"I don't understand this. Help me" he whines and I roll my eyes.
"Yes you do, I know what game you're playing. You've asked me the same thing four times now" I retort. So far I've found he's afraid of heights, is jealous if Aaron's ability to tan, and has blacked out at two New Years parties.
"Doesn't matter, I still want a question" he says.
"Go for it" I sigh, waving him on.
"Who was your first crush?" He leans back against the headboard, resting his folded hands on his lap.
"Benny "The Jet" Rodriguez. God my ten year old self was head over heels for that kid" I giggle thinking about how smitten I was with the actor.
"From The Sandlot? Do you even know the actor's real name?"
"No, and I don't care to know it or what he looks like now. That movie was made in the nineties, and I don't want his picture now to ruin the boy I have in my memories" I say.
"Why did you like him?" He asks, but I don't answer.
"You've already used your question. It's my turn now" I say.
"Who was your first kiss?" I ask. Generic questions by me, ladies and gentlemen.
"I think her name was Rachel. It was the last night on a cruise in middle school" he explains.
After he answers I go back to my homework when he takes my textbook away from me.
"I need that!" I shout. I grab for it, but he keeps it out of my reach. I huff in frustration.
"This whole doing work to get answers is boring. I just want to get to know you" he says and I throw my hands up in the air.
"You're the one who said this is a study date!"
"Well I changed my mind" he shrugs and tosses the book on the ground, making me cringe when it hits the floor.
"Well I'm still going to do work, but you can go ahead if you want." I pull out my laptop from my bag, hoping he wouldn't snatch it and toss it on the ground, too.
"Okay, why did you like Benny "The Jet" Rodriguez?"
"He's hot" I answer simply. There's nothing else to it.
"That's it?"
"I mean, that's all I really paid attention to when I was ten. If the person was cute then..." I shrug letting Marcus fill in the rest of the sentence.
"Do you didn't think I was cute when we were ten?"
I look up and roll my eyes. "Of course you were cute, when did I say you weren't?" I reply, getting an even more perplexed look from him.
"So I was cute, but you didn't have a crush on me?" He presses harder.
"Who said I didn't?" I ask getting more confused as he was getting more confused.
"So you liked me, but never said yes when I asked you to be my girlfriend?" His confusing clicked in my brain now.
"We were ten Marcus! I wasn't allowed to date until I was sixteen!" I tell him.
"You always said you were never ready to date" he says.
"I knew I wasn't. We were literal fourth graders. Real dating just wasn't a thing!" I remember all the "boyfriends" Sofia had in elementary school.
"So when you turned sixteen what was stopping you?"
"At that point I knew for myself I still wasn't ready. I still don't know if I am. I pack a lot of stuff into my life, and people need attention, and there's only so many people I could give attention to."
"So did you still like me in high school?"
I hesitate, not knowing how to word my answer politely.
"Don't worry about my feelings, just say it. Honesty, remember?"
"Okay, I didn't. I grew out of my crush for you around the summer going into eighth grade, and never had friend feelings for you since then" I reply. I was going to add the fact he annoyed me so much to reach that point, but I think what I said was already enough.
"Do you still only have friend feelings for me now?" He asks more quietly than I've ever heard him.
"No. I'm getting there, though. I'm not going to blow up your ego, but you're very charming" I answer. He smiles again, and my palms start to sweat. Definitely charming.
"Oh yeah? And what kind of charming would I have to be to get back the crush you had on me?" he whispers in my ear. I barely keep myself from shivering from the hot breath against my cheek and male scent. I don't even know what he smells like, I just know that it's enough to make me want to bask in it for the rest of my life.
"I don't know. Just keep- Just keep doing what you're doing" I say. "Be you. That's all I can ask for" I breathe. His face comes nose to nose with mine, and his hand raises softly to my cheek.
"Trust me Amanda. I'll be more than you'd ever think I could be."