Boring.
Pulling away, I study him. He fidgets in his seat, glancing out the window when his eyes light up. “Isn’t that Kelli’s car?”
Hmm. Yeah, it is. “What is she doing here?”
“She gave Conrad her number.” Steven makes a face. “He’s gonna jump all over that, trust me. I don’t know what she sees in him.”
Well, holy shit. I think Steven likes Kelli. “I think she gave him her number because she likes hanging out with you guys, playing video games.”
“Really? She’s into that? I mean, you don’t seem into that.” Steven tries to look cool and is failing miserably. The eagerness flashing in his eyes is hard to miss. “I figured you just tolerated us.”
“I do,” I say with a little laugh. “But I think Kelli genuinely enjoys hanging out with you.”
“Has she ever said anything about—Conrad?” Steven asks hesitantly.
I can’t even believe we’re having this conversation about my roommate Conrad. What cruel parent gives their child that name anyway? “She’s never talked about Conrad. But she’s talked about you.”
“She has?” He visibly brightens, then immediately tones it down. “I mean, yeah, okay, cool. So she has? What um, what did she say?”
Oh, Steven is a dog sitting here on a date with me while trying to dig for information about Kelli. “She said you were adorable.”
“Wow, really?” The panic on his face is full blown now. “Yeah, I don’t really care what she thinks…”
I reach out, place my hand over his. “You like her.”
“No way.” He furiously shakes his head. “I like you.”
“Steven. It’s okay. Be real with me.” I remove my hand from his and stare at him. Hard. He won’t even look my way but I bet I’m starting to make him sweat.
“I’m a prick,” he mutters, sounding miserable. His head falls back against his seat and he closes his eyes tight. “You’re really nice, Alex. I have fun with you. You’re pretty and nice and—”
“There’s no chemistry between us,” I finish for him.
He opens his eyes, now looking miserable. “Yeah. It’s so messed up. But that awkward as hell kiss we just shared confirmed it.”
“You’re right,” I agree. “It was bad.”
He smiles. “So bad.”
“Hey.” I wave a finger at him. “Don’t mess with my self-esteem now.”
The panic’s back just like that. “I didn’t mean to hurt your feelings.”
“Stop.” I reach out and squeeze his hand before I let it go. “You better get inside and make sure Conrad isn’t going after Kelli.”
Steven’s expression relaxes. Somewhat. “You’re not mad that I like your friend?”
“No.” I shake my head. “I get it. Kelli’s pretty special.”
His eyes go dreamy and for one quick second, I wish he looked like that when he thought about me. But that’s a purely selfish wish on my part and I refuse to behave that way.
I’ll leave that particular horrible habit up to Tristan Prescott.
We enter the house minutes later, the guys cheering when they see Steven walk through the door. Conrad and Jeff have some friends over and Kelli’s sitting on the couch, her legs tucked up under her while she scrolls through her phone.
Steven, being the shy dude that he is, offers her a quick hi as he passes her and immediately joins his friends.
“How was your date?” she asks as she lifts her head to smile at me.
“Revealing,” I say truthfully, flopping onto the couch next to her. “What are you doing here?”
“Conrad texted me this afternoon and invited me over. We had a Mario Kart battle earlier but then I got bored. Then I thought I’d wait for you.” She shrugs and turns to watch the guys as they start a new Call of Duty battle. “Don’t they ever get tired of killing people every day?”
“That would be a no.” I nudge her knee to get her attention. “I have something to tell you.”
She smirks. “I have something to tell you, too. But you go first.”
I lean in close, my mouth at her ear. “Someone has a crush on you,” I whisper.
“Who? Conrad?” She makes a dismissive noise and waves her hand. “I already knew that. He tried to make a move the last time I was here.”
“Seriously?” I’m shocked. These boys may act like nerdy twelve year olds most of the time, but they aren’t afraid to go for it when it comes to girls.
“Oh, yeah. It’s all good now, especially when I told him who my secret crush was.” Her gaze goes to Steven super quick before returning to me. “I said I was madly in love with Jeff.”
“Really? Why would you say that?” She’s a liar. “Because I know who’s hot for you.”
“Who? Not Conrad? Don’t get my hopes up.” She rests a hand over her chest.
I go to her ear again and whisper, “It’s Steven.”
Kelli rears back, her eyes wide. “Wait a minute. What?”
Jerking my head toward the kitchen, I indicate we should talk in there. She follows after me, immediately going to the freezer and pulling out a relatively new bottle of Ketel One.
We go through a lot of vodka in this house, I guess.
“You just got back from a date with Steven and say that he has a crush on me. You’re either fucked up on drugs, want to have a threesome with me and Steven which is ew, so weird, or you’re serious,” Kelli says after she takes a swig straight from the bottle.
I pull a shot glass from the cupboard. Conrad’s childhood collection has come in handy lately. “No drugs,” I say as I pour a hearty shot. I need it. I’m feeling all sorts of weird this weekend. “And definitely not a threesome. God, Kel.”
“So you’re serious.”
“As a heart attack.” I fill another shot glass and hand it to Kelli. We do a quick toast before we tip the glasses back simultaneously and drink. Damn, that burns. “He likes you.”
“And you got him to admit this?”
“Yeah. Don’t ask. Just know that you have my blessing if you two started seeing each other.”
Kelli makes a funny face as she pours herself yet another shot and swallows it down. “You’re for real.”
I shrug. “Who am I to stop true love?”
“Please. We’re not true love. He’s not even my type. Look at him.” She waves a hand back toward the living room and the both of us turn to do exactly that.
Steven’s screaming from his beanbag, “Shoot him! Shoot that motherfucker!” over and over again as the other guys do exactly what he demands.
“That’s sort of hot,” Kelli says with a little sigh. “Why do I find that hot?”
I nudge her. “You’re crazy.”
“I’m buzzing from the shots, I think.” She refills her glass and slugs it back. “Okay that’s enough liquid courage for tonight. Should I talk to him? Do I look like hell? Oh God, I look like hell, don’t I? I put zero effort into tonight because I thought I was hanging out with Jeff and Conrad, you know? Those two jackasses don’t really pay attention and not like I’m not trying to impress them.”
Kelli’s so cute and rambly when she’s buzzed and worried. Kind of like Steven.
“And look at you. You’re gorgeous, all fancied up in your date clothes and here I am in yoga pants. I should go.” She pushes away from the counter and I stop her, my hands on her shoulders.
“You’re not going anywhere,” I tell her firmly. “You’ll crash on our couch if you have to, or sleep with me. Or sleep with…you know.” I flick my head in Steven’s direction.
“Ew, I’m not a slut, Alex. I don’t put out on the first date.” Her gaze goes back to Steven, the interest in her eyes plain. “Do you think he’s a virgin?”
“No way.” I shake my head, ignoring the doubt. He might be. I don’t know. Nothing’s made a lot of sense these last two days so I’m sort of just running with it.
My phone buzzes and I pull it out of my pocket to check who it is.
Hey beautiful.
Tristan.
I can’t help the smile that grows and I consider answering him. I haven’t all day and I wonder if that’s driving him crazy. I know it would make me insane so I start to reply when Kelli snatches the phone out of my hands. “Hey! Give it back!”