by Harper West
"We'll go ahead and try to find a good seat, I guess. Tanner texted me and said that they're on their way. I think they're just trying to find a parking spot," McKenzie said, balancing her own popcorn in one hand and a giant soda in the other. Her movie ticket was precariously placed on top of the soda lid. "I can't apologize enough for all of this, Elizabeth. I wish I had known how horrible Nathan was to you in high school." The sheepish look on her face said more than the words coming out of her mouth. She never made that expression. I knew she was sorry.
I rocked into her with my shoulder and gave her a weak grin, letting her know that I knew it wasn’t her fault. Plus I got a free movie and gobs of junk food out of the deal—I could find a silver lining. "I already told you, like, five times, McKenzie. It's really okay. It's just one night. Plus…” I held up my treasure trove of calories, “you gave me an excuse to indulge. You and Tanner enjoy yourselves, okay? I’m going to drool over West Martindale and Harvey Carlisle and pretend that I won’t have to run an extra five miles tomorrow while regretting every bite from tonight.” I winked at my best friend, hoping to lighten the mood.
“Promise you’re okay, Eli?”
I nodded. “Promise. We'll talk more about it when we get home or something," I replied with a polite smile, and then I gave her a one-shoulder shrug. "I mean, maybe Nathan isn't going to be so bad after all."
She gives me a grateful smile, seeing right through my flimsy façade. “Thanks, girl. I love you for doing this. I’ll make it up to you somehow. I swear.” And the truth was, I knew she would do her best to try. Kenz deserved to be happy. I would feel even worse if I interfered with her and Tanner's budding relationship.
McKenzie smiled sympathetically and looked up at the movie schedule. "Okay, let's see. Hall A, theater room three," she said, reading the sign aloud. "I think that's this way." She gestured with the drink in her hand toward a hallway that branched off to the right of the concessions stand.
A man stood at the entrance to the hall, taking tickets and directing people to several different rooms. We got in line behind a gaggle of obnoxious teenagers, and I thanked my lucky stars I’d outgrown those years. I tried my best to ignore them as I turned my attention back to McKenzie. "What movie is this, again?" I asked her. I hadn't even really thought about the movie itself, just the gorgeous guys acting in it that would hopefully entertain me for the next one hundred and twenty minutes.
"I think it's that new superhero movie with that one lady," she said vaguely. "I don't know, honestly. I don't know much about comics or superheroes. I just figured maybe the guys would enjoy it. And hey, it's something a little different from what we usually watch, so maybe we'll like it!"
McKenzie was always up for trying new things. It was something I admired a lot about her and a quality that I wished I possessed. Everything was an adventure to her and her constant lust for new experiences was refreshing, if not a little intimidating. I think we made such great friends because our personalities complemented each other surprisingly well.
"Interesting," I said with a chuckle. Part of me wished that tonight could have just been a girls' night, but at the same time, I knew that McKenzie was really excited for another date with Tanner. The two of them really seemed to hit it off on their third date. I hadn't seen her quite this happy in a long time. I decided to pretend like it was a girls’ night, just the same. There wouldn’t really be any talking during the movie anyhow, and the guys could sit on opposite ends, leaving Kenz and me together in the middle. That way, I could point out the swoon-worthy scenes and take note of the drool-inducing moments with my best friend, get my fill of sweets, and still enjoy a night out while Kenz got time with Tanner. I’d just pretend like Nathan was with someone else.
Thankfully, the annoying teens ahead of us in line were seeing a different movie. I felt bad for whoever had to sit next to them. One of them, a tall, muscular boy with a shock of tousled blond hair, reminded me a bit of Nathan back in high school. He was probably the loudest out of all of them, the obvious center of attention. But, as he spoke, instead of being mean, he just laughed boisterously and told a genuinely funny story that seemed to garner all eyes and ears. The two girls behind him swooned and giggled at his every word. And I wondered if that was how the girl in my high school had all gone gaga over Nathan. I hated to admit that at one point, I had been one of those giddy followers. Briefly, anyway.
