We were sitting up in his room in silence. I hesitantly cleared my throat and he snapped out of it as if he were in a trance before turning to me. "Sorry, do you need anything?" he asked while standing up.

"No, I'm perfectly fine. Are you?" I asked.

"I'm just confused. It doesn't make sense," he shook his head.

"Why?" I questioned.

"My dad is a real estate agent, Clark is a doctor. What business?" he thought out loud.

"Maybe it's not business. Maybe they're chatting," I shrugged.

"My dad and Clark don't chat. They hate each other. Something isn't right," he said, running his hand through his hair.

"It's not a problem, especially yours," I said.

"Yet," he huffed.

"Don't say that. I'm sure it's no big deal," I said dismissively.

He was reluctant but he dropped the subject. "All right. What happened?" he sighed while crossing his legs and turning to face me as we sat on his bed.

"What do you mean?" I asked in confusion while mirroring his position. He raised a speculating eyebrow at me. "I don't know what happened. She was extremely pissed off for something that wasn't even such a big deal. It's not like she never skipped a school day in her life."

"I think it's more so the fact that you skipped the day with me," he stressed on his words.

"I can skip it with the librarian if I want. It doesn't make sense to bring you into it. And I wasn't even going to say anything. She's the one who told my dad the second he walked through the door," I said.

"She must have been worried. She probably didn't want you getting yourself in trouble," he shrugged.

"There are nicer ways of putting that message across," I mumbled while fidgeting with the corners of his pillowcase.

"She wasn't wrong in her place though, Alex," he said while snatching the pillow from me.

"I know but-" I tried taking it back but he wouldn't budge. "I know," I nodded, sitting back, "But she was being rude. What does she mean I can't see you? I'm not ten-years-old, she doesn't choose my friends," I pouted.

"She can't choose them, but she can give her opinion on them. Why are you taking it personally when I'm not and she said it about me?" he chuckled, scooting forward.

"Because it's rude. I wouldn't want my friend's parents thinking that of me. She's never given her 'opinion,'" I put air quotes, "On anyone else. So why you?"

"Cause I'm special," he smirked.

I rolled my eyes and fell back, lying down. "It's not fair to me, but especially to you. I don't know how you're not offended," I said.

"I'm not offended because I know your mom only wants the right thing for you. And she may not know it," he sighed while lying down beside me, "But it is definitely me."

I chuckled and shook my head before placing my phone on the nightstand. "Do you think I could get to the guest room? I'm sleepy." I was craving a comfy bed and lots of sleep.

"I don't know, I think everyone is still down there. You can just sleep here, I'll go to the guest room once they leave," he smiled.

"Are you sure? This is your room," I stated.

"And you're my guest," he shrugged.

"Okay, night," I sighed before turning onto my side and closing my eyes. The last thing I felt was covers being pulled on top of me, and then I was out like a light.

I stirred, slowly rubbing my eyes while an alarm beeped steadily beside me. I opened my eyes and turned the alarm off before looking around.

Where am I? Oh, that's right. I couldn't go to the guest room.

I sighed before he shuffled beside me and changed his sleeping position. I thought he said he would go to the guest room. I turned around slowly to face him. He was still knocked out. I stared for a moment, trying to decipher what looked different about him when he was asleep.

That totally doesn't sound creepy.

He looked... free.

I froze when he turned around and put an arm around my waist before pulling me closer. I stiffened immediately and didn't know what to do with myself. I tried slowly lifting his arm but every time I did, he would shift and I would get terrified because I didn't want him to wake up.

But I have to wake him up, otherwise, we'd be late.

"Carter," I mumbled, shaking him gently but he didn't wake up. "Carter," I cleared my throat. "Carter." I shook his arm lightly and he stirred awake before opening his eyes. He seemed confused at first before he remembered last night.

I looked down at his arm, hoping he'd retreat it because I don't think waking up and then going into cardiac arrest is right.

"What?" he smirked.

"Get off, we have to leave in thirty," I mumbled. He didn't move. Not even an inch. "Carter, move," I said.

"Make me," he dared.

I clicked my tongue before pushing his arm off and standing up. "I thought you said you were taking the guest room," I said while grabbing my bag.

"I did too, but then when it hit three am and they were still talking downstairs, I just went to sleep," he shrugged. I narrowed my eyes at him suspiciously. "I didn't touch you, I swear," he smirked.

"That's not what I meant," I mumbled before going into the bathroom. I set my bag on the counter and tipped my head forward, gathering my hair and putting it in a bun. I looked up into the mirror, jumping when he stood behind me.

When did he get there?

"Does that mean it doesn't bother you if I do?" he smirked.

"What?" I asked in confusion while grabbing my toothbrush.

"Does that mean it doesn't bother you if I do? Touch you?" he asked, his tone going lower while he placed his hands on the counter from behind me, his chest pressing into my back while he looked at me in the mirror.

I froze, the toothbrush still in my mouth. "You can't," I said slowly. And unsurely.

"Says who?"

"Me. Go use the guest bathroom. This one's mine," I said before pushing him out and locking the door while he laughed. "Idiot," I mumbled.

◆:*:◇:*:◆:*:◇:*:◆

He threw another little piece of torn tissue paper at me.

"Why are you murdering that tissue? Just leave it alone," I said, not lifting my eyes from my laptop. We were at the cafe, and he wanted to talk but I was trying to write.

"Alex?" he asked.

"Yes?" I replied.

"When is your birthday?" he asked.

I opened my mouth to answer but stopped.

We've been talking for a month and we don't know each other's birthdays?

"You go first," I said.

"March twenty-second. You?"

"June twentieth," I answered.

"You're a Gemini?" he sputtered, seeming way too shocked for his own good.

"And you're an Aries. So?" I asked.

"You don't seem like a Gemini. At all."

"Why? Cause I'm not two-faced?" I laughed, "Not all Geminis are. Just how not all Aries are hotheads?" I smiled while closing my laptop and looking up at him.

"Wow, you're a loud and proud Gemini," he nodded.

"You're into Zodiacs?" I asked, intrigued.

"No, my mom was. She used to ramble on and on about them and I..." he trailed off sheepishly.

"Never understood a thing?" I asked knowingly, biting back a laugh as he nodded.

"My mom was a Gemini, that's why I never used to think they're two-faced. But then everyone disagreed," he shrugged.

"So you listened?" He nodded. "And now?" I asked.

"I stick by my word. I love Geminis," he winked. I rolled my eyes with a smile stretching across my lips. "Oh, also. Don't forget, you're mine tomorrow. Don't make any plans, there's a party but we're not going," he stated.

I looked up at him. I didn't forget, I knew our so-called date was planned for tomorrow.

"Don't tell me you forgot," he deadpanned.

"No, I didn't," I shook my head, "What do I wear?" I asked.

"Sweatpants. It's game night, as per your request, and it's just me and you. And anyway, I think you look cuter in sweatpants," he shrugged.

I threw the shreds of tissue at him, lodging some into his hair. He huffed while shaking his head like a dog, trying to get it out. And somehow he did. Most of it anyway.

I leaned forward and plucked a few more shreds out. "You don't have to act like a wet dog." I looked down and he was staring right at me, our faces inches apart. My smile slowly faded as I fell into a trance, staring at his eyes.

I cleared my throat before finishing up. "All done," I said with the last piece of tissue.

"Right," he nodded.

.

.

.

.

.