The Aristocrat

They call it bad movies

December. Friday 18th

It was just me and Ash sat down in Drake's living room the week after the party. The room was dark, the curtains swirling as a soft wind rolled through the crack in the window on the other side of the room. The only light was the twinkling of the gold Christmas tree lights in the corner of the room and the dull rays of the television screen. We sat in silence until Marley walked back into the room.

"Did you pick the film?" He asked us as he sauntered over to the armchair to my right that he had been lounging in beforehand. Ash and I had chosen to take the only sofa. We sat close to each other but not close enough.

Ash didn't look up from his phone straight away, tapping against the screen before he acknowledged his friend. An occupied expression bothered his face, one I wished I knew the reason for.

"Drake did," I told Marley who groaned in response. A faint smile tugged at my lips despite the distracted concern I had for Asher's distant mood.

"It will be shit then," Marley commented through a playful grin. We both knew Drake was only one door away, without a doubt listening to us.

As if proving us right the kitchen door burst open and Drake strolled in. I watched in amusement as he made his way around the sofa to the middle of the living room, his chin snubbed up high in the air. In his hands he juggled two oversized bowls filled to the rim with popcorn and underneath his arms were four bottles of drink. His glare was pointed at Drake when he spoke, standing in front of the television and blocking my view, "Well done. You just lost your bowl of popcorn."

"That's not fair," Marley complained, his arms lifted in a disbelieving shrug. He watched with a slacked jaw and wide eyes as Drake dropped the bottles to the door with a thud and held tight to the bowls smugly.

"Who cares," Drake said wickedly, leaning down and dropping one of the huge bowl into my lap with great satisfaction, "Andra gets your popcorn now."

"Aw," I cooed, grinning up at him, "thanks Drake."

As he leant back up he waved a dismissive hand towards me though his eyes remained latched on Marley, shooting him an evil grin, "No problem, enjoy."

My fingers pawed at the popcorn, clutching one and popping it onto my tongue. I watched carefully as Drake turned away from us and made his way to his armchair. I took the opportunity to reach the bowl out in Marley's direction, allowing him to grab handfuls of the popcorn. He dropped the content into his lap immediately and laughed heartily, "thanks."

I shook my head and brought the bowl back to my lap, picking up another and swallowing it down. Ash's shoulder leant towards me then, his hand digging into the bowl and shamelessly taking a handful.

I pulled the bowl from under his hand, a few stray pieces of Popcorn tumbling down my thigh and into the space between our two legs, "Ash. This is not becoming a thing

Ash dumbly looked to me, a confused tint crossing his features, "huh?" He questioned, obviously not having paid attention.

"Eating my food," I said teasingly, brows raised and eyes wide as I stared across at him, "Get your own bowl."

He sighed a fake smile before hide eyes went straight back down to his phone and his jaw slanted side to side as he chewed the popcorn. When he spoke it was a grunt, barely audible, "I will."

I twisted my shoulder so that I was angled towards him. Lowering my voice I spoke so only he could hear me, "What's wrong?"

Another discontented sigh fanned from his lips and brushed across my own mouth, "Nothing, I'm fine," he assured me.