It's Not Me, Its Insecurity

Chapter 3

"Hello, Mrs. Waters, do you have any ice?" Toby asked politely, gesturing to the cup in his hand.

"Oh, Toby I didn't know you were here. Is Jess with you?"My mom bounced over to him and gave him a hug, which he returned pleasantly but a horrified blush came to my cheeks anyway.

"Yes, she is just in the other room, waiting for Alyson to get back." He smiled.

"I don't know what is taking her so long." Mom frowned but quickly replaced it with a knowing smile which she directed towards me, "But she said it's a surprise for a certain someone."

Way to make it obvious.

I finally escaped my Uncle's clutches and I was slowly making my way back to the dining room hoping to be discreet but luck didn't seem to be on my side.

"What about it, Micheller? Got any boyfriends?" Uncles Jackson asked me again.

I couldn't help it. I chanced a quick look at Toby. He was looking curiously at me but gave me a small smile when he saw me looking at him.

Biting my lip I tried to say as casually as possible that no, I did not have a boyfriend and that at the rate I was going I probably never would.

"N-nope."

I was starting to need some ice myself.

Turning my gaze down to my feet, I tried to make myself as invisible as possible hoping that conversation would continue and would have nothing to do with me.

Uncle Jackson started to say something but was cut off.

"How about you, Toby? Are you and Alyson dating yet?" My dad was leaning back onto the counter where 3 cans of beer were lined up.

I tried not to wince at the question. Everybody always assumed that Toby and Alyson would get together because they had been friends since they were in middle school. I knew my dad was trying to help by getting the attention off me but I really didn't want to hear about who Toby was dating, especially if it was my sister.

My head was still down avoiding everybody's stares but for a brief moment I felt Toby's eyes on me.

Chuckling he dismissed the thought, "No, we're just friends, Mr. Waters. Besides, Alyson is dating someone back in California."

My pulse calmed down some but my hands were still sweaty from nerves.

"That's right." My father said somewhat disdainfully, "Ron, right? He's a film student. So are you not dating anyone then?"

"No, not really. Pretty much flying solo right now." Toby claimed, sounding not too upset at the fact.

I hate that my heart lightened at his words because it didn't mean anything. It shouldn't mean anything.

"There you go Shelly!" Uncle Jackson butted in loudly, "You can date that boy over there!"

Whipping my head up, I stared at him with horror-filled wide eyes, my face heating up to a bright red.

Why? Why me?

There was an awkward silence where I wished I was buried deep into the snow somewhere but of course there was no snow outside because of the stupid warm winter.

A low cough made me twist my head to see Toby standing there clearly uncomfortable.

"Uhh, Ice?" He asked hesitantly.

"Did I say something wrong?" A clueless Uncle Jackson asked his wife, Lacey who was giving him a reproachful glare. She was pregnant, therefore sober and didn't appreciate her husband's candid mouth when he began drinking.