Page 10 of Cloudy With a Chance of Bad Decisions
“You know, there’s a bathroom further down the hall that no one ever goes to.” He tilted his head, and I narrowed my eyes at him.
Was he…propositioningme?
“In case you wanted to wash your…” Alex waggled his eyebrows, “not-so-little friend.”
“Neil is never leaving my backpack again, if I have anything to say about it,” I found myself blurting on autopilot.
“Neil?” Alex blinked, then snorted. “You named your?—”
“Travel companion,” I interjected before he could say the actual word out loud.
“You named yourtravel companion?” Alex looked far too entertained by all of this, tone dripping with disbelief. “Really? You don’t seem the type.”
“Why? Because you think I look like I have a stick up my butt?”
“Your ass,” he corrected. “And sure.” Alex shrugged. “Let’s say that’s thereason. Why Neil?”
I glared at him, unamused. “He looks like a Neil,” I defended.
Alex’s grin only grew. Like with every quip we shared, his evilness multiplied. He was chaos incarnate. “He looks…like aNeil,” he echoed slowly. “Fascinating.” I did not like the glint in his eyes. At all. “Do you name all inanimate objects? Or just the ones you fuck yourself with?”
Demon.
He was an actual goddamn demon.
No one had ever looked at me likethatbefore.
Like he wanted to crack me open and peer at my insides to see how they worked.
We were interrupted by the announcement that my flight had begun boarding. Relieved that this confusing and irritating conversation was over, I stood up. On autopilot again, I gathered my backpack, and belatedly figured I should probably say goodbye.
And also, maybe thank you.
Because as he’d unhelpfully pointed out, he had, in fact, saved me.
“Thanks for, you know…whateverthiswas,” I said, stiff as a board. And then, because I couldn’t help it, the sarcasm slipped free. “I’d say it’s been a pleasure, but it definitely hasn’t.”
“You’re welcome,” Alex said, far too chipper all things considered. “And I beg to differ. It’sdefinitelybeen a pleasure—forme, at least.”
At least one of us was entertained.
I was still contemplating stabbing him.
“Goodbye.” I almost saluted, but realized that was stupid and odd and not appropriate given the circumstances. So I didn’t. I simply stalked off, head held high—you know, in case he watched me leave.
He’d seen my ugly sides enough for one day.
After waiting in line for an ungodly amount of time, I boarded my plane with one prayer—one solid, beautiful, wonderful prayer.
Dear God, please don’t let Alex be on my flight.
Once on board the plane, all it took was one proprietary glance to realize my prayers had not been answered. Because Alex had flirted his way into the line directly behind me—cutting the rest of the people who’d patiently waited, and yet, no one complained. In fact, the woman he’d asked to step in front of simply giggled, like it was a goddamn honor to assist him in his plan to torment me.
Not that I looked at her—or him. Of course not. I stared resolutely ahead, guarding my sanity.
“Long time no see,” Alex purred.
Asshole.
