Page 125 of This is Me

Even with all of the space that Andy had created by leaving, Blaire and Cooper still sat side-by-side. Their hands resting on the table next to each other, almost touching.

“Yeah, that sounds about right,” I said, looking from her to Cooper.

“You do realise you’re dating a child?” Cooper asked with a laugh.

“We’re not dating,” I corrected him. “Not officially. I don’t think. But I know what I’m getting myself into.”

“Just ask him to be your boyfriend,” Blaire said with Cooper nodding along.

It's not that I didn’t want to, but I had never done anything like that before. I had no idea how I would even begin. I mean, we kind of already were dating. We’d kissed. Under fireworks. If that didn’t class as dating, then I had no idea what did.

Seriously, I had no fucking idea what did.

“Why don’t you ask Cooper to be yours?” I blurted out without thinking.

As soon as they heard the words, Blaire and Cooper pulled their hands away from each other and shoved them under the table. Both of them looked at each other and blushed furiously.

“It’s not like that,” Cooper started, and Blaire nodded.

“I mean, like, yeah. We’re friends,” Blaire stated.

“Exactly. Friends.”

“Why would we be anything more?”

Blaire and Cooper rambled, while progressively getting redder in the face, all while I rolled my eyes at them.

“Whatever you say.” I chuckled and turned around as I heard The Coffee Shop’s door open and someone breathing extremely heavily.

“And we’re going to make-out on your bed!” Leroy called out the door before letting it shut and walking toward our table.

“He’s really taken to this not caring what people think about him,” Blaire said with a chuckle.

I turned back to see her and Cooper recomposing themselves.

“Yeah,” I said with a grin. “It, somehow, makes him even more attractive.”

“Alright, keep it in your pants.”

“How is my favourite Peer of the Year?” Leroy asked in between laboured breaths as he reached the table and slid in beside me.

“I told you not to call me that,” I whined, and Leroy pulled me into a hug.

“I’m sorry,” he whispered into my ear, causing chills to run down my spine.

“You’re really sweaty.”

“Running does that to a person.” Leroy laughed and pulled away from me, looking across the table at the others. “Why are you two so red?”

“No reason!” Cooper said quickly, and Leroy looked back at me with his eyebrows raised.

“Actually, thank you for reminding me, Roy,” Blaire said, swiftly changing the subject. “I have your Peer of the Year sash in my little bag.”

Blaire reached down beside her and lifted up her little black purse and placed it on the table.

“How did you fit it in there?” I asked, and she shrugged.

“I did have Cheetos in there, but I ate them to make some room.”