This was a bad idea.

"Are you sure about this?" I asked, for the nth time.

"What, you're ashamed to be seen with me in our hometown?"

I looked at him. "It's not that."

It's exactly that.

We were in the parking lot outside Den's Diner – in Mount Valley. After my breakdown in the alley by the Brick, Scout led me to his car and started driving around. It was too late before I realized he was heading up here.

"Don't worry," he told me. "It's the dead of night. I doubt anyone will be around enough to recognize us." He shrugged, adding, "I just figured you needed some comfort food from somewhere familiar. No one who grew up in Mount Valley can resist the food from the Diner."

He offered a small smile, and I sighed.

"Yeah, okay," I gave in, nodding.

He hopped out, going around to open the door for me and reached out a hand. I met his eyes, and I thought that was the moment I realized that my feelings for Scout were way deeper than I was willing to admit. And fuck me if I knew what to do.

But having him meant I was going to have to lose myself. I wasn't sure if I was ready for that kind of all-consuming shit. The thought still scared the hell outta me.

"Let's go inside and grab something to eat." He flashed me his best puppy dog look. "Please?"

Never in a million years would I have ever thought Scout could be so adorably cute. Damn, I was totally losing it.

"Okay," I whispered, taking his hand and climbing out of his car.

A little smile appeared on his face and we walked side by side to the entrance. He held the door open for me and even though he had done it millions of times, I still wasn't used to being treated like this.

Scout was right, though. The place was empty, aside from a couple of old men at the counter. We chose to sit at one of the booths by the window.

"My, this is something you don't see everyday," a female voice said, her tone filled with amusement.

My head whipped around and I laid my eyes on a familiar face.

"Wendy!" I blinked. "You're still here."

Wendy, the motherly woman in her forties who had worked here as a waitress for as long as I could remember, knew everyone. Naturally, she also knew that Scout and I didn't hang in the same circle.

She was actually here when a brawl between Scout's friends and mine almost broke out about three or four years ago.

Wow, that felt so long ago.

"You're right." She nodded thoughtfully. "Been here for too long now, haven't I?"

Scout chuckled from across the table. "How's it going, Wendy?"

"Why, I'm just fine, young man," she answered, smiling warmly at him. "Thanks for asking. Now, what brought you young ones here so late? Last I heard, y'all are attending some fancy schmancy university down in New Brunswick."

I almost snorted. Of course, everybody knew where Scout went for college. He was Golden Boy, remember?

He shook his head, looking at ease. "Nah, nothing fancy."

"That's what they all say."

She turned to me, curiosity clear in her expression. I could tell she wanted to say something and I waited if she would.

"The usual?" she asked instead.

I wasn't sure if I was more relieved or surprised. But still, I kept my face neutral as I nodded at her and said, "Yeah, thanks."

She winked at me, before facing Scout again.

"Just a milkshake for me, Wendy," he said.

I frowned at him. "I thought you were hungry."

"I didn't say I was. I just wanted to make sure you eat something after..."

My eyes dropped.

"I'll be back with your orders real quick," Wendy informed us quietly, catching the mood and leaving us alone.

"I'm not exactly hungry, you know," I told Scout, as I leaned back and crossed my arms. "You could've just taken me back to the dorms."

Great, Connie. You're just telling this to him now. Way to go.

"I know," he replied, leaning back as well. "But I didn't want to. At least, not yet."

"Why?"

"Because I wanted to spend more time with you."

"Why?"

"Because I'm worried about you."

"Why?"

"Because you're not as tough as you pretend to be. And deep down, you need someone to see that."

I raised an eyebrow, my chin lifting up in a challenge.

"And you think you're that someone?"

He stared back. "You tell me."

I didn't answer, afraid that I might tell him the truth. So I did what I was good at; changing the subject and turning the spotlight on him.

"You shouldn't blame yourself for what happened to McKinley."

His expression grew serious, obviously not expecting that.

Shaking his head, he let out a sigh and said, "He was lost. I could've helped him find his way back."

"Back to where?" I asked skeptically. "You couldn't have stopped him from being jealous of Oz. The fucked up things he did weren't your fault either."

With his jaw set, his forehead creased in a deep frown. "He shouldn't have done those things."

"No shit," I spat. "So don't beat yourself up over something you had no control over. Those were his choices, not yours."

Scout looked outside the window, not saying anything more. He was probably letting my words sink in. I hoped it did.

It wasn't his fault that Finn McKinley was a sick fuck.

My eyes wandered to Wendy wiping the counter clean, and remembered what she said earlier. I brought my eyes back to Scout and cleared my throat.

"Can I ask you something?"

He turned his attention to me.

"Why did you choose to go to Rutgers?" I never really had the chance to think about it until now. "You're pretty good at playing basketball."