The man at the front of the line took our tickets and pointed toward a room with a light-up sign hanging above it that read ROOM 3. The name of the movie flashed intermittently on it along with the time it would start. We still had about fifteen minutes before the movie began. We made our way inside and found some pretty good seats in the center of the theater. McKenzie sat down to the left of me as we got comfortable and waited for the guys. She pulled out her phone, presumably to text Tanner, but shoved it back into her pocket quickly as the lights dimmed in the theater.
"I told them where we're sitting. They should be here any minute," she whispered.
I nodded and took a deep breath. Instead of bracing myself for another undoubtedly awkward experience with Nathan, I decided to inhale the sweet smell of chocolate and stuff a handful of popcorn into my mouth.
I heard the door creaking open, and I turned my head to figure out the source of the sound. Just within earshot came footsteps and a familiar voice saying something that I couldn't quite make out. I noticed Tanner walking down the steps leading to our seats, Nathan following close behind. The theater was pretty dark and loud, as the movie hadn’t started. People were still chatting, and I couldn’t quite hear what Nate and Tanner were saying. McKenzie waved the guys over toward us. Tanner nodded at her affirmitively as the two of them headed over.
Tanner plopped down to the left of McKenzie, and Nathan took the seat on my right. Right next to me. I sighed, but offered him a polite smile. I was an adult. Just because Nathan had been a jerk in high school didn’t mean I had to be one right now. If nothing else, our friends were clearly going to be spending time together. We needed to have an amicable relationship. I figured if Nathan were willing to mend things between us, I might as well give him a chance, as much as it pained me to do so.
I glanced over at him and couldn’t help but notice the years had been good to him. I mean, was good-looking in high school, but he had somehow become even more attractive as an adult. Since graduation, he had grown at least four inches and put on some muscle thanks to his continued football career. His fashion sense had matured significantly and he clearly took better care of his hair nowadays.
Even in the dark movie theater, his sharp cheekbones and jawline gave him an intense, handsome appearance, and I couldn't help but blush a little every time I glanced over at him. He had grown into that sharp bone structure, and it did him a lot of favors. I felt terribly average in comparison with my glasses, unremarkable features, and plain brown hair. He tapped me on the wrist and offered a kind smile. I sighed and turned my attention back to the screen.
"Hey," he whispered nervously. "Uh, hey, thanks for not like, leaving or anything. Tanner really likes McKenzie. I’d hate to ruin their night."
"Yeah, I get it. I don’t want her to feel bad, either. I needed to get out of the house anyway, and how could I turn down a movie and junk food?" I shoved a handful of popcorn in my mouth for emphasis.
"I almost bailed too.” He ran a hand through his hair, and I forced myself not to watch because it was really sexy for a nervous habit. “I really just want to prove to you that things have really changed since then. I'm a lot different now," Nathan said.
Instead of responding, I took a giant swig of my soda and a bite of my candy bar, settling in to my seat, and waited for the movie to start. I needed bad guys and superheroes in tight costumes to distract me from the handsome devil to my right.
Advertisements and previews for upcoming flicks played on the screen. I could hear McKenzie giggle softly every so often as she and Tanner whispered back and forth. His arm was wr
apped around her, and she was cozied up to him. A satisfied smile was plastered across her face. He looked truly happy to be around her, as any guy should. McKenzie was a beautiful, sweet, and fiercely loyal girl, and any man would be lucky to be with her.
I had to admit that they made a cute couple. Tanner obviously made McKenzie happy. It was a pleasant sight, a silver lining in a night full of some truly awkward and frustrating interactions. I was kind of glad that I hadn’t ruined her evening, as much as I wanted to go home, curl up in bed, and put Nathan behind me forever.
