Shower Girl

Insurance

Nora was right.

She and Shower girl were indeed sitting back at the same table under a large tree in the student seating area the next day. Alex wanted nothing more than to go sit beside the redheaded beauty and listen to her soft voice. To see her pretty smile and hear her beautiful laugh.

"Ugh! stupid track practice." He mumbled under his breath as he walked out onto the track field. He was staring at the girl longingly as his coach called to him from the other side of the track.

"THACKER! GET OVER HERE!"

He sighed heavily, adjusting the strap of his gym bag on his shoulder as he jogged over to where the rest of the track team were already grouped up and waiting.

Stupid track and it's stupid practice.

Sarah's head snapped up as soon as she heard Alex's name being called by his coach. She whipped her head towards the field to see Alex jogging across it.

"You stare an awful lot for someone who doesn't like him." Nora teased, chuckling as Sarah turned back and glared at her.

"I don't know what you're talking about," Sarah answered before turning back to her physics assignment.

"Mmhmm, sure," she grinned.

"Oh, that reminds me. Your music producer friend, Isaac, knows him. Maybe you could ask him?"

"Ask him what?" Nora had a knowing smile on her face. "If he's a player or not? So you can finally admit that you like him?"

Sarah's cheeks turned a light shade of pink as she lowered her head back down. "No, nevermind."

Sarah could still hear the practice going on behind her. If she turned around she knew she'd easily spot Alex in the crowd. Would Alex be looking at her? Did he even know she was here? Sarah asked herself as she sat staring at the words in her textbook but not actually reading them. Ugh! Alex Thacker was such a distraction and he wasn't even talking to her.

Practice was torture.

Alex found himself time and time again glancing in the direction of his red-haired shower girl. 

Thankfully he wasn't the only one who wasn't fully into today's practice and their coach took mercy on them, calling practice early. Alex couldn't believe his luck. He didn't even bother saying goodbye to his team, he just left his red gym bag on the side of the track and jogged over to the fence, hurdling over it easily. He came right up beside Shower Girl and sat down next to her with an excited hello.

The cutie turned towards him with a gasp. Her facial expression said startled, but also, happy? No, that can't be, I must be imagining things. He thought to himself as he looked over her gorgeous features. Her fiery hair styled perfectly in a ponytail, looking as soft as a cloud. Her light pink cheeks and soft plush lips, still slightly parted in shock. Alex then locked eyes with her, getting lost in the dark brown orbs. God damn, this girl was beautiful.

Sarah was just as out of it, just gazing back at Alex. He wasn't even sweaty, but he still seemed to be glowing under the afternoon sun. He looked delicious. She felt her mouth water.

"Hey Alex!" Nora greeted from the other side of the table. She continued on when she didn't get a response from either of them. "Oh hey Nora, how's that biology project going? Great actually, still have lots of research left to do but I love this part. Actually, I think I'll head over to the lab now to work on it." She stood up and started gathering her things, neither Alex nor Sarah making any notion that they had even heard her. "No Nora, don't go, I'll miss you! I know you will, you'll be sad, but I've got to go." She sighed as even that didn't garner a response. "By the way, you're drooling a bit, Shower Girl."

That finally got a reaction from Sarah as she tore her eyes away from Alex's to look at Nora. She wiped her hand on her chin as she muttered out an apology. 

"Sorry, Nora. Where are you going?" Shee panicked a little at the thought of being alone with Alex. The ridiculously good-looking Alex Thacker.

"I'm going to head to the lab and do some research for our bio project. I'll see you back at the dorms later?" She grinned as Sarah just opened and closed her mouth like a fish out of water. 

"Don't worry, you're in good hands." Nora winked at them both before leaving the table and heading off towards the Science Building.

Sarah whipped her head back towards Alex when he started chuckling. "I like her."

"I'm sure you do," Sarah said sarcastically. "Can I help you with something? Don't you have track practice or something?"

Alex rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly. "Practice ended early. Am I bothering you?"

The look on his face had Sarah biting her tongue on the snarky remark she was about to make. Alex actually looked upset by the prospect of bothering her and Sarah felt bad. He wasn't really any more bothersome now than he had been before he showed up. Either way, Alex Thacker had been the only thing on her mind when she should have been focusing on her physics work. She let out a tired sigh.

"No, you're not bothering me, Alex." She snapped her mouth shut at the name. She hadn't meant to let that slip. Calling someone by their first name meant they were friends. 

"Oh, first name huh? I like it." And the grin was back. That cute, devilishly sexy grin. Ugh.

"I umm, I need to go." Sarah stumbled over the words. Not really wanting to leave Alex but also not wanting to make a fool of herself in front of her crush. CRUSH?!? wait, when did that happen?? Sarah blushed at the thoughts running through her head.

"You okay?" Alex asked, clearly concerned. "I can walk you?" 

Sarah looked like she was about to refuse the offer so Alex added "I don't want to let my new friend Nora down. She did say you'd be in good hands." He lifted his hands in front of him thoughtfully. 

The cute pensive look on his face made Sarah laugh and it was just what she needed to relax. This was fine. No need to freak out. She can dwell on her 'crush' later, right now she's just going to enjoy Alex walking her back to her dorm.

"Yeah, okay. Let's go, Thacker."

Alex pouted at her. "But I thought I was 'Alex'?"

Sarah giggled at the cute pout. "Okay, you can be 'Alex' for today."

"What about tomorrow?"

"We'll see. Now stop pouting and let's go." Sarah reached for her school bag but Alex was faster and picked it up before Sarah could even blink.

"Wait, let me go grab my gym bag." Alex turned towards the field, Sarah's bag already slung over one shoulder.

"I can carry my own bag, ya know." Sarah couldn't help but pout. She didn't want Alex thinking she was weak.

Alex just chuckled at the cute pout on her lips. "Not uh, it's my insurance."

"Insurance?"

"Yeah, I need to make sure you don't try to leave without me." Alex grinned at her before turning and jogging back towards the fence. He was still able to hop over it easily, even with the added weight of Sarah's bag. Sarah just watched as he jogged across the track field to grab his gym bag.

She felt her cheeks start to hurt from smiling. Fuck. This was bad.