About You

CHAPTER FIVE

Nate ends up dropping us off before his bowling thing. Much to Alex's disappointment.

"Are you sure you can't stay for a few minutes? One quick game?" Alex pouts.

"No, baby. You know I can't." he wraps his arms around her.

I awkwardly step around the car, giving them space to continue whispering into each other's ears. I take out my phone and check the time. It's already getting dark at six pm.

I put it back in my pocket and look around the extensive farm yard. There are many barns, sheds, tractors and other equipment scattered around the yard. Even an impressive doghouse.

"Hey."

I jump two feet in the air. "Hello?"

A girl a few years younger than me walks around the corner of the house with a golden retriever. I try to look like I'm standing there on purpose, not just awkwardly waiting around for Alex.

"Who are you?" she asks. Not defensively, but not quite sure I'm supposed to be here either.

"Oh, hi. I'm Tara, Alex's new roommate." I awkwardly reach out my hand because what else could I do to make myself seem weird.

"Oh, right. Cool. I'm Jordan." She shakes my hand. Before I can ask her dog's name, she asks me, "What are the love birds doing?"

We both look over at the car. Somehow, I managed to get the length of the house away from them while I was snooping around.

"Saying goodbye. Nate can't stay."

"Aww." She answers. I can't tell if she's sarcastic or not.

A truck comes whipping up the driveway and I recognize Evan behind the wheel. Jordan lets out a little 'ha' and I look at her with raised eyebrows.

"I thought he wasn't coming?" I ask.

"Mom called him. He can't say no to her." She smirks and takes off with the dog.

Oh, so he's a momma's boy, huh? I scramble after Jordan so I'm not still standing by myself off to the side like a loser.

"No, I know. But hey, you can be Jordan's partner, right? She's way better than me at everything." I hear Nate desperately say to convince Alex he should still go.

"Damn right, I am." She replies as she walks up to the large front door. The entire path through their front yard looks like a hallmark movie. Remnants of flowers, stone pathways, other cute lawn decorations, make the whole house look rustic and put together.

A door slams and I spin around to find Evan burning up the walk behind me. "Hi." I breathe out. I can't think of anything else to say. He looks pretty angry.

"I thought you weren't coming?" Alex asks him and walks up beside us. She finally let Nate go and he's hurriedly backing out his car.

"Mom asked."

"Aww," Alex reaches up to pinch one of his cheeks, "that's so cute." She says in a baby voice.

"Knock it off," he shakes her off. Irritated, but less angry, he looks at me. "You came?"

"Yeah." I breathe out again. Wow, this is not good. I kind of need to talk in full sentences at some point.

I clear my throat, "Alex asked me to come and be her partner."

"No, she's my partner. You guys get to see her all the time." Jordan says from behind me in the door. She puts a hand on her hip. "C'mon Alex, you said."

I don't know what to say, clearly Alex doesn't either. Fortunately, Evan swoops in, "I get to be partner's with Fox?" he smirks at me. "I can't wait," he wiggles his eyebrows at me before walking past me to where Jordan is waiting.