Page 85 of Perfect
I’m getting worked up, so I focus on my breathing and think about it logically. I’ve seen Alex flirt, and she’s terrible at it in a cute way, but it’s very obvious when she’s doing it. She’s not flirting with him, as far as I can tell. I think about how she is with me in public - somewhat standoffish, but very aware of me and generally accepting of my affection. I think about the few videos of her and Danny on his social media, how she seemed to stay close and slightly behind him, as if she were hiding from him.
For someone so unobservant, she’s extremely aware of the person she’s with.
I watch closely at how she interacts with this guy, and she seems to be genuinely unaware of his attention towards her. The way he sits near her and reaches up to tuck the tag into the back of her sweater makes me want to fucking punch him, but the fact that Alex barely registers it makes me feel marginally better.
He finally gets her undivided attention, and I fuckinghatethat Alex seems even somewhat interested in what he’s talking about, so I pull out my phone to text her.
Theo, 8:49 PM:
What do you want for dinner?
Alex grabs her phone in the middle of him saying something to read my text, and he looks irritated as she starts responding immediately.
Alex, 8:49 PM:
something light?
i’m not hungry
thanks theo
I let out a long breath, tension bleeding out of my shoulders as she looks back up at the guy, seeming to apologize as she puts her phone back on the table, screen up. I think she’d grab it again if I texted her right now, so I need to calm down.
Couples fight, but that doesn’t mean she’s going to fucking cheat on me.
I don’t think she’s like that.
I stay at the bar, watching Alex and trying to stay calm. Our relationship is so different than I thought it would be, and every time I think things are going well, something happens to fuck it up. I know our conversation tonight is going to suck, but it might also be an opportunity to fix things between us.
It’ll work out.
It has to.
Once trivia is almost over, I pay out and cross the street, waiting outside the bar for her. She walks out with her friends a few minutes later, not noticing me at all, and I watch closely at how they interact.
“...don’t know who chose the theme this week, but it sucked,” the blonde guy says, and Alex laughs in a way I can tell is slightly insincere and placating.
“I liked it, but I like classic literature,” she says, shrugging. “My mom read a ton of it to me as a kid, although reading a six-year-oldAnna Kareninais a weird move, in retrospect.” Her friends laugh, and a pang of jealousy rings through me.
Why isn’t she tellingmethings like that?
“Yeah, I guess it was cool,” he says in response. “Do you need a ride home tonight, Alex?”
I’m absolutely going to punch this fucking guy.
“No, thanks. I’m meeting a friend soon.”
Arewe friends? Are you supposed to be friends with people you date? I walk up to her group, approaching Alex from behind.
“Whatkindof friend?” her shorter girlfriend asks in a teasing tone.
“A good one, hopefully,” I say, stepping close into Alex’s space. She startles, turning around into me and taking a quick step backwards. She doesn’t meet my eyes as a blush spills across her cheeks, and she turns back to her friends, leaning slightly back towards me, obviously flustered.
I shove my hands in my pockets to keep myself from reaching for her.
“Oh, um, guys, this is Theo,” she says quickly, gesturing at me. “Theo, these are my friends Anna, Will, Jessica, and Ben.” Greetings are exchanged, and Alex gets a curious look from her friend Anna, while Jessica looks me up and down before smirking at Alex. I nod at Will, who seems polite but disinterested, and I meet Ben’s eyes briefly, smiling at him when he looks vaguely irritated.
I want to claim Alex in some way, but I know she’d be pissed if I touched her right now. We’re still fighting, and she seems extremely protective of her friends, but I can’t fucking help it – I need to tell them she’s mine somehow. I lean down slightly into her space, keeping my voice quiet, but loud enough to be heard by all of them.
