look at Connor. He walks over and places the tomatoes beside me.

"How about we go swimming tomorrow? You, me, Joey, Carmen, Payton and Dean?" I laugh.

"So a non-couple going swimming with real couples?"

"Well yeah, everyone else hates that we hang out so much together and get annoyed with us. Real couples tend to love that we have-" he raises his hands and uses air quotes, "such an 'amazing' and 'passionate' bond for friends." I laugh and roll my eyes.

"Fine. In that case I need your help choosing what bathing suit to wear."

"Or you could go in the nude. I'm sure nobody would mind." We both laugh and I throw a carrot piece at him.

"Don't be gross Con."

"Come on. At least wear a two piece. You've got a sweet body I don't understand why you hide it."

"Because I don't wanna be checked out like an object." I say with a sweet smile.

"That explains why you haven't had a boyfriend since middle school." I scoff as Connor turns around to tend to the beef.

"Actually! I haven't had a boyfriend since middle school because you make all guys fear for their lives when they come even close to me."

"What? I do no such thing." I raise my eyebrow.

"So you're saying I can pursue Marcus?" Connor drops the spoon and turns to me.

"Hell to the fucking no."

"Well why not?"

"Because he's after one thing and I don't think your daddy wants you deflowered." I punch Connor.

"Gross Con! I mean come on, he has to date me if he wants it and I know how to say no."

"And so do I." Connor picks up the spoon and smacks my ass.

"Ow!"

"No." I roll my eyes.

"There was no need to spank me."

"Why more of a biter?" I throw another carrot at Connor.

"Finish cooking would you?"

"As you wish queen Naomi."

"Damn right I'm the queen." We both laugh and continue with our cooking. Connor is a damn idiot sometimes but I love him to death.