Poison

[ 5 ]

"No, no, no," she dismisses when he lands on one. I read the description and find myself slightly intrigued. She leans over him and stares at me pleadingly. "You have my back, right?"

"Actually..." I trail quietly as I stare at the ratings. 8/10? This movie has to be good.

"Come on!" she hisses and Asa presses the play button.

"Two outweighs one," he repeats her own comeback quietly. I hear Maya whimper quietly when she sees that the movie is based on a true story. Her eyes flit to me and Asa to see our reactions before she presses herself as far as she can into the couch. She grabs a pillow, clutches it to her chest, and uses it to hide half of her face.

Maya basically watches the movie from behind her pillow, squinting and jumping at every little thing. We're barely thirty minutes in when the music starts to build, which results in Maya jumping up anxiously. "Okay, okay, that's it. I'm going to get the ice cream. I can't watch this anymore," she caves.

Asa laughs loudly and pauses the film. "Get chocolate," he insists with a playful grin on his face. I'm surprised at how happy he seems. Given, he's finding pleasure in Maya's pain.

"I'll get whatever the hell I want," she comments angrily.

"You're going to walk?" he questions in pretend shock. "In the dark?" She glares at him and he holds out his keys, swinging them like a pendulum. "You can drive if you agree to get chocolate."

"Whatever," she snaps as she snatches the keys from him. She turns to me with pursed lips and lowered brows. "Flavor, traitor?"

"Chocolate works for me," I agree with a sheepish smile.

"Two outweighs one," she mumbles mockingly as she grabs her hoodie from the kitchen chair. "Absolute bullshit." She grumpily storms out of the apartment and Asa just laughs before playing the movie again. We continue to watch the film, awaiting Maya's return for nearly twenty minutes.

"Okay, so I got-," Maya says from beside me and I jump nearly three feet into the air. Even Asa turns away from the movie to look at me. I clutch my chest tightly and exhale deeply.

"You can't do that Maya!" I snap as I hug myself. "You just popped out of nowhere and started talking like you weren't gone for a half hour."

"That's what you get for choosing this movie," she retorts with an angry pointed finger. "Anyway, I got plain chocolate ice cream and mint chocolate chip."

"Gross," I mumble at the latter and she looks at me with furrowed brows.

"You sound like Asa," she notes as she starts in the direction of the kitchen.

"I definitely don't scream like that," he remarks as he pauses the movie and goes after her. I follow close behind, feeling a little nervous at the idea of being left alone.

"Are you sleeping here tonight?" Maya asks curiously as I help myself to a bowl of chocolate ice cream.

"No, my roommate went home for the weekend so I'm going to enjoy the room to myself," I reject the offer. I'll probably call Aaliyah before bed and talk to her to calm myself down.

"All dark and alone and ominous..." Asa murmurs from across the table. I glare at him with the spoon in my mouth.

"Who said she'd be alone?" Maya asks suggestively.

"Gross," Asa notes before perking up. "Wait, does that mean I get the apartment to myself tonight?"

"No," she replies in slight confusion.

"I'll be fine alone in my own bed tonight," I clarify as I take another spoonful of ice cream into my mouth.

"I think I'm going to call Zack over," Maya trails as she glances at the paused movie. "He'll spend the night here and ensure I don't get attacked by any crazy axe wielding maniacs."