The Cassidy Boys

Chapter Twelve: What I Like About You

     The crease between Xavier's eyebrows gets deeper, and deeper until the realization blinks it's way into his eyes. "That's not what I meant." He runs a hand over his face as something along the lines of frustration and unease washes over it. "I actually just wanted . . . your advice."

     My eyes are as wide as the librarians the second another profanity is thrown out across the room, but Xavier's back to his usual smug self.

     "I am pretty surprised your mind immediately went to sex, though."

     I'm sure my face is as white as the snow that has yet to fall outside, but it's only a matter of time before I'll be helping my parents shovel the driveway. As of now, I need to shovel my way out of this conversation. 

     "But I don't know if I should be disappointed or flattered at the fact that you assumed I'd be having it."

     Or maybe, I should get a head start on shoveling my grave. Or finally stab my eyeball out with my pencil, so I don't have to stare at the amusement coating his face.

     "Well, I—" I start, but my hands are soon mimicking the disarray inside my head. "I wasn't sure what you meant by "hanging out" because now a day's people say things, but they actually mean other things and I—" I clamp my lips shut the second I realize that with each word I continue to spew out, his lips only curve higher, and higher. "Can we change the subject."

     "Hey." Xavier throws his hands up. "I'm not judging."

     My lips draw together in disbelief, but I decide to change the subject myself. "So why do you need my advice?"

     "Well!" Xavier abruptly claps his hands before rubbing them together as if his leather jacket isn't keeping him warm enough. "The girl that I want to hang out with is a little different than the girls I normally talk to. She seems more . . . like you." He clasps a hand around the back of his neck, and throws in another afterthought. "Or at least she seems like it."

     My face only continues to scrunch together. "You've never spoken to her?"

     "Yes." Xavier immediately replies before he backpedals again. "I mean, no—yes and no."

     My lips curl together as my expression becomes a mix between curiosity and amusement. "Well, which one is it?"

     Xavier shrugs. "She doesn't go to our school, so we haven't had a real conversation yet."

     "Oh." I nod as I tuck a stand of hair behind my ear.

     Xavier continues to drum his fingers against the cover of his notebook before he leans forward. "What qualities do you look for in a guy?"

     I find myself instinctively leaning back in my chair. My lid has been cracked, but I don't know if I'm ready to spill all the beans yet. 

     "I promise I won't tell anyone," Xavier says, halfheartedly throwing his hands up by keeping his wrist glued down to the table. "Well, maybe my dog." Another afterthought that is followed by yet another grin.

     Maybe it's because he said he's listening. Maybe it's because of all the stuff he told me about him and Ryan the other day. Or maybe it's the plain old puppy dog plea in his eyes that I've never seen before. I don't know. But I do find my mouth opening as I attempt to gather my minimal, yet completely fictional bias on the male species.

     "I guess—I don't know." A sigh escapes me as I run a shaky hand through my hair. "Every girl wants a guy that's smart and nice, maybe even a little funny, but at the same time I don't really talk to guys that often, so I can't really say I'm that picky. Actually"—I hold my finger up—"As long as a guy is decent enough to want to be more like friends, and have normal conversations, and not just in it for the other things that we mentioned earlier, then I guess that's all I can really ask for." I shrug in attempt to downgrade my ramble, but when I finally pass a glance back over at the Cassidy boy turned inquisitor, I can honestly say that I think I'm the first person to ever stun Xavier Cassidy into silence.