Chapter 181: Problem Solver
Emily Molson often brought out the weirdest urges and impulses in Derek. Things that he had never thought of himself doing suddenly seemed like the most logical things on earth to do whenever he was in her presence.
It was something that he did not like to think about,
but that did not mean that it was not there. That afternoon was proof of that. He had just spent his lunch hour doing what was quite literally children’s games. At some point he and Emily had even tried holding their breaths to see who could hold their breath the longest. The winner of course getting to bask in the glory of beating the other.
Derek had justified the other games as being necessary to get what he needed. But there was absolutely nothing that he could say to himself that would explain why, in the seven minutes before the end of his lunch break, after he and Emily had finally come to an agreement on the days that they would be taking for themselves.
He had been having a thumb war with Emily.
It was childish, and it had been so juvenile that a part of Derek had been very embarrassed of himself. But at the same time, he had not been able to help the smile that had spread across his face as he had watched Emily.
The thumb war had been just for the sake of it, no stakes attached. But Emily had taken it very seriously. The tiny tip of her tongue sticking out. Her brow furrowed in concentration as she had moved her thumb against his, trying to get the upper hand.
Emily was strong, he could admit to that. But even so, Derek was stronger. Rather than just overpowering her with his stronger thumb, however, he had held back. And it was not one of those reasons where people were like, ’oh she’s a girl, I did not want her to feel bad if she lost,’
No, it was nothing like that.