The Babysitter

Never Again

"Don't try and pull any of your stunts with me," I said teasingly. 

"I'd never pull a stunt with you. For some reason, I'd never toy with you." 

My eyebrows perked up. 

"I'd never mess around with you the way I would with other girls," he mumbled while sitting straight, leaning his head against the headboard again. 

"Why?" I whispered. I knew it could make me sound like I wanted to mess around with him and quite desperate but he knew me better than to think that, so I knew his answer would clarify my doubts. 

"I don't know." He shook his head, turning his gaze to meet mine. "I usually hurt girls by doing that and-" he stopped abruptly. "I just can't imagine hurting you." 

This is the first time he's being so open with me, about himself. Yeah, we've talked about his family issues and his behavior but his words never strike him to be vulnerable. Today, he sounds just that, vulnerable. 

"You don't deserve it," he stated. 

"You don't deserve to beat yourself up over one night stands either." I nudged his shoulder with mine. "As long as you let them know what they're getting into, it's not your fault." I shook my head, looking at him in the eyes. "It's not theirs for liking you either. Look at you, Parker." I nudged his shoulder again, making him crack a smile. "I mean seriously, god!" I exaggerated, making him blush and stifle a laugh. "Is it just me or is it getting hot in here?" I fanned my face before fanning his, making him burst into a full-blown laugh. 

Usually, I would laugh with him, not this time. 

This time, I smiled and admired him. His laugh, the way his lips formed into his smile, the way he tilted his head down, hiding his blushing face, the way he hid his face in his hands. 

"Someone seriously needs to turn the A/C on, where's the thermostat?" I threw the blanket off of me, about to get out of bed and playfully turn the A/C on but he grabbed my wrist, pulling me back down onto the bed.

"I didn't know you had such a huge crush on me, Carthy. And I wasn't aware of how much of a shameless flirt you were. Even more than me!" he teased me. 

It was my turn to blush and laugh. "Please, Parker. No one is as big a flirt as you," I spoke through my laughter. Both of our laughter eventually dulled down, before coming to a stop. We both sighed simultaneously. 

"Thank you," he smiled at me. That smile, I swear to god.

"Any time," I smiled back. "You're not sleepy yet are you?" I questioned. 

He shook his head gently. 

"Backyard?" I arched an eyebrow at him. 

He chuckled. 

"I'll race you." I elbowed his ribs softly. 

"I'll give you a head start," he nodded. 

I threw the blanket off of me before sprinting down the stairs and into the back yard. 

As I was about to reach the end of the stairs, I looked back to see Xavier running out and sliding down the railing, landing straight in my way, wrapping his arms around my waist, lifting me off the ground. "Try getting there now!" he teased while spinning me around. 

"That's not fair!" I whined while pouting as he put me down, gently setting me down on my feet. 

He set me down but his arms didn't leave my waist as he looked down at me, grinning. "Three..." he let me go. 

"Two..." 

I sprinted. 

"One..." 

I grabbed onto the swing, sitting on it swiftly as he came and stood in front of me, grabbing onto the ropes, pulling it up and close to himself, bringing us eye to eye. 

If I didn't know any better, I'd say we were flirting. Wait. Were we? No, there's no way. There's no way, not a chance. We were friends, right? Well, we weren't even really friends, I was his babysitter, that's about it. 

I happen to enjoy his company and I guess he happens to enjoy mine. 

"We're flirting, Carthy. Hard," he laughed slightly but awkwardly. It was cute. Really cute. 

"You are. I'm not," I argued before tucking a loose strand of hair behind my ear and then placing my hand back onto the ropes that I was gripping onto. 

He could let the swing go anytime, and I had to grab on to make sure I don't fall when he does let it go. "Is that so?" he smirked while I hummed and nodded in response. He smirked cockily before letting the swing go, just like I thought he would, before sitting on the other one. 

"Carthy?" 

I hummed in response. 

"Do you see yourself ever liking me?" he questioned while turning to face me. 

I continued looking straight ahead, feeling his gaze burning into my face. "It's possible," I answered vaguely, because how else am I supposed to tell him that I already do? 

Yes, you heard that right. I like Xavier.

Shit!

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Your girl's got a little crushhhhhh