Living with the Player

Chapter 12

I can tell that Nico's becoming too comfortable in my house because when I come home from school, he's sitting out in the open and eating my favorite ice cream straight from the carton.

"What the hell, Nico?" I snap as I storm over to where he's sitting.

"Glad you're back. Can you go get some new ice cream? This is disgusting," he says before taking another huge mouthful.

"It's butterscotch and it is delicious," I say and he lets out a snort.

He shakes his head. "After all these years, you still have the taste buds of a grandma."

I pause in my tracks. He remembers that?

"How was Justice League?" he asks, not noticing my reaction.

"It's Social Justice Society," I correct, snatching the ice cream from him.

A smile plays on his lips. "So Justice league in lamer words." He reaches for the carton.

"Mine!" I say with a 'hah' as I grab a new spoon. I take a large spoonful and make an overdramatic "mm" sound as I eat the ice cream.

"I thought girls only look like that when they... you know," he says. The ice cream in my throat turns into bricks as I start coughing uncontrollably. Nico gives me an infuriating smirk and hands me his glass of water while simultaneously stealing back the ice cream.

"You're such a perv," I say between coughs.

He shrugs simply in response. "Wanna share?"

Begrudgingly, I take the seat beside his and we start to eat from the carton in silence.

"You know, you can't just sit around here. What if my dad comes home or something?" I say even though I know that the probability of my dad coming home at this time is very slim. He's always working and when he isn't, he's at his girlfriend's house. At this point, I don't even really remember what his face looks like.

"What, you're not allowed to have boys over or something?" he asks, laughter shining in his eyes.

"Boys are fine. You are different." He raises his eyebrows curiously. "Did you forget you lived across from me for years? My dad knows what kind of guy you are."

He looks at me through the fringe of his lashes and asks, "And what kind of guy is that?"

I pause for a second, realizing that I've said too much.

"The handsome kind?" he asks, saving me from my own thoughts.

I roll my eyes. "I'm not going to respond to that."

He grins. "I know you know how to appreciate beauty. I've seen the paintings in your room. They're better than expected."

"Wow, thanks," I say, but my lips lift slightly.

"So what, is that, like, your passion in life or whatever?" he asks, scooping out a rude amount of ice cream.

"I mean, yeah. I like it. A lot. You see all those?" I say, nodding towards the wall behind him. "Those are my art prizes."

He lets out a low whistle. "That's amazing, Jennie."

I smile. "So what's your 'passion in life or whatever?'" I ask.

He gives me a rueful smile. "I don't have anything like that," he says. His eyes reach the floor for just a moment before returning back to me. "Enough about me. You got a boyfriend yet?"

He doesn't seem to want to discuss it anymore so I don't push it. "No," I say pointedly before remembering. "But I did give someone my number."

His eyes widen. "Damn, Cho. You're even better than I expected."

"It's not like that. He asked for it for homework," I say.

He gives me a look. "Keep telling yourself that. So who's the lucky guy?"

"Theo Pereira. He's a senior in my physics class."

Nico's face turns disapproving. "Theo? That guy's a tool."

"He's nice and he watches anime," I say. I don't even know why I'm defending him. It's not like I really know the guy. Nico disliking him just makes me want to like him more.

"Sounds like a tool," he mutters. "Of course you would pick a guy like that."

"Sorry I don't have 600 chicks in my phone like you do. Tell me, Nico, who is your girl of the week?" I clapback.

He stretches his arms out. "As of right now, nobody. I guess you could say I'm playing the field."

"Playing the field. Just like you played Samaya."

"Oh please." He starts to hog the ice cream. "That was in 7th grade. We barely held hands and then she left me for Emma Long."

"What about all the other hearts you've broken since then?" I challenge, only half-teasing.

He smirks. "Keeping tabs on me?"

"Only to make sure I stay away from you," I say, sugary-sweet.

"Well, that worked well," he remarks with a smile. "You know I'm not a player, Cho. A player is a guy who makes girls believe they're the only girl he's fucking with. I make my boundaries clear so don't look at me with those judgy eyes."

"I'm not judging you," I say. "I just wonder what the point of all that is."

He smiles. "It's called not wanting to catch feelings."

This admittedly slightly stuns me. I'm coming up with a response but my phone lights up. "What the hell?" I say, confused. "He texted me."

"Really?" Nico asks with such blatant disbelief that I shoot him a look. "I mean, wow. I knew it. Who could resist your charm?"

"What do I say? Am I supposed to do that whole wait 20 minutes then respond thing?"

"Tell me what he said," Nico says.

"He said 'hey.'"

"He said 'hey?'" Nico asks. "Don't reply to that shit. He'll text you again."

Not arguing, I start to close the ice cream carton and take his spoon to put it in the sink with mine. "I'm going to my room. You coming?"

"Yes. I need a nap in my room," Nico says, standing up.

"It's my room and you better sleep on the floor!" I call after him as he starts to walk away.

"Yeah, yeah," he brushes it off, making it obvious that I'm going to arrive in my room and see him asleep on the bed. I don't really mind, though. I've started to become used to it and he only uses it during the day time.

In just a couple days, he'll be gone and my bed will be all mine again.

A/N: Thanks for reading! Remember to vote if u like and I'll see u next week :)