✅2️⃣ Testing the Babysitter

Third Test: Test of Judgement

There are two versions of this scene. The other one is in a separate book, "Testing the Babysitter: Adult Scenes". This version is an alternative, for the benefit of anyone who isn't 18, can't convince Wattpad you're an adult, or just doesn't want that kind of content in the story. Don't worry, you're not missing anything really important.

Adam's mind was racing. He didn't know what to ask for, but he had to say something. Claudia had told him to give a command, and it had to be something she wouldn't agree to anyway. That was the hardest part, because he really didn't know as much as he'd like to. What would happen if he picked something, and then she found it easy to agree to? Or it was something that would really upset her? He didn't know which would be worse. They'd been in the same classes right through high school, and he'd been one of many guys who never got a chance to talk to the cool loner. But now they were spending time together, he couldn't bear to disappoint her.

He had to say something. He had to give her a command, even if he wasn't sure what he should say. But he needed to come up with something, and quickly. With no better options, he said the first thing that came to mind.

"Kiss me." Adam's heart jumped into his mouth as he realised what he had said. Never in his wildest dreams... well, he might have dreamed of that many times, or when staring out of the window during a class more boring than most. But he had never seriously expected it to happen, and as soon as he said it he realised that he didn't want it to happen like this. All the guys in school had wanted Claudia, and rumour had it that she was sick of turning down guys who thought they were popular enough to date her. But as soon as the words were out of his mouth, Adam realised that getting what everyone seemed to want wasn't really his fantasy. What would make his day was if _she_ wanted _him_. If she didn't have the choice, it was just a meaningless gesture. But she was walking right up to him, and leaning closer. There might still be time to tell her to stop, but the words froze in his mouth.

A gentle kiss on the cheek. Nothing inappropriate. Some of the girls would greet each other like that all the time, it didn't mean anything. He hadn't pushed her too far, but he hated himself for even thinking of it.

"I hope that's what you wanted," she said with a chuckle. "I don't want your drool on me, you know? That's for somebody I really care about, not a science experiment."

"I couldn't think of anything to ask for," he just shrugged, and tried to pretend that his heart wasn't racing just from being so close to her. "I just said... I think that's what guys my age are supposed to want, right? The amount of time Lance, Jordan, and Mick have spent planning how to get you to notice them, it feels like something I should be chasing."

"But not really what you wanted?"

"I–" He froze again, seeing there was no right answer to that question. He wasn't so excited about getting close to her, he knew that now. But if he said 'no', she would never understand. "I don't know. A kiss? I think something like that is supposed to mean something. And what it means is that you think I'm worth it. If I can just command it, it's not really... well, real. You know?"

"That's a very mature thought. So you don't have anything else to ask me for?"

He shouldn't have said anything. He knew it was the wrong answer, but the words were in his mouth before he properly thought it through. He didn't know if he was just being dumb, or if it was an attempt to comply with the order he hadn't properly obeyed. But there was still one thing that he was pretty sure he wanted at that moment.

"Make me a sandwich," he tried to grin, and to pass it off as a joke. But Claudia pouted and turned away, already heading for the door. Of course she would do what he'd asked, whether he meant it or not. And by the time he worked it out, it was already too late to call her back.

He sat on the bed waiting for a few minutes, hoping she wouldn't be too annoyed.

* * *

Claudia strode back into the room, and threw a bag to Adam. He masterfully deflected it with his face, and then picked it up from the floor. A quick look described the contents as oven-baked parsnip and beet chips, supposedly healthier than the corn and potato snacks he was used to. When he looked up, he saw that Claudia had put a little bowl of salad and a tub of dip within reach on the desk as well.

"I figure it's better to have a light snack," she said. "Don't want to spoil our appetite before dinner. That okay for you?"

"Didn't you..." Adam started to answer before his brain had time to analyse the sentence, and kept it to himself once he'd had the time to think about it. She was giving him food, and that had to be a good sign.

"Now, come on," Claudia didn't seem to be upset at all, just a little impatient. "I told you we were going to be playing SC4 today, right? I need some help to get one of these achievements. Might as well give it a shot, and then think about what else we want to do later."

Adam just nodded as she turned on one of the consoles. More than anything else, he was glad to see that his ineptitude with choosing things to ask for hadn't harmed their friendship too much.