Page 101 of The Addict

Shit.

I thought about what was going to happen next and knew I had to talk to her no matter the cost. If Delane didn’t leave by herself, I wouldn’t get the opportunity to talk to her alone. And if Chelsea asked me to refill the popcorn, which I knew she would, then my opportunity to interact with Delane at all tonight would pass me by.

I turned to my left, and locked eyes with Alex. He was mid-bite of a twizzler. If I was going to do this, I had to do it now.

Unsuspecting as always, Alex had no idea what was going on when I leaned forward and hurriedly pressed my lips against his. He made a startled noise in the back of his throat, and all I could do was hope he wouldn’t try to pull away. It was difficult enough to maneuver my lips around the stupid candy, which Alex had stuffed his mouth full of the moment before. The last thing I needed at the moment was my best friend to scream bloody murder and ruin the whole plan. Alex grunted helplessly and tried to back away, but I snarled and gripped the back of his head, pulling him in and giving him a deeper kiss.

Just as I suspected, not a moment later, I felt Chelsea shift in her seat, turning towards us. “Noah, would you– ACK!”

She grew deathly silent and I pleaded with my eyes to Alex to keep going. He struggled underneath my grasp, and my nostrils flared. I wasn’t asking anymore. Alex must have intercepted the obvious threat because he relaxed against me, returning the kiss despite the fear in his eyes.

Please work.

Chelsea frantically fumbled with the popcorn pail, stammering, “D-D-Delane! Go fill this up right now! Noah is busy! Hurry up!”

Alex leaned into me more, virtually in my lap now, and could feel myself becoming nervous that he was getting too into it. Out of the corner of my eyes, I saw Delane give a frustrated groan and snatch the empty tub from Chelsea. “Fine!” she hissed, flying from her seat. She marched out of the theater without another word.

I retracted from Alex a moment later, “Uh, thanks?” I lifted my shoulders in a pathetic shrug and wiped my mouth.

Alex looked stupefied, and I felt sorry for him. The poor guy struggled enough without someone confusing the crap out of him. First I denied his kiss, claiming that he was acting the part well enough, then I turned around and initiated an intense make-out session without reason whatsoever.

I promised to explain later. Maybe?

“Y-Yeah, okay. Sure,” Alex muttered to himself, his face still bewildered. His body floated back into his seat.

“Oh, and uh, those twizzlers are pretty good,” I said, smirking. The flavor was still on my tongue.

“Uh-huh,” Alex replied in a high pitched tone, thrusting a bag into my hands without bothering to look up at me.

I chuckled, and rose.

“Where are you going?” Chelsea asked cutely, but it was clear she was much more tentative in her demeanor than before. I had her walking on eggshells now.

“Bathroom,” I lied.

“I’ll go too!” Alex offered, about to stand.

Exasperated, I held up my hand. “No.”

Alex was distraught, clearly unaware of what I was trying to do or what his role in the matter was. I owed him one for sure. “But I thought– What are you–” he stammered.

“Stay here.” After giving my command, I left the two blondes alone while I went in search of Delane.

I prayed they didn’t kill each other while I was gone.

Chapter twenty-six

Get You Alone

DELANE

Ifelt guilty, that much was true, but not so guilty that I would change my mind.

If I had to go back into that theater, I was going to scream. I was suffocating in there, from the minute I sat down, I couldn’t breathe.

I was leaving.

I had spent three minutes pacing around the front of the snack bar, wondering if my decision was going to piss Chelsea off. I was not the kind of girl to jump headfirst into the water without a life jacket, so I obviously contemplated the pros and cons of leaving. I decided that Chelsea would just have to forgive me, because I couldn’t be a part of this circus anymore.