Exotic

~ skin and blister ~

The movie ended with a CGI explosion and post-credit baiting for the next movie. Judging from the empty cinema in its first week of release, I doubted it would be greenlit for a sequel. Aaron ditched the empty popcorn bucket and we spent the short walk back to the candy bar discussing the worst acting choices in the movie.

Jess and Max were already waiting for us, on the footpath outside. They were holding hands, and Jess's lipstick was smeared up her left cheek. It was criminal that no one had pointed it out to her. She was chatting animatedly to a dark-haired girl, who had her back to us.

Max was the only one who greeted us as we approached. "How was the movie?"

"Oscar-worthy," I got out, before Jess's friend turned and I just about had a heart attack.

Caleb's sister. Lauren. Her hair was tied back, she was wearing light makeup to hide teenage blemishes, and she was wearing a short checkerboard dress which worked wonderfully with her short and curvy figure. She'd matched it with Mary-Jane shoes and blister red stockings the same shade as her cross-body bag. She looked slightly less grumpy than she had at 2am the night before, but that made sense.

A million anxiety-ridden thoughts raced through my mind at once. Had she recognised my voice? How close was she with Jess, had she told her about a girl with weirdly mannish hands her brother had brought home? Least of all, did she recognise me? Caleb hadn't but Caleb had been somewhat distracted, kissing me and all.

I walked stiffly behind Aaron, who seemed to register my discomfort and turned back to mouth, Ok? I nodded, probably unconvincingly, and he frowned, as he clapped his brother's hand, bumping their shoulders together.

"Hey," Aaron turned to Lauren, offering a hand. Lauren was looking between them, regarding them in the way everyone regarded identical twins. With confusion.

"It's not a glitch in the Matrix," Aaron assured her. He was just about the only teenager I knew who offered handshakes to other teenagers. Aaron Sanchez was an old soul. "I'm Aaron."

"Lauren Proust," her handshake was firm. "Ren. Laur, Laura, baby, whatever you like."

Aaron retracted his hand quickly. I quirked an eyebrow. She was bold like her brother – at least, as bold as her brother when he was being himself. Lauren gave off confidence to be admired, but her mouth was still a hard-line, no giggling or sly smiles to be had at her flirtatious comment.

"Laur," Jess scolded. "Don't go there. He'd prefer your brother."

I sucked in a breath and quickly devolved into a coughing fit. All four of them turned to stare as I struggled to compose myself, face as red as sin no doubt. I waved to Lauren, hand strategically over my lower face. "Sorry. Swallowed a fly. I'm Miles."

Lauren glanced between Aaron and me. "Sorry, are you two..."

Max laughed out loud, and Jess quickly joined him with her own titter. "Not in a million years. Stewart isn't good enough for my brother."

"And I never will be," I responded, and turned to Lauren. "No, we're not."

"Why are you making your voice deeper?" Aaron asked, and I pursed my lips at the ground.

"O...k," Lauren, thankfully, sounded more perplexed than suspicious. The illusion of Sephora Utah was strong indeed. "See you at practice, Jess."

"Bye, baby," Jess kissed her cheek, and Lauren disappeared into the cinema. I felt Aaron's hand on my shoulder, patting sympathetically. Max leaned across to speak to Aaron in hushed tones; they generally didn't need to speak to have an entire conversation (not telepathy; they'd just lived with each other long enough to read what the other wanted) so I suspected what Max was asking him was a little complex. I wished I had a sibling from time to time.