Emerald Eyes (On Hold)

(Chapter 5)

•••Claire•••

Brandon and I sat next to each other on one side of the booth, facing Abby and Jake who were already cuddling up. Jake's arm was slung across her shoulders in a possessive manner and she had her head laying against his chest. Brandon and I on the other hand had enough space in between us to fit an extra person and the only part of our bodies that touch were our elbows occasionally.

Jake and Brandon were talking about some football team and I didn't bother to pay much attention to them. Abby on the other hand looked as if she was highly fascinated at everything they said and was hanging onto every word. Noticing that I was looking at her, she smiled and subtly motioned with her head towards Brandon. NO! I mouthed the words causing Jake to look at me as if I had just tossed all of the food from my plate into the air and had begun to juggle them.

"No what?"

"No... I don't want any desert!" Abby giggled. Her big eyes glistening. Damn I was not good at that whole thinking on your feet thing. Jake didn't seem to notice though.

"Let's get going then. We gotta get good seats in the movie."

Brandon slid out o the booth first, only turning to offer me a bright red hand. My hand held onto his tightly as he helped pull me up from out of the booth. My heart thudded a little faster when our hands touched. Playing it off, I said, "Personally I think you'd look good with red hair." I smiled softly.

His free hand slipping through his hair, he smiled. "Really?"

"Yep. It is time for a change. The browns getting kind off old." Sticking my tongue out on the last part. Using my hand to pull me close, he whispered into my ear, "You sure about that?" Feeling a flash of heat in my cheeks, I pulled back.

"Definitely," was all I could manage to say before I walked to the front of the restaurant to pay my part of the bill.

•••Abby•••

Heading into the theater, I listened quietly to Jake and Brandon's conversation. Claire had went up to save us seat in the back row so it was just the three of us heading in to get our tickets. Jake was asking Brandon about Claire. I guess I wasn't the only that could feel the connection between them.

"You two dating?" Jake smiled. His dimples on full blast.

"Nope. Just good," he hesitated, "friends."

Dropping the subject, Jake turned to me and slipped his fingers in between mine.

"So Abbz, what movie are we seeing?"

"You'll find out." The nickname he gave me was cute. Abbz. Fluffing my hair up with my free hand, I put on my best flirty face. Abbz sounds just fine.

•••Brandon•••

I was happy when Jake finally decided to drop the subject. Yes Claire was cute. Like a little sister, but nothing more. Yeah we messed around a lot. Flirting occasionally. Just for the fun of it though. That's all.

•••Claire•••

Ugh! How long does it take to buy some sticking movie tickets? If they were ll walking at Abby's speed from earlier then it would definitely be a while longer for them to show up.

"Sorry ma'am! This seats are taken!" Smiling apologetically at her and her husband even though she had rolled her eyes at me.

On one side of me where three empty seats and on the other was a boy of about my age. He smiled at me when I had first walked in and proceeded to sit down next to me. Trying to ignore the staring he was doing, I flipped out my phone, getting ready to send them a text when the three of them walked in.

"Are you on a date?" The guy next to me asked in a sweet British accent. He looked about seventeen and had a short brown buzz cut. His features were average all except for his lips. Which were small and cute. Far from thin.

"Yes," I lied, turning in my seat and beckoning Brandon, Abby and Jake over.

The last thing I heard from him before Brandon sat down was, "Lucky guy."

--[Halfway Through The Movie]--

So this is why Abby refused to tell me what this movie was about. It was a love story of the worst kind. Everything was so predictable! Boy meets girl, girl has a boy friend, boy is sad and only thinks of her over the next few days, girl bumps into boy again, they exchange numbers, girl gets her heart broken and turns to boy for help, and they fall inexplicably and irrevocably in love. Blah, blah, blah! Same as every sappy love story these days.

I rolled my eyes as the boy and girl shared there first on screen kiss. Everyone else in the theater must have been loving the movie because as I rolled my eyes I heard people "aww"ing, some sniffle and even a few applauding. Stifling a yawn, I turned to Brandon to see how he was reacting to the movie.

Eyes wide enough that I could see the emerald green of his irises twinkling in the light from the screen, Brandon was transfixed. I smiled. He really knows how to get in touch with his feminine side sometimes. Maybe I need to take a page out of his book.

A little farther down the isle, I could here the gently sound of Jake and Abby better "aquainting themselves" on the other side of Brandon. Awkward. It made me feel better knowing that I wasn't the only one that would have a hard time discussing the events in the movie after it was over. At least someone was having fun.

Gurrgg! I winced as the loud rumbling of my stomach got the attention of Brandon and buzz cut, flirty boy next to me. You would think I wasn't hungry after we had JUST eaten. Maybe I should have had more than a little chicken Cesar salad! Gurrgg! Hopping up, I whispered to Brandon telling him that I would be right back. Making my way down the aisle and running silently down the stairs. Pushing through the exit door I made my way over to the concession stand.

I hopped into the shortest line and waited for my turn to come. When I was finnally second in line, I felt a gentle tapping on my shoulder. My head turned far enough for me to see who it was tapping on my shoulder.

"Let me pay for it," said buzz cut, flirty boy politely.

I smirked, "Pay for what?"

"Whatever it is that your getting. I'll pay." His accent was not very heavy but it was there.

"And what makes you think that I will let you?" I twirled a strand of hair with my fingers and tilted my head side ways questioningly.

"Because you would have to be crazy to give up and offer like this. A guy that is more than willing to pay for anything you want him to get." A smiled formed on his lips.

"Anything, huh? Well then I want everything on the left side of the menu please!" I turned as I heard the man behind the counter calling to me. Referring to me as "Ms.".

After I ordered a pack of sour and regular gummy worms, (I couldn't decide), I let buzz cut boy pay.

***Nate***

I happily paid for her snacks but after I was finished, I turned to see that she was heading back to the movie. Jogging to keep up with her, I called out, "Hey wait!"

She turned and cocked her head to the side and all of her pretty brown hair fell to one side. Catching up to her, I pulled out my phone and asked her for her number. She looked hesitant but in the end she flipped out her phone as well and we exchange names and numbers. Waiting for her to go back into the movie, I spoke her name aloud, enjoying the way it rolled off my tongue. "Claire."