Even in Twenty Years (ON HOLD)

Chapter 24 - Ryan

"Yeah. I thought my long-sleeved shirt would be enough."

In a swift move, I took off my black hoodie and handed it to her.

She smiled, taking the thin hoodie. "You're the best." She put the hoodie over her head and inserted her arms. After taking her hair our of the hood, she pulled down and adjusted the hem.

"Better?"

"Yeah. Thanks. It's really warm." She continued to eat her ice cream.

####

"What movie?" I asked, standing to grab the control.

"Are you sure you want me to choose?" She had a gleam in her eye.

"Go ahead." I handed her the control.

She immediately started browsing through the movie titles.

"The guys would never let me put on this movie."

Maybe I should have put the movie on...

The movie started playing, Roxy's smile widened. She grabbed me by my arm and pulled me down to sit by her.

"A bit aggressive." I chuckled.

"I'm sure you haven't seen this movie before. I just want you to watch it."

"Let me just—"

"Ryan, no." She placed her hand on my shoulder and caused me to sit back down. She then scooted over to the opposite side of the couch and placed her legs on my lap so I couldn't leave.

"Alright." I sighed, turning my attention to the movie.

Movie started with a man and flowers in his hands but then took the movie seven years into the past.

Just another romance movie. Same old, same old. Boy has an unreliable girl. Boy meets new girl who already had a boyfriend. Some kissing here and there. Boy marries girl and girl have—

"Look at their babies. So cute." She smiled.

Right on cue.

Don't get me wrong, there's nothing wrong with these types of movies. They're just not my thing. I'd prefer a comedy, action, or even a horror film. Love and the "cutesy" stuff didn't really interest me. I usually found those movies boring, but if watching them made Roxy happy, then so be it. I'd watch them just for her. They, couldn't be so bad, right?

Tears streamed down her face.
"Roxy..."

She shook her head. "It's just so... Look at him." She pointed at the screen.

The main male actor was sitting beside the hospital bed of his love, begging her to come back to him.

I gently patted her shoulder, not really knowing what to do. I had never seen her like this.

"It's fine." She chuckled, wiping the tears from her face.

She told me it was alright, so we continued to watch the movie. I placed my elbow on the arm rest and rested my chin on the back of my hand, watching her.

Her full attention was on the movie. So captivated by the scenes and characters.

Her eyes started watering again when the main male actor visited his mothers grave.

When the movie ended, Roxy's tears had long gone. There was now a smile on her face. The movie ended on a happy note. Roxy smiled at that and told me she simply loved happy endings. She said that happy endings were everything.

She went upstairs, leaving me in the living room.

"Hey, we're home." Finn and the guys walked into the house.

"Hey," I said, taking my eyes off my phone and looking up to see them.

"Where's Rox?"

"Upstairs."

He nodded and walked away into the kitchen.

"So what did you guys do?" Carter sat down beside me.

"Went out to get some ice cream, then came back to watch a movie."

"What movie?"

"Some movie Roxy wanted to watch."

"A chick flick?"

I nodded.

"Roxy, knew you would cave and let her put it on."

"Why do you say that?"

"Because she knows you usually agree with her. And I wonder why," he mumbled the last part

I turned to him, wondering what he meant.

He stood and walked away into the kitchen.

"Ryan, switch me couches. I want to play some video games."

I stood and switched with him. He sat down and immediately turned on the game console.

I laid down on the couch and placed the pillow under my head, covering myself with the blanket on the couch.

I fell asleep but woke up shortly after.

"Keep the noise down. I'm trying to sleep."

"Yeah, yeah," Garrett mumbled.

I sat up. "Garrett."

"Ryan, just go upstairs and sleep on the couch in my room," Finn suggested.

I grabbed the blanket and pillow and did just that. I walked up the stairs into Finn's room.

Roxy was sitting on Finn's bed, looking down at her phone.

"Hey," she said.

"Hey." I set the pillow down on the couch and laid down as well.

"Night."

"Night, Roxy." My eyes closed and I drifted away.