Never appreciated them like I do now, nor thought about how different it would sound if I were to tickle her.
Would it be a higher pitch? Breathless pleas for mercy?
Maybe when all of this ends well, I’d be able to test it myself.
“You’re staring,” she suddenly whispered, though her eyes remained glued to the screen, the colors of the movie’s introduction reflected in them.
If I were to squint? I’m sure I might see hints of a blush on her cheeks, along with the smirk forming on her lips. A telltale sign she was trying to hide her amusement.
“Movie’s not on my face, is it?“
Now, I can say for sure that she’s comfortable. Good.
“So? Movies are pieces of art. I’m just checking out a different kind of art right now,” I said in a flirtatious tone, giving her one of my crowd-winning grins.
It was a grin I’d perfected over years, designed to disarm, to charm, to... well, to get a reaction.
Cosette groaned, closing her eyes as she looked half-cringing and half-amused.
“After watching you flirt with she-who-must-not-be-named dozens of times, why did I not stop liking you? You’re so corny.”
I knew it was way too cheesy, but if I know Cosette—and I do—she lives for that shit.
I remember the time Cosette, Andy, and I were hanging out in her bedroom one time, and they were doing their nails, completely in their own little girly world, and I was so bored that they were completely ignoring me that I grabbed her Kindle and started reading her current read.
It was downright sugar and spice galore, and I was getting to a good sex scene when she and Andy finished, catching me in the act, and Cosette started screaming, yanking the e-reader from my hands.
She wouldn’t talk to me for a day after that.
“Oh please, you love me,” I teased in passing, not thinking too much about it, but as soon as she looked at me, it hit me that what I said was a bit too close for comfort.
“Hey, you know— I just— I didn’t,“ I scrambled for words, to assure her I’m not putting pressure on ‘us’, nor am I making fun of her feelings for me that had been there for so long.
But we were getting interrupted, getting shushed. “Movie’s starting. Please stop flirting with each other… just for like an hour and a half. Please,” an old lady behind us said, making Cosette and me let out embarrassed apologies before focusing on the screen.
Great. Any way to delay ‘the talk’ is very much welcome.
“So, what do you think?”
“Better than the second one, that’s for sure. Heck, I might even say that’s the best one yet, if I’m being completely honest,” I said as I stood up, grabbing the emptied popcorn bucket, before stacking our equally empty drinking cups.
“Hundred percent agree. I like that all the previous main cast’s in this one with fresh faces added into the mix,” Cosette replied, walking beside me as we headed out of the cinema.
There were only the two of us left, with C wanting to stay behind for two reasons.
One, because she wanted to finish the credits as a way of appreciating those who made the movie, and two, to avoidmaking eye contact with the people sitting on the row behind us who shushed us before the film started.
Miss goody two shoes—and I say that affectionately—got so embarrassed at getting called out that she stayed silent the whole film. I mean, not even letting herself finish her drink until after the credits to avoid the risk of the sound the straw makes when you’re barely sipping any liquid left.
We passed by a bin on the way out, and I freed my hands from the trash as I threw all of it away.
I didn’t even notice that I was reaching out for C’s hand until she hesitantly slipped her fingers between mine.
Once I realized it, I came to a halt, shifting my gaze, only to find her already looking at me. “Is this okay?” I asked, and her mouth curled up into a full-blown smile, nodding.
“I haven’t seen this side of you for a long time now,” C said, my brows furrowing in confusion. At that, she continued, “You know. The ‘asking for consent’, timid, very cute Nero. After you became a couple, you got a bit arrogant. Not in an annoying way. Just… more confident and sure.”
“And? Which do you like better?”
