Living With Animals

Chapter 52

Around 1 month later- March 28
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"Ready watch," Easton says hitting me as we watch the boys attempt to play backyard softball, at the softball fields. "And down he goes, onto his butt in the outfield, as Leroy always does trying to catch a pop fly."

"Aren't you supposed to bat in about- 2- batters?"

"Come on! How do you not find this funny?"

"Because i'm not a sadist."

"Exactly what a sadist would say," he says, knowingly.

"You're so stupid."

"Yes, but you're dating me."

"And?"

"Doesn't that make you both sadistic and stupid?"

"That's a fair point. In fact, I think it makes me stupider for schooling to date you. I mean, you're ridiculously goofy looking and you play stickball."

"Lacrosse. It's not called stickball."

"Same damn thing. Anyway, imagine playing lacrosse."

"Imagine having a boyfriend who plays lacrosse," he says.

"Fuck off."

"Wow. So rude."

"That's me" I point to myself giving a smile like a 5 year old.

"Not a compliment."

"I'm my opinion it is."

"Well you're opinion must be fucked up."

"Wow so rude." He rolls his eyes.

"Exactly."

"That doesn't even make sense."

"You don't make sense."

"Now you just sound like my 7 year old sister."

"Whatever."

"So what are you doing tonight?"

"Absolutely nothing. How bout you?"

"Same thing. Parents are gone and so are my sisters."

"Lucky you."

"Yeah. So do you want to come over later and hang out?"

My eyes widen. "A-at your house? A-alone?"

"Claire. It's not. No. Just no."

"I-okay- yeah. Definitely. I just have to talk to Isabelle."

"Okay. Text me if you can, once you get home. Obviously I'll walk home with you, I mean."

"Yeah." He puts his arm around my waist, but just as he does so, my phone rings. Quickly, I pull my phone out of my pocket.

"Oh! It's my doctor," I whisper shout, holding up a finger to my lips.

"Is this Claire Johnson?"