Duh, he wouldn't be the Golden Boy if he wasn't.

"You could've chosen a university out-of-state."

I knew we should've had this conversation months ago. But we were too caught up with the Greek life that I never stopped to wonder and ask him.

"They offer a good program in Sports Management," he explained. "If basketball doesn't work out, I still wanna be able to be involved in it. I thought having a degree in that area would help." He had a small smile on his face as he shrugged. "Maybe handle a team of my own someday."

I studied him, tilting my head. "That's your dream?"

"Well, playing in the NBA is my dream," he stated. "But it doesn't hurt to have a backup plan, you know?"

I nodded, impressed at how solid his plan was that he even had a Plan B. I only had a one-track goal and if didn't work out, I wouldn't know what else to do.

"What about you?" he asked.

I shrugged. "You know I major in Sports Med."

"Yeah – then off to medical school, right?"

"That's the plan."

"Why is that?"

I hung my head as I thought about it. "I guess I've always been surrounded by sports growing up that I knew nothing else. I may not be a player or a coach, but I still wanna help athletes fulfill their dreams in my own way."

I thought of my older brother's sheer will to provide for us.

"Their drive and determination motivates people – whether they know it or not," I added, stating it like fact.

"Did it motivate you?"

"In a way," I admitted.

He leaned forward and his elbows on the table as he looked at me. "Is it safe to assume that I can come to you in the future to check up on me?"

I raised an eyebrow and opened my mouth to say something. But before I could reply, Wendy arrived with my food and Scout's milkshake, saving me from answering.

"Let me know if you kids need anything else," she said.

I only nodded, and started chowing down my food. Guess I was hungrier than I thought I was. Realizing that I wasn't going to answer his question, Scout chuckled and mumbled a thanks to Wendy.

Then, he spent the next half hour watching me devour my meal.

* * * * *

"Would you like to stay with me tonight?"

"What?" I asked, staring at him in disbelief and taking advantage of the fact that he couldn't look at me while he was driving.

We were on campus grounds now, on our way to my dorm building.

"I want you to stay with me tonight," he repeated.

I frowned. "I'm not some fragile little girl who needs to be looked after. It was a breakdown. It happens. I'm over it."

Looking away from him, I hated myself for having to resort to being a bitch in order to cover up my weakness earlier – or just in general.

"Okay," he dragged slowly. "But I still want you to stay with me."

"Aren't you supposed to be mad at me?"

He pursed his lips, thinking. "Pretty sure I already made my point. No need to waste more time bitching about it."

The corner of my lips twitched, amused that he was getting casual with using swear words every once in a while now.

"Wait, don't you have a roommate?" I asked.

"He's out for the weekend." He turned to face me when we reached a stoplight. "I promise to be a good boy," he added, wearing a playful smile.

I rolled my eyes.

"I just..." He averted his gaze and turned serious, pressing his lips together as he tilted his head. Then, he returned his green eyes on me, before saying quietly, "I'd feel a lot better knowing you're safe – with me."

Why was he doing this? What did he want from me?

"Why are you pushing this?" I whispered.

"Because I want to."

The light turned green and he put his car in first gear.

"And you haven't said no."

With that, he turned his attention back on the road and pressed the gas.

"Haven't said yes either," I muttered, my eyes traveling to the passing buildings.

I heard him chuckle, and my stomach knotted.

I hated how a small part of me wanted to say yes. Actually, no. I wasn't going to lie. It was a big part of me that wanted to go with him. And even though I hadn't agreed to it yet, I knew in my gut that I was going with him, anyway.

Noticing where we were, I couldn't help the corners of my lips from curling up. Despite him insisting that I stay with him tonight, we still headed towards my dorm. He could've just disregarded my hesitation and went straight to his dorm building.

But no, he still gave the choice to me. He was such a fucking good guy.

"Fine, let's do it," I declared.

He grinned and didn't need to be told twice. He maneuvered the car and drove ahead, passing Mettler Hall.

Thank God, he didn't reply. Otherwise, he might've said something that would have changed my mind and made him turn back the car. I studied him, my eyes narrowing. He was really starting to understand me.

He parked his car in the parking lot beside his building, got out, and opened the door for me. We talked towards his dorm and he let me walk in first. I followed him to the elevator and watched him press for the third floor.

It was quiet. No one was around, probably at some party somewhere.

When we made it to his floor, he held the elevator open while he waited for me to step out. He casually grabbed my hand and led me to his room. He unlocked the door with his other hand and let me inside when the key card bleeped it open.

"Shit, I'm sorry," he groaned, rubbing his face.

"What, you got some pornos lying around?" I teased. "No biggie. I have an older brother, remember?"

I looked around the room, my eyes fixating on his side. It was pretty obvious that it was his side with our high school flag posted above the headboard of the bed.

