“Ow!Too soon?”
“Too soon.” Pause. “Jerk.”
And then he finally gives in and laughs, and to be honest, I have to control everything in me not to join.
17
Crazy Jared Kind Of Has a Point
Someone’s touching my face. I open my eyes to clarity and birds chirping, and-Is this a foot?!
“West!” I yell without even looking and push his foot away. I stand up, and West bursts out laughing. “Oh,I’m gonna vomit.” I place a hand in front of my mouth and feel a reflux in the bottom of my stomach. I breathe in through my nose a few times and then slowly get off the grass. “You’re disgusting.”
“And you are up before 9 AM, which is a miracle I performed.” He rests his hands on his hips, proud, and I snap out of it.
“What?!” I grab my phone and-8:22 AM?! “You know, I didn’t know it was possible to hate you more than I already did, but somehow, you also performed that miracle.”
“Shut up, will you? I’m helping you.”I frown at him, and he rolls his eyes. “With your stupid list, remember? That was the deal. You dated me, and I helped you get a life.”
I throw my flip-flop at him, and he dodges it effortlessly like he gets thrown flip-flops on a daily basis.
“I have a life…” I mutter, sleep-deprived and hangry.
“Here, eat this before you become more spiteful.” He passes me bread with slices of cheese, and I’m a little speechless. “Don’t read into it. You were always disgusting with the amount of cheese you put on everything.”
Is he a mind reader?
I take a small and suspicious bite of the bread.No signs of poisoning…
“Thanks.” I redirect my eyes forward. “So what am I supposed to do now?” I look around, images of my garden I’ve never seen before. The sun is low on the horizon, and its weak rays are touching the back of my house. There’s something soothing about it. Quiet.
“Whatever we want.” He paces forward and reaches to open the gate.
“I don’t remember including you in my plans.” I cross my arms, and his twisted smirk makes its first appearance of the day.
“We’ve slept together twice. I think we’re past excluding each other from simple morning walks .”
“Wefellasleepnext to each other twice, because that penny you threw in the well finally took effect and made your wish come true.”
“You’re getting more creative each time. And believe me, if anyone wished upon a star, it was you.”
“Excuse me,what?” I choke myself from the absurdity of his statement.
“Don’t you think I know all your hatred and rolling of the eyes is just you trying not to fall deeper for me than you already have?”
“You know what, I’m actually starting to believe you were dropped as a baby.Repeatedly.”
The air is chillier than every other day I’ve woken up in this land. The streets are partially empty, businesses are opening, and mainly older people holding their paper waiting to sit outside the establishments.
“Yes, because I was the one who had to be locked away for throwing a tantrum every other day.”
“See?! How can you even suggest that I am falling for you?” I point out, and somehow I said something wrong.
“Wow, that really affected you… I was just joking, Brown, but if anything, I wouldn’t be opposed, you know that.” His dimples show up, and I feel my cheeks heat.
“You know I’m too smart to be seduced by you.”
“That’s why I like you.”
