The Badboys' Good Lips

7

He blinked.

I sighed. "I get them when I'm good. Or if it's been a while."

"If you're good?"

"Yes..." although I was now realizing I hadn't really been good in light of my new circumstances with Ryder. "I usually get one to three, depending, so they last quite a while. You'll barely notice them on your expenses."

"My expenses?"

"Yes. I don't have any money," I felt embarrassed having to admit it but boyfriends were the only ones allowed to work in the relationship, so I knew he must know that. Unless he was like Dylan and wasn't the relationship type. However, something told me that girl, Lilianne, was more than just some girl to him. "And as long as I have water every other day, then I'm fine."

"So you're a plant."

I narrowed my eyes. "I'm going to choose to not respond to that."

"Uh huh," he drawled, shifting slightly. "So you eat one cracker every three days and what, that's it?"

"Of course it is. When you're in a relationship, you have to make sure you maintain a desirable weight."

Ryder pinched the bridge of his nose. "You don't know the first thing about being in a relationship."

"Oh," I scoffed, "And I suppose you do?"

He seemed to stop himself before biting back a response and that alone piqued my curiosity. However, I was getting kind of tired of our back and forth and it had been a few days since I had last eaten something. All this mention of crackers was beginning to make me more aware of my empty stomach.

He shook his head, looking to move on as well. "Fine. So you need me to do all the fucking cooking is what I'm hearing."

"I'm a great cook, actually."

Ryder did not look impressed.

"I like to clean," I offered up conversationally. "I can do the cleaning while I'm here. Since I can't pay for anything."

"Uh huh," he sighed again.

"And I can do some grocery shopping, if you give me a list and the exact amount of money to spend," I began to list off. "I like to do laundry, that's very relaxing. I don't get sick. I'm quiet and don't take up much room so you shouldn't notice I'm here."

"Sounds like perfect cover for when you inevitably attempt to sneak away."

I gave him the most sincere smile that I could muster. "I don't know what you're talking about."

His eyes narrowed, and a flash of emotion flickered in them. Suspicion. Though he didn't comment on it. "Where is your phone?"

"I don't have one," I shrugged. "I don't have a laptop either, actually, so I may need to borrow yours from time to time to get certain assignments done. If that's okay."

Ryder pushed himself off the desk to stand up straight. "I'm not giving you my laptop."

"You don't have to give it to me. But that's fine. I'll just use the computers in the school library."