I wasn't surprised to see it neat, though, with just enough mess to tell that boys lived here – like books strewn out on the desk, a few clothes at the end of the bed, and some random stuff on the floor.

"Please, I keep my porn well hidden away in my laptop like any normal dude in our generation." He chuckled and shook his head. "No, it's just that I realized I forgot to let you get some clothes from your place. Guess I got distracted at the thought of you coming here and staying the night."

A small smile played on my lips.

"You got any clothes I can borrow instead?"

"Uh, yeah."

He walked to his dresser, grabbing a white shirt with a faded 'MVHS Stallions' logo on the front, which was our high school's basketball team's mascot. I raised an eyebrow when he handed it to me.

He shrugged. "Take it or leave it."

"Fine," I muttered, taking it from him.

He faced his dresser again and paused, looking undecided between a boxer and jogging pants. I tilted my head as I watched him.

He looked too cute trying to decide between wanting to see me in his boxers or being a gentleman and giving me the pants.

I bet a million bucks he'd give me the pants.

Aaaaand he did.

But the urge to tease him was way too strong, so I grabbed the boxers from his hands and threw the pants to him.

"You can wear the joggers," I told him. "I'm good with the boxers."

"You sure?"

"Yup."

Without so much as a warning, I began to undress. He quickly turned his back to me, stumbling a bit. I bit my lip to stop myself from laughing.

"We have a bathroom," he said, pointing to a door I didn't notice before.

"Too late."

When I finished changing, I placed my folded clothes on his chair by the desk and turned to him. He was rubbing the back of his neck.

"I'm done," I declared.

He sneaked a peek, as if making sure that I was finished. When he saw that I was, he fully turned around.

"I'll go wash my face," I told him. "I don't like sleeping in with make-up on."

"Sure, go ahead."

I took much longer than I intended to because I didn't have my usual skin care products with me. When I got back, I caught Scout arranging his bed. The clothes I saw at the end of it before were gone.

"Here you go," he said, gesturing to his neatly made bed.

"Comfy," I noted, when I sat down.

"Isn't yours?"

I shrugged. "Meh."

"Then, you're free to take that one. I'll take Bill's."

He made a move to go to the bed across the room, and I couldn't help feeling a little disappointed. I shook my head and pointed to his bed.

"Don't be stupid. Stay on your bed."

He flashed me a stern look. "I'd rather you stay in my bed than Bill's."

"Who said I'll sleep on his bed?" I asked innocently.

His eyes narrowed, and I waited for him to get it. A moment passed before his features smoothened in understanding.

"You sure?"

I rolled my eyes at the fact that that was the second time he asked me that in a span of thirty minutes.

"Don't be a prude, we're only going to sleep."

After that, I turned around, crawled under the covers, and settled myself against the wall. I heard Scout change into comfortable clothes before climbing in bed after me, careful not to touch me. As discreetly as I could, I wiggled closer to him.

His body immediately tensed, and his breath hitched.

"You're really testing my self-control, aren't you?"

"Am I?" I smirked, knowing he couldn't see with my back turned to him.

"You are," he hissed, through gritted teeth.

"Just trying to find a comfortable position."

I tried not to laugh as I wiggled some more.

"Fuck."

It was the faintest sound that I really wasn't sure if I even heard it come out from his mouth. But then, I gasped when I felt his arms snake around my waist and pulled me against him. He was hard and warm. I liked it.

My heartbeat accelerated and I prayed he wouldn't hear or feel it.

"Chill," he whispered in my ear. "We're just going to cuddle. I won't do anything else. I promise."

Well, too fucking bad.

He took a deep breath. "You smell like waffles."

"We did just come from the Diner," I pointed out.

"I like it," he chuckled, nuzzling his nose in my hair.

"Werewolf much?" I squirmed in his touch and a giggle escaped from me – I COULDN'T HELP IT, OKAY. "Imagine that, a red-furred werewolf."

"Sounds pretty cool to me."

"No, it's not. It's more of a — Holy fucking shit, do you seriously have a boner right now?!"

He groaned and buried his face in my neck, while I burst out laughing. Oh, my God. I was laying in bed with Scout Crimson, and he had a fucking boner.

This was a situation I never expected to be in. Ever.

"It's not funny."

"Yeah," I managed to say through my laughs. "It's fucking hilarious."

"Just stop moving for a sec," he whispered, placing a hand on my lower stomach to make me stop moving so much. It worked, I stopped. "There."

Grinning, I bit my lower lip.

"Let's just sleep, alright?"

I laughed through my nose. "Fine."

"Thanks."

I gave it a moment or two, before speaking again.

"Scout?"

"Yeah?"

"Sorry for giving you blue balls."

"Connie," he groaned again.

My laughter filled the room.

_____________

Next update: Thursday (March 26)

#SavageMeWP