"The physics and math teachers got into a fight over my ten-minute break between sses,” Juniper said, her tone animated and full of enthusiasm.


    Shanley''s brow furrowed. "And what did you do?" he asked, his voice strained.


    "I watched them fight," Juniper shrugged nonchntly. "By the time they were done,


    it was time for the next ss. Problem solved, no one got the break.”


    Of course, it wasn''t a real fight-just a lot of arm-waving and posturing, with neither one brave enough to throw the first punch. It was all very dramatic.


    "Anything else?" Shanley asked, his lips twitching, not having heard what he was expecting.


    “Nope.” Juniper shook her head and went back to her snacks, ignoring himpletely.


    Shanley sat beside her in brooding silence, a storm cloud gathering over his head. The suspicion that she was ying the field grew stronger. If that was the case..... could he at least be her first choice? That way, she would have to like him more.


    ...


    Half an hourter, they arrived home.


    "Mr. Schwartz, Ms. Payne," Dana said, setting out their slippers. "The door has been repaired. Ms. Payne, you''ll be able to move back into your room tonight."


    "Good," Shanley nodded. He felt that until their rtionship was defined, a little distance was necessary. He then turned to Juniper. "Still hungry? Want ate-night snack?"


    "No." The news that she had to move back to her own room had soured Juniper''s mood, and her appetite vanished.


    Later that night, Juniper tossed and turned, her wide eyes staring at the ceiling. It was strange. Before, even with the constant nightmares, she could at least fall asleep. But after a few nights in Shanley''s room she was suddenly struggling with insomnia.


    After staring into the darkness for what felt like an eternity, she grabbed her pillow,


    got up, and padded toward Shanley''s room.


    Halfway there, an idea struck her.


    She went back to her bedroom and "locked" the door. There. Broken again. Which meant she had to borrow a room for the night once she was certain the door wouldn''t open, she knocked on Shanley''s. Cóntent


    “Juniper?” Shanley was surprised to see her at his door.


    “The door''s broken,” she announced, walking past him and expertly climbing into his bed.


    The door was broken again? Seeing how practiced she was, Shanley couldn''t help but chuckle. That poor lock.


    "Alright," he said softly, tucking her in. "You sleep here. I''ll take the sofa."


    As he turned to leave, she grabbed his hand. “I can only sleep if your arm is around me."


    With a gentle tug, she pulled him onto the bed and snuggled into his embrace.


    Shanley froze, his breath catching in his throat. This girl was bold. He was, after all,


    a perfectly normal man. He stayed still, gently patting her back.


    "Go to sleep," he murmured.


    Within five minutes, her breathing evened out and she was sound asleep in his arms. He watched her, his fingers lightly tracing the curve of her cheek, his brow furrowed in thought. Did she like him or not? If she did, how could she tolerate another man''s advances?


    Shanley sighed. He was nearly thirty and had never felt so utterly clueless. It was


    driving him mad. What could he do to make her care for him and him alone? Maybe... maybe he should just get rid of Melvin.