The final preview played on the screen and the lights dimmed even more. Nathan held out a box of sugary candies towards me, like a sort of peace offering. Even in the dark, I could see the hint of a hopeful smile grace his full lips. I smirked and reached into the box and tossed a few of the candies into my mouth. It didn’t take a genius to figure out that he was trying his best to start over and put our past behind us. If I were honest, it was working. It was kind and admirable. And just a little bit sexy. There was something incredibly attractive about a man putting forth effort, even if I wasn’t interested in it going anywhere. I blushed at the thought, thankful that the room was too dark for him to see.
"McKenzie told me you liked these, so I got you some," he whispered.
I nodded and reached into the box for another handful. Part of me wanted to smack my best friend for talking about me to Nathan behind my back, but another part of me wanted to thank her for making this little gesture.
"That's nice of you. Thanks, Nathan," I whispered back.
Sure, for new he was acting like a new, more mature man. But, still, I had my doubts, and I wasn't going to be some pushover. I kept my walls up to protect my damaged heart. But I wasn’t averse to getting a ladder to peek over the edge and see what Nathan was doing on the other side. I had changed a lot since high school too. I wasn't a shy little doormat anymore. Well, I was working on it, anyway. I was definitely still pretty reserved, and I still had a tendency to bend over backward for people, even though I know they wouldn’t do the same for me. Nevertheless, I had come a long way since graduation. I’d built up a lot of self-confidence and come out of my shell over the past few years. I was extremely proud of that.
I swallowed my pride and offered an olive branch. "Look, I'm...sorry for being so cold to you earlier. It's just hard to accept that you've changed so much."
"You don't have anything to apologize for, Elizabeth. Nothing that happened was your fault. I want another change and I’m going to prove to you that I deserve one despite what an ass I was," he said, his voice low and serious. "Even if you don't want to date me or whatever...I don't care. I still want to make this right."
I had to admit, he was making a pretty decent case for himself. It took guts to man up and apologize for something. He very easily could have just bailed and avoided the consequences of his actions forever. But Nathan actually was putting in the work to better himself, and it really showed.
"Shh!" An elderly woman behind us hissed.
She was sitting with two other older women who both glared at us in harsh disapproval. One of them shook her head in frustration.
"Sorry! Sorry..." Nathan whispered back at her, lowering his voice a bit more before turning back to me. "But anyway..." he trailed off. He seemed to be staring at something right behind me.
His eyes were as wide as saucers and I suddenly became painfully aware of some really gross lip-smacking noises coming from the seats next to me.
"Already, guys? Really?" I whisper-shouted and rolled my eyes at McKenzie and Tanner, who were making out pretty heavily. He was even starting to feel her up. I scooted over in my seat as far as I could, inching closer to Nathan. I glanced over at him, and I could tell he was trying not to laugh. I wasn’t sure which was worse—my best friend acting like a horny teenager or being slammed up next to my high school nemesis turned sort-of crush. My cheeks were warm with embarrassment.
"Oh, geez. So uh, which one of us is going to have to find another place to sleep tonight?" he whispered into my ear.
I blinked, confused at what he was implying. Find another place to sleep? Was he coming onto me? "What do you mean?" I asked, baffled. "Are you—" I started, but he put his hands up innocently.
He pointed at our friends, who were practically undressing each other in the seats next to me. "They are definitely going to have sex tonight, and they have to do it somewhere," he replied.
Oh, God, he was right. Well, I definitely wasn't going to get any sleep that night. Even if I were to put my headphones on and blast some music, McKenzie could be pretty loud and vivacious with her partners. I knew it would be pointless to attempt to block out the sound of her and Tanner having sex. After the noise assault, she always tried to make it up to me the next day, usually with some sort of heartfelt gift or to take me out for dinner. But still, it was going to be a long night. I groaned quietly.
"Looks like one of us is going to end up having to listen to them all night," he whispered. "I know it's kind of gross and obnoxious But, I guess… somebody should be happy tonight. Right?”
"Shh!" the ladies behind us hissed in unison. This time, they were glaring at McKenzie and Tanner's rather inappropriate PDA.
"Geez, sorry," I said, shaking my head.
