Kennedy lets go of me. "I don't choose every movie. Besides, you agree with my choices."
That's right — I agree. I've acquiesced to what other people want my entire life. It's not Kennedy's fault. It's mine. I don't know why the hell I'm in this weird mood.
We look at each other in the mirror before I try to distract myself from the awkward silence by focusing on shaving.
"Are you upset with me?" she asks. "I can go to the movie if you want me to."
"We can't do that, not when Liam's already coming with me," I snap, annoyed at how illogical that is.
Kennedy's lips twist.
"Sorry. I'm not upset with you."
She's not an idiot. She knows something's off — I know something's off — but she lets it go. Because I'm telling the truth — I'm not angry at Kennedy. I'm just ... I don't know.
"We'll go on a date soon," Kennedy says. "I'll organise it."
"Okay," I say because that's what I always say. "Have you spoken to your parents recently?"
"I face-timed my mum while you guys were at the beach. Let her know I wasn't dying. What about you?" Kennedy asks, and there's some lingering hesitancy in her voice, but she's trying her best to pretend this is a normal conversation.
"I called them last night. Said hello to my siblings. They said they missed me. Even Max asked me when I was coming home."
"Aw," Kennedy says.
"It's weird because only when I'm away from them do I realise how much I miss their company. I still love being here, but I kind of miss them. Although, as soon as I get home, they're going to annoy me again."
Kennedy smiles.
"Maybe I should buy them some souvenirs. Although, I don't know if stuff from Lonsdale Bay is that impressive. Harriet loves dolphins though. I could find something that."
"That's a good idea," Kennedy says, before pressing a kiss to my shoulder. "I'm going to help the others with dinner, 'kay?" I don't blame her for leaving. Hearing me talk about my family isn't very interesting.
"Okay," I say. In the mirror, Kennedy disappears through the bathroom door. I stare at my reflection for a bit, trying to stop the thoughts that are crowding my mind. I rinse my face and clean the razor before heading downstairs, pasting a pleasant smile on my lips.
*
An hour later, Liam and I should have left the house. Instead, I'm standing in the doorway of the damned ensuite yet again, and I've been standing here for the past five minutes. "Hurry up, Liam," I say. "If we don't leave soon, we're going to be late."
"I'm almost ready," Liam says, leaning in front of the bathroom sink, checking his reflection in the mirror, fiddling with his hair.
He should have gotten ready before dinner like I did. I should have told him so, though it's not as if he would have listened.
"You look fine," I say. "You looked fine before you changed outfits twice. Why are you taking so long? It's not as if you have anyone to impress," I say, entering the bathroom and standing at the sink beside him.
His eyes meet mine in the mirror. "What if my soulmate is there, but they're not interested because I look like a mess? I would have missed out on meeting the love of my life."
"I seriously doubt your soulmate is in Lonsdale Bay," I mutter. And if they were, I'd seriously doubt they'd be uninterested, no matter how your hair looks.
"Alright, I'm finished," Liam says a minute later, running a hand through his hair for the final time. He turns to face me, adjusting his oversized jacket. Underneath, he's wearing a tight navy tee, and his jeans aren't ripped for once. I look at his fingernails, seeming shinier than before under the lights of the bathroom. I swallow.
I glance at my reflection — I'm wearing jeans too, as well as a nice jumper. Do I look nice? Ugh, Liam's getting in my head, making me care about my appearance when I have no reason to.
"Let's go!" Liam says, walking past me through the bathroom. He pauses for a second and looks at me over his shoulder. "Wow, you smell nice."
I freeze, and something passes over Liam's face — regret? Embarrassment? — because he looks away.
We're quiet as we walk to the cinema, taking the path through the park, overlooking the ocean.
