Someone To Watch Over Me - Book 1

Chapter Twenty-one

My God, what have I gotten myself into?

I open the door to my old bedroom and wave a hand for Alex to enter. He walks in and looks around. Not much has changed in this room since my high school days. My mom keeps saying she wants to turn it into something else, but she appears to be waiting until I finish college.

I watch as Alex just walks about the room taking it all in, my posters, my books... "You're a bigger fan of Anime and Manga than I am, and I didn't think that was possible."

I laugh nervously. "It was an obsession of mine in high school. I have had little time to read since college, so I have fallen out of the loop a bit."

He's running his fingers almost reverently over the titles of books on my bookshelf and lets out a slow whistle.

"Which reminds me..." I walk over to the shelf and stand next to him for a second, scanning the titles until I find one in particular. "For you," I say, handing him the book. It is an Astro Boy Comic from 1965, 1st Series.

"Are you serious!?" he exclaims, looking at me with awe.

"I never really got into the series. I only collected a few, and I noticed you didn't have this one."

He takes the book and sits down on my bed. "Wow, Cat. I don't know what to say."

"I hear, thanks usually works well."

He looks up at me and grins. "Thanks! But are you sure? This book could fetch you over $100.00 on the market."

"I'm sure. With everything you've done for me and are continuing to do for me... plus you're such a fan... I'm happy to know it's in such excellent hands."

He is sitting there on my bed, just shaking his head in disbelief. Alex is sitting on my bed. It seems the thought hits him at the same time.

"Uh, Cat?"

"Yeah," I say. I know what's coming by the way he looks around the room and back at me.

"There's only one bed."

"Noticed that, huh?" I reply, busying myself by putting my things away.

"Yes, I'm very observant in this way," he says. Though I refuse to look at Alex, I can hear the smile in his voice. "So, uh... you slept with William too, huh?"

"Jealous?" I tease, not entirely sure what's come over me. This whole situation is so darn awkward that my defense mechanism of deflecting with sarcasm and humor has kicked in full force.

I sneak a peak in his direction, and he's grin widens. "A little, maybe. I was hoping what we shared the other night was something special."

I nibble the inside of my cheek to keep from smiling. "Sorry to disappoint you, but the truth is you're far from my first."

Alex shakes his head and pouts. "You just had to go there, didn't you? That's hurtful, Cat."

I sit down on the bed next to him. "I'm sorry. Let's hug it out," I offer, holding my arms open to him.

Alex laughs and hugs me, but I realize I have made a strategic error as he tackles me and we tumble onto the bed together. His full weight now has me pinned against my bed, and I'm speechless as I look up at him.

I put my hands against his chest, trying to push him off of me, but honestly, I'm not trying that hard. He's smiling that smile that makes me think of so many wicked things. I swallow hard and ask, "We can be adult about this, right?"

He blinks once or twice and sits up. "What do you mean?"

"I mean," I say, sitting up as well, "I get this situation is far from optimal, but it's not like we haven't," I use the finger quotes again, "slept together before."