My Cliche Love Story | ✓

Chapter 20

The guy at the ticket booth doesn't give us a second glance, or the fact that Dylan's hand is still awkwardly wrapped around my wrist, and not my hand, like a normal couple would.

I mean, we're not a couple, so I don't exactly know how to handle this situation now.

Clearly, Dylan doesn't care. He's having a good time, strutting down the hallway to the left of the concession stand in the center of the building. Auditorium 3, the employee had told us.

Unfortunately for me, Dylan hasn't told me which movie we're seeing, so I'm waiting for it to be some action movie, like Furious 7 or something. But when I spot the flashing sign above the auditorium doors, I see the words "Scorch Trials" beat across the small space.

"You're taking me to see The Scorch Trials?" I say in astonishment.

He nods, obviously proud of himself. Jerk, I think without realizing it. "I heard somewhere that girls your age like that one guy, Dylan O'Brien?" His eyes are teasing, and I can see that he known exactly what he's talking about.

I roll my eyes. "You're nothing compared to him, you do realize that, right?" 

"Honey, I don't want to be him," he smirks, and trails a finger along my palm, which makes me shiver. I internally kick myself for the action.

He leads me into the (surprisingly) almost empty auditorium, dragging me to the back row, just like every couple to ever go on a movie date. As long as he keeps his lips out of my personal bubble, this'll be just fine.

Through the previews, Dylan turns to me and says something, but I'm too caught up in the undeniably good-looking men on the screen. My hormones aren't fun, I know. 

"Alex," he taps me on the shoulder.

"What?" I answer without looking away. They better show them shirtless. 

"I asked you a question." His tone is careful, and I can't tell if it's on the edge of hurt or frustration. His facial expression is careful, too; practiced, as if he's done something like this before.

"Sorry," I mumble, and tear my eyes away from the large screen, now that the preview is over. I expect him to say something stupid, or maybe smirk and recite a cheesy pick up line that he read somewhere. But his face is sincere when he speaks.

"I just wanted to say--um, I'm sorry for all the stuff I did this year," he apologizes out of nowhere.

I stare at him, dumbfounded. The world must definitely be ending if Dylan Carter just apologized on his own free will. No way would that have happened to anyone else. What the hell is so special about me, though? "Trust me, if anyone should be apologizing, it should be me. I mean, I gave out your phone number." I say it straight up, like a fact, but my voice is soft and quivers.

He sits back and waits. "Okay, then, say it." A hint of his old smirk flashes across his lips.

"No thanks," I shoot back at him, and cross my arms, satisfied to see that he's glaring at me. For a moment, we're back to what we were before, just two teenagers who annoy each other until one of us tears out our own hair. Not that that's ever happen, though.

The movie starts, and I mentally prepare myself to see Dylan O'Brien on a screen again, even though it's not going well; Dylan's staring at me. 

"Why are you staring at me?" I mutter under my breath.

"Because you're beautiful." His answer is immediate and displays no hesitation.

"I--you just--no--I can't, I legit can't--" I stutter as I stand up and move down a row. He can't just quote books and expect to win my heart, it doesn't work that way. Of course, he doesn't really understand that.

Boys.

He doesn't bother me now that I'm in my new seat, but halfway through the movie, I can feel my hair leaving my neck, fingers brushing lightly against my neck. I jerk my head away and swivel around, cursing softly, "What is your problem, you annoying piece of--"

"Oops, sorry!" Katie squeals, and pulls her hands away. 

Katie. She's...here. 

When she should be locked up in the mental institution. 

My mouth drops open, completely dry now. I turn to where Dylan is still sitting, and I'm at least relieved to see that he's surprised, too. His back is stick straight, and while he's poised on the edge of the seat, his hands are clenched into fists.

Hooray, maybe my knight in skinny jeans and a t-shirt will come to my rescue.

"Leave," he states dully, but in a cold tone.

"Oh, come on, I just wanted to see the movie," she whines, and gestures to the movie, which is still playing.

"Puh-lease," I scoff.

"No, it's true, I swear," Katie insists, and for a flicker of a second, I think I can see a bit of desperation in her eye.

I roll my eyes and just turn back, trying to ignore her and watch the movie. She's crazy, if I pay attention to her it'll just make it worse, I think.

After the movie's finally over, Katie's still sitting behind me, humming to herself. Dylan meets up with me and walks out with me. I can't deny, that wasn't a half-bad movie date. But with Katie there, yeah...that ruined it.

"Hey, wait!" she calls over to us as we take the walk to his car, readying to get the hell away from her(at least I am). "I walked over here; I don't have a ride home." She doesn't directly ask for a ride, but it's clear enough.

"Sorry, princess," I sneer, and turn Dylan away from her, "we're booked."

"Get in, and stay quiet," he growls, and at first I think he's talking to me, and I turn around, offended. But then I see him looking at her.

"Seriously?" I say incredulously.

"I'm not just going to let her walk home," he whispers to me, and grabs my hand tightly. He seems nervous. "Besides," he adds, "we may get to see where she's keeping herself now."

No matter how much I hate the idea, he's right. 

But I can't help but feel the tension in the air as she sits in the backseat of his car, and I stare anxiously out the window.

01/18/2016