Seb scoffs. “See, you should have had me there cheering you on.”
“What, so you can take out another referee? No thanks.”
Seb laughs and heads back to the living room, where he and Ryan debate movie choices.
I pull out my phone and order the pizza before shooting Millie a quick text to see if she wants to join. Meanwhile, Gracie, Seb, and Ryan huddle around the TV, still arguing over what to watch.
“Let’s watch something fun,” I say, trying to steer them away from anything terrifying.
“How about a zombie movie?” Ryan suggests.
“Perfect,” Seb grins.
I groan. “Ugh, no. You guys know I won’t sleep for a week.”
Seb waves a dismissive hand. “You’ll be fine. You can always hide behind your cushion.” Then, with an exaggerated glance at Ryan, he smirks. “Or, you know, something warmer.”
Ryan glares at him. “Shut up, Seb.”
I throw a popcorn kernel at Seb’s head. “Yeah, shut up, Seb.”
By the time the movie starts, I’m already regretting my life choices. As the first jump scare hits, I yelp and duck behind my cushion, peeking out only when I hear Seb and Ryan laughing at me.
“You good over there, Violet?” Seb teases, stuffing his face with pizza.
“I hate all of you,” I mumble from behind my shield.
Another zombie lunges across the screen, and I shriek, burrowing deeper into the couch.
Gracie snorts. “You know, we could turn the lights off. Really set the mood.”
“Absolutely not.”
Seb immediately moves toward the light switch.
“Seb, I swear to God.”
As the movie drones on, I become the main entertainment, everyone laughing every time I scream and spill beer on myself.
When the pizza boxes are almost empty and the beer supply is running low, I finally brave leaving my cushion fortress. “I’m getting more beer,” I announce, standing up and stretching, ambling into the kitchen, pleased to have an excuse to leave.
“I’ll get the door,” Gracie says as the doorbell chimes.
“It’s probably Millie,” I shout from the kitchen.
As I’m about to head back to the living room, I tense at the sound of a man talking to Gracie. I shoot back into the kitchen, hiding. I’m not sure why.
He wouldn’t come here for me? Would he?
Gracie appears at the kitchen door, her grin so wide it confirms all my suspicions.
“Mr. Tinder is here,” she says, her eyebrows raised sky high, her foot tapping as she waits for me to spill. “I thought you said he ghosted you.”
“Damn.” I yank Gracie into the kitchen, voice dropping to an urgent whisper. “You need to get rid of him.”
“What? Why? Are you feeling okay?” She runs her hand over my forehead, but I shoo it away. “Have you seen him, Violet? God, he’s even better than I remember.”
“He can’t see me now,” I say in desperation.
