Dangerous Attachment

EIGHT

"Something?" I question and he rolls his eyes. The moment I realize what he's talking about I gape. "Oh. Nothing. Literally, nothing. It wouldn't ever be something either because-" I stop myself from continuing as my cheeks flare up.

"Because . . . you don't think he would like you back?" Nate asks softly. I nervously pull my sleeves again and try to string together a coherent sentence.

"He wouldn't. Not that I want him to either," I blink a few times before exhaling. "Okay that sounds a bit rude. But he wouldn't like me in that way, besides we aren't even friends. More acquaintances than that, I don't know what he would say but we don't really know-"

"You ramble when you're put on the spot," He laughs lightly at my awkward nature while I suck my lips in. "But if you say it's nothing then I guess that's alright. I'm always trying to find out his type, or if he's even straight. He hasn't had a girlfriend - or boyfriend - but I thought just maybe you could have been . . ."

"Nope sorry to disappoint," I joke and he frowns. "Have you thought about asking him?"

Nate nods, flinching when Blair's yelling sounds like a banshee. "I have. He says he's definitely straight but just doesn't feel the need to have a girlfriend. He wants one that's smart enough to hold her own or something."

"An intellectual fight?" I hesitantly ask and he clicks his fingers.

"That's what he said," The whistle blows and the basketball team meet in the middle of the court to gather around their coach. "Is there any chance you would be interested in helping me find him a girlfriend or someone?"

I raise an eyebrow. "Shouldn't that be his decision?"

"Yes but I just want to know that he's actually straight because he just shuts down when I try to communicate about feelings," Nate explains with a huff. "Maybe you could find out his type or something? You seem to have this weird way of talking from what I've heard."

"What do you mean from what you've heard?" I question and his eyes widen, sucking his lips in out of guilt. "Nate, have you heard from someone something about me?"

He glances around before finally speaking. "From what Rhys and I've noticed, you speak weirdly. You keep yourself reserved with what you say, you've got a gentle nature but supposedly from what I've heard you're like that to be a bitch. Stuck up or something which I don't believe."

"That's probably because I used to be on the dance team which came with connotations," I glance over when I hear Blair call someone incompetent. "As you can tell some of them are a bit rude and blunt."

"Yeah. I've heard Rhys call Blair a few nasty things," I roll my eyes and look back to Nate. "Then again he doesn't say anything nice about anyone."

"Well Rhys and Blair don't get along because he put her ex-boyfriend in hospital," I explain, noticing the slightest flicker on his face. "Didn't you know about that?"

He shakes his head. "No. When it comes to my brother and his dark side he keeps me out. There's some things he doesn't want me knowing which is why I want your help finding him a test dummy or something. Are you busy Saturday, around Lunch?"

"I don't think so. What have you got in mind?" He grins and leans forward.

"Simple really. We'll pretend to go shopping and see if we can get him a date or a girlfriend," He stands up and holds out his hand with a closed fist. "Or boyfriend. Whatever floats his boat, I'll text you."

With a small smile I fist bump him. "I hope this doesn't backfire."

"It won't."

He walks down the steps and heads towards the door while the basketball team heads for the lockers. That's when I notice the older brother walking towards the younger one. Rhys looks annoyed and for a second his eyes look to me before he pulls on Nate's shirt.