Throughout the duration of the movie, I kept my arm around her shoulders, her body slightly leaning into mine. I was barely able to concentrate on the film because my body pulsed with a growing need.
When the movie ended, I was reluctant to move. Even the turning on of the lights and other movie goers standing and exiting didn’t break the spell of sexually tense haze surrounding us. I took her hand in mine and helped her to stand.
“Thanks,” she said, her voice huskier than usual. It was enough for me to know that I had the same power over her that she had over me.
“That was good,” she said as we exited. “I have to run to the bathroom.”
“I’ll be right here,” I told her as I stood outside of the theater, allowing others to go around me.
I watched the sway of her ass as she sauntered off, and I had to remind my body that we were in public.
I cursed under my breath as I thought about my best friend. I’d called Corey two nights earlier. But as with the previous nearly eight months, he didn’t answer. I left my usual voicemail for him to call me back, but I didn’t explain why. Every time I’d stopped by his mother’s house before, he either hadn’t been home or refused to see me. Eventually, I’d let it drop, thinking he’d come around. But he was taking too long.
I needed to talk to him about this thing building between his sister and me. Man to man. It was only right.
As I thought about Corey, my phone rang. On the very off chance that it might be him, I answered without looking at the screen.
“Hello?”
There was nothing but heavy breathing on the other end. I pulled the phone away from my ear, staring at it. I stiffened when the screen read: “Restricted.”
“Hello?” I said again more forcefully.
“Is this Don?” a mechanical voice asked.
“You called me, so I’m thinking you already know the answer to that question. Who is this?”
There was no response for a long, drawn out minute—only that irritating ass heavy breathing.
“This is a great Darth Vader imitation, but how about we cut the bullshit, and you tell me your name and what you want.”
“Do you think you can save them?”
I tightened my grip on the phone and scanned the lobby of the theater. “You’re the one starting the fires?”
More heavy breathing.
“How’s your friend Corey doing?”
“Fuck you.”
“That was your first mistake. Fucking with me. How do you think your friend would feel about you fucking his sister?”
I turned around, searching for anyone talking on a cell phone. “Don’t worry about my friend. Why don’t you bring your bitch ass out from behind the shadows and show yourself like a real man?”
There was a pause on the other end. I racked my brain to try to discern the voice, but it was useless. The motherfucker used one of those voice distorters to hide like the coward he was.
“You’ll find out who I am and what I’m all about soon. In the meantime, have fun on your date.”
He disconnected the call.
“Fuck.” I stared at my blank screen.
“What’s up?”
Startled, I looked down to see Jocelyn staring at me with a wrinkle in her brow.
“Those car warranty scammers keep calling my damn phone,” I grumbled. “Bunch of assholes.”
