Throughout the novel, Laura’s feelings about Alex remain somewhat ambiguous. She is clearly attached to him and treasures him in some way, but considering the way she talks about him in this passage, her attachment is arguably more innocent and platonic than romantic (and certainly not sexual). Of course, one could argue that this is unsurprising considering Laura is only 14. At the same time, many 14-year-olds
are interested in sex, even if only in a theoretical way.