Learning to Live

Chapter 5

"And I didn't know you had a thing for assholes," I shot back. I just couldn't resist taking a dig at Tom.

"Ha! So you admit you have a thing for him!"

I rolled my eyes. "I don't have a thing for him. Sure, I like him a lot, but not the way you're thinking. He's a decent guy. He's like Jason to me."

"Mhm."

"I'm serious, Lia. Don't go making up scenarios in your head again."

"Mhm."

She wasn't going to drop this, so I gave up. After a few seconds, the subject of the conversation changed into something else.

However, her words rang in my head. Did I like Hunter that way? Saying he was like Jason felt like a lie. It certainly wasn't the same feeling I had for Jason. Jason basically grew up with us, he was my third brother.

But Hunter... I would be lying if I said I didn't like him that way. He was... cute. Not his face or his physique; he was handsome and well-built. But his demeanor was cute. His gruff manners were nothing but a front, at least that was the impression I had. He took care of a kitten, he was polite, and he cared enough to tell me about Tom when anyone else would've preferred not to get involved, although, I did admittedly needle him about it, but he could've chosen not to tell me.

He also went along with my improvised plan for tomorrow. I glanced at Lia. She was going on about something her science teacher did today. She would be spending the night with me. Which meant I would have to find a way to make it work. Maybe I could drag Lia with me to the Gym. That would be more difficult than making her break up with Tom. She hated working out with the passion of a thousand burning stars. She barely tolerated PE class.

Cheddar met us at the door. His tail stood on end, quivering in excitement. He rubbed himself around my leg, before noticing Lia and switching targets. Lia always got cat treats in her bag. Little Traitor.

"Awe, who's my favorite ginger?!" Lia said, crouching down and scratching Cheddar's neck. I closed the door and moved past them to the kitchen, hearing her coo at him. "Yes, you are! Such a good, chunky boy. Are you looking for treats? Here you are."

"You're the reason he's that big," I called out from the kitchen, hearing the rustle of the treat bag and Cheddar's husky meow.

"He's not fat. He's just adorably chunky!" She said, Cheddar crunched down the treats. "Aren't you, you fluffy orange cheese ball?"

I filled a bowl with potato chips and stuck popcorn in the microwave. Lia walked into the kitchen, dropped her bag on the island and stole a few chips.

"It's Scott's turn to make dinner tonight," I told her, taking two bottles of iced coffee from the fridge.

"That means we'll be going hungry until you threaten to call Sam," Lia said. "At which point he'll order pizza."

"Pretty much," I said. "So you better eat. I'm already pretty hungry."

The microwave dinged.

"So?" Lia asked, throwing a chip in her mouth. "You and Hunter, huh?"

"Oh my god, seriously girl. Drop it!"

She giggled. "Hey, let me have my fun where I can find it."

"Stupid idiot."

"Redundant."

We settled down at the island. Since she was already here under that pretext, Lia and I did our calculus homework together, then she tried to explain a few things I didn't understand. Key word: tried.