The Case of You and Me

Chapter nine - Roots

Aria's POV

We didn't talk about what happened a few hours ago. I didn't bring up the fact that he had nightmares that made him call out in his sleep or the fact that he had treated my hand like a lifeline or the fact that we had a moment in the kitchen. The urge to check my phone is almost overwhelming, but I'm paranoid that he'll look over at the wrong time. And if it's something bad, my face will instantly change and he'll pick up on it.

I look over at him, Spencer drives the way you assume he would, giving it his full attention, both hands on the steering wheel, really determined to stick to the whole ten-and-two thing. Maybe he hasn't mentioned the kitchen thing because it doesn't mean anything to him. We've only known each other in uncomfortable situations, and more often than not, we'd flirt with each other in order to deflect. It wasn't the regular type of flirting either, it was nicer , less expectant, like this was just a form of friendship. And it was. I just got caught off guard because of the fact that my sister texted me and I took it a little farther out of necessity. Yes, we fell asleep next to each other—well, technically he was laying on me—but that's a very common, platonic thing. I'd fallen asleep with my friends before, people just tended to read too much into things that involved the opposite gender. I look over at Spencer again, if it didn't mean anything to him it didn't mean anything to me.

"What?"

I tilt my head slightly, "What do you mean what?"

His smile was smug, "You're staring."

"I was not," I fake gasp, "I just...zoned out."

"Zoned out with your neck craned to a slightly uncomfortable position that just so happened to put your eye line right at me?"

I press my lips together trying to think of a response. "You know, you've gotten more of an ego since you started hanging out with me." To that he doesn't respond, tightening his grip on the steering wheel slightly. "It suits you," he quirks an eyebrow like he needs elaboration, "The ego suits you." 

"You sure?"

And just as he pulls into Quantico's parking lot I reply with something that I wouldn't realize is stupid until after I said it. "Hell yeah, your hot it's about time you started acting like it." The words escape my mouth like I have no brain. I refuse to believe that I said that, so I sit there for a moment, my mouth open. Once my brain reconnects, I instantly try to fix this. "I forgot that guys aren't used to their friends hyping them up the same way girls do in female friendships."

When I dare look over, I see Spencer laughing. "And you say you don't have a crush on me."

My face feels like it's on fire. "Shut up! Stop laughing!" I move to playfully hit his shoulder but the car's parked so he has nothing to distract him. Spencer catches my wrist easily, so I move to hit him with my other hand, which he also traps. "It's not funny."

He's still laughing. "Right, because there's nothing funny about you thinking I'm hot."