Page 43 of Collide
“Your boring is showing.”
My jaw drops. “I am not boring!” The last time I was called boring was by my little sister because I refused to drive her to a friend’s house party. She was thirteen, for Christ's sake.
Aiden does a weird exhale somewhere between a chuckle and disbelief.
“What was that?”
Green eyes remain innocent. “What?”
“You exhaled through your nose.”
“It’s called breathing.”
“Don’t be a smartass. Say what you’re so obviously pretending to hold back.”
He licks his lips in contemplation before letting out another breath. “When was the last time you had fun?” Seeing my confusion, he clarifies. “Like real, no responsibilities, fun."
What kind of question is that? We aren’t kids anymore. It’s not like I could tell him the last time I played hide and seek. Unless he expected a recounting of a frat party, which I hadn’t been to since Amara pressured me to go to the toga party. And that wasn’t fun.
“Need the definition?” he nudges.
I speak through clenched teeth. “No. I’m just thinking.”
“I’m on the edge of my seat.” He emphasizes that by scooting to the edge of the mattress.
I know how to have fun. It’s just been a little while since I actually did, though that’s through no fault of my own. When the course load piles up, I tend to neglect that part of my life and a few others, like my mental health. Not the best practice, but when academic validation is my drug of choice, I can’t stop the addiction.
Wracking my brain for something fun isn’t easy when Aiden’s watching me expectantly. “My sophomore year, I got invited to an event by this really smart guy from one of my labs.” Aiden listens intently. “He got me to be one of the keynote speakers on his panels that night.”
Aiden’s interest dissipates when he realizes that’s it. “Your idea of fun is…public speaking?”
From his tone, I gather that he’s not impressed. Not nearly as ecstatic as I was when I got the opportunity. “Well, yeah. I’m good at it.”
A sigh rolls off his chest. “I bet you are, but that’s not fun.”
“Maybe not for you,” I defend.
“For anyone, Summer. I thought that story was going to end with a storage closet hookup at your nerd convention.”
The jab doesn’t get far because if anything Aiden is the bigger nerd between us. “Sorry to ruin your porno fantasies.”
“Keynote dude would not be in my fantasy.”
I slump back in his chair. “Well, that’s all I have. I don’t do all that.”
“Do what?”
“Hookup with just anyone. I have to like them first.”
“Do you like me?” He beams.
I shoot him a deadly glare.
His buoyant look shatters with a laugh. “What? I think a little action could do you a world of good, even if it’s not from me.”
“It would never be from you.” The response sounds defensive as if Amara can hear me and I’m somehow trying to prove to her how completely platonic this all is.
He locks his arms behind his head. “Then all you have to do is point and I’ll be your wingman.”