I’m not sure what possessed me to be so bold so suddenly, but I leaved over and rested my head gently on Nathan's shoulder. He was definitely surprised, but he didn’t move me.
We turned our attention back to the screen and pretended to watch the rest of the movie as McKenzie and Tanner continued making out sloppily beside us. Yep, I was definitely going to be spending as little time at home as possible.
6
Elizabeth
Last night, I made the decision to sneak out of the apartment early before Tanner got there to see McKenzie.
It was something I'd been doing more and more over the last two weeks. I knew they appreciated the time alone, and honestly, I needed a quieter place to study. I started toward the university library with a cup of coffee in my hand. Fall leaves danced and flew across the brick walkways on campus, creating soft scrapes and screeches as they flipped and folded.
The wind picked up quickly, blowing my dark hair around my cheeks. I could feel the comforting weight of my bag on my back. It bounced against my frame as I took the library steps two at a time. Maybe it was the bookworm in me, but I found the weight of the books on my back comforting.
I took a sip of coffee as I stepped inside the library. With a slight frown, I realized that I had been in such a rush this morning that I had neglected to put in any sugar. It tasted bitter but I needed the caffeine, so I hoped I could drink it black. Like, I could get used to it over time. Kind of like spending time with Nathan. Thanks to our respective best friends, we were seeing each other three to five times a week. It was hard to swallow at first, but eventually, it wasn't so bad anymore.
Rocking onto my toes, I smiled at the short entryway, dotted with a few reading chairs and desks. The library was basically home to me. Outside I was an outcast, but here, I was normal. Breezing past the historical collection, I followed the walkway around the room and into the main section of the library, choosing an empty table in a random section. I took a victorious sip from my coffee.
Within five minutes, I had my textbooks stacked up and my notebooks covered with different-colored pens. Gentle jazz music floated through my headphones and hours flew by as I read. Despite the bitter coffee, I was fighting the urge to close my eyes. Not wanting to be one of those people who fell asleep in the library while studying, I sat up quickly and widened my eyes as I looked at my screen. Soon, the lessons began to blur together. I sat in front of the screen with an empty coffee cup, blurry-eyed and bored beyond all reason.
I closed my eyes and took a moment to absorb all of the information I'd reviewed. When I opened my eyes, Nathan was standing in front of me. He was talking, but I couldn’t hear what he was saying. Reluctantly, I pulled out my headphones, interru
pting “Hedwig's Theme.”
"What?" I asked, holding the headphones in my hand in front of me like evidence.
He laughed. "You're saying you didn't hear me at all just now, did you?"
I shook my head, giving a helpless chuckle and a shrug.
"I asked if I could sit with you."
“Sit? Here?” I gawped. “With me?”
“Yes. Sit here with you. I mean… may I?”
Surprise blossomed inside me, and I pushed my glasses up my nose. Nathan clicked into focus, and I noticed that his blond hair wasn't styled in his trademark faux-hawk. It laid in soft peaks that gave him a sleepy, just-rolled-out-of-bed look.
"Sure," I said, hoping I sounded casual. I pushed one of my earbuds back in place, but something told me to keep the other one out. "You can if you want." I forced my eyes back to my textbook, hastily reading a page before realizing that it was the same paragraph I had attempted to read four times. My eyes slowed, and my interest faded. I watched out of the corner of my eye as Nathan took the chair across from me. He began pulling things out of his bag, but I could've sworn he looked at me. I think he was trying to see what I was reading.
He started flipping through the pages of his textbook. "Do you always study in the library? I haven't seen you here before." He didn't look up as he spoke, keeping his eyes on his book.
I blushed as I tried to think of a way to explain why studying at the dorm apartment wasn't an option anymore. A vivid memory of trying to study during one of their dates played in my mind. Even with my headphones in while I read, I had a hard time blocking out the sounds McKenzie's bedframe made as it rattled against the wall. I shuddered, offering Nathan a sheepish smile. "I started coming to the library, studying, I mean... a couple of weeks ago, I guess?" I stumbled over my words as I spoke.
