My Brother's Best Friend 

Chapter 24: Uncle Steven Meets Jared

They stood there awkwardly until Jared spoke up. Thank the lord Jared was a smart talker.

"I'm Jared," he said holding his hand out, "uhhhhh... Mallie's boyfriend." I could amost hear his smugness when he said the word boyfriend, but my uncle didn't even give it a second thought.

My Uncle smiled at him, but I could tell it was fake because when he heard Jared say boyfriend he winced. "Mallie's Uncle," he replied shaking Jared's hand. Jared winced from where Uncle Steven shook the hand that Jared had been punching Adam with. Then their hands parted.

I had my hands in the back pockets of my jeans, looking down at the floor awkwardly. Then my Uncle spoke up.

"You staying for dinner?" Uncle Steven asked Jared with a raised eyebrow as if to say you are not staying.

Jared quickly glanced at me then back at Uncle Steven. "No, sir, I was just... ummmm, leaving," Jared replied.

"Alright, well it was nice meeting you," Uncle Steven said, but I knew he hadn't enjoyed that at all.

"You too," Jared replied as he started to walk away towards the door.

I pressed my lips together. "I'm gonna go walk him down," I said awkwardly pointing over my shoulder and walking backwards a little.

"Yeah," Uncle Steven said nodding his head.

I turned around and started walking towards the door with Jared holding it open waiting for me. As soon as we'd both walked out of the apartment I pulled the door closed, leaning my head on Jared's chest.

"I'm sorry," I laughed into his chest.

He laughed, then lifted my chin up to where he was looking into my eyes. "Hey, it's fine, it wasn't that bad."

He put his arm around my shoulder, then, instead of going to the elevator he made his way to the stairs.

"Why are we taking the stairs?" I asked.

A smug smile appeared on his face. "Let's make this a little fun." he looked at me and I gave him a funny look. "If I can make it to the lobby, with you on my back, in 3 minutes then you have to kiss me in front of that doorman that has a crush on you."

"What?!" I laughed giving him an 'are you crazy' look. "Three minutes? You could do that easily!" I smiled. "A minute thirty!"

He smiled. "Two minutes,"

"A minute thirty," I said.

"A minute forty five,"

"Fine, but what do I get if you can't do it?" I smiled.

He chuckled. "Well we only have to talk about that if it happens."

I laughed lightly. "Ok,"

He pulled out his phone, set the timer on it and handed it to me. I smiled , then jumped onto his back, as he put his arms underneath my legs I took in a sharp breath. He turned his head slightly so he could see me.

"Nervous are we?" he asked.

I smiled and wrapped my arms around his neck lightly. "Shut up,"

I held the timer out where he could see it, then when he was ready I pressed the 'start' button and he was off. My apartment was on the twentieth floor, so I was convinced he wouldn't be able to do it, but of course I underestimated him.

By the time he was on the tenth floor only thirty seconds had passed by. He was breathing hard, but he was able to control it and he made sure he had a firm grip on me as he made his way down the stairs. I was smiling as he jumped the last two steps to the seond floor with fourty seconds left on the timer. Instead of running to the lobby he jogged there instead because he knew he was going to make it either way. By the time we got to the lobby and I had stopped the timer he had thirty seconds left. He knew he was going to make it all along, in fact he acted like doing it in a minute forty-five was going to be a challenge for him, but he didn't even break a sweat. He set me down and I crossed my arms across my chest as we walked out into the lobby.