Cuddle Application

10 - Does that Make Me a Gold Digger

James laughs somewhat mockingly and stands up, making his way to the fridge. "Ha ha. A farmer - funny."

I wasn't sure what was so humorous about what I'd suggested, but Oliver cocked his head, looking at me like I was a foreign lab rat. It made me feel ignorant for even suggesting such a thing.

"So, not a farmer," I say awkwardly.

James turns around, now holding a plate of chocolate cake. He stabs it with a fork and shoves a piece into his mouth with all the grace of a three legged toad. "No, stupid, Oliver's grandfather is filthy fuckin' rich."

Oliver is still staring at me, confusion painted across his face, which I'm sure now mirrors my face of surprise and inquiry.

Rich? My head swims.

Oliver is still looking at me, mouth painted into a frown.

"What?" I finally spit out. "Why are you looking at me like that?"

He shakes his head, pressing the palm of his right hand to his forehead, as if fighting off a headache. "Nothing. It's nothing, I just-"

"You just what?" I interrupt. James gives us both a quizzical glance.

"I don't know, I guess I just thought you knew," Oliver finishes.

Considering I hadn't even really known him until a few days ago, it seemed perfectly reasonable that I also hadn't known that his family was sitting on a huge pile of cash.

"The huge estate his grandfather owns," my brother starts, "is literally called Manning Manor."

I laugh. I can't help it.

"Manning Manor?" I repeat, almost choking on the words. "That's like - that'd be like calling something Ranch's Ranch or, like, Manny's Mansion or something like that."

Neither of them even smile, but that doesn't stop me from nearly falling on the floor and wheezing out hiccups of bubbling laughter.

I laugh a few more times before sighing loudly. "Tough crowd."

Oliver finally cracks a smile. "It's been around for centuries, so there's no room for change, but it does sound kind of stupid, doesn't it?"

"No offense to your ancestry or anything," I say, laughing.

When he looks at me, his green eyes look brighter than usual. "Hey, I won't tell them if you don't."

I pinch my thumb and forefinger together and run them across my lips, as if closing a zipper.

We smile silently at each other for a moment.

"Well... okay." I'd forgotten James was even there. "Sky, are you okay?"

I blink. "Um, yeah, pretty sure."

He looks at me, faking a skeptical expression. "It's just-" he tries to hide a smile "-you're never this friendly with any of my friends. In fact, you usually ignore or even yell at them in some way."

My eyes flit to Oliver.

"I told you," he mouthes silently. I glare.