Page 98 of The Addict

It hadn’t been more than thirty minutes before Alex was nudging me.

“What?” I whispered, already annoyed.

“Hot, huh?” He tilted his head to the screen, unnecessarily reminding me that there was a 3D sex scene splayed out before our eyes, like I was blind to the bouncing tits or something.

I sighed. I had been doing a lot of that lately. “Whatever.”

“Oh, yes! YES!”

Alex giggled and deliberately snuggled into my arm. I glared at him but said nothing. Chelsea watched us with a sideways glance.

The audience was probably enjoying the explicit body contact, because the theater became oddly quiet except the few snickers here and there from minors who probably snuck in. Alex shifted away from my arm, and as I looked up, I noticed that he was leaning in my direction, his lips just millimeters away from mine. I reared back.

“What the fuck are you doing?” The question came out low, through grit teeth.

Alex shrugged. “I thought you wanted me to act like your boyfriend,” he leaned forward again.

I stopped his advance with a firm hand to his face. “You’re doing just fine, now watch the stupid movie and stop trying to kiss me.” I shook my head, wanting to move further away from the idiot, but knowing that it would be even worse if I scooted closer to Chelsea.

My best friend pouted and crossed his arms, looking very much like a child who had been denied a treat, or a toy. This is who I chose, I reminded myself. I picked this one as my friend for life. Alex frowned, but said nothing more to me.

“W-What are you doing, honey?”

“Making love to you.”

“But, but- AAAAAAAAAH!”

Alex jolted back, his reaction scaring me more than the actual movie. He leapt from his seat and pointed, jumping up and down as he did so. “Noah! DIDN’T I TELL YOU THAT HO WAS GONNA GO?”

“Alex,” I grabbed him and yanked him back into his chair. “Stay in your seat, are you nuts?”

“But I TOLD you—”

“Okay, you win, now be quiet!” My voice raised and someone behind us heckled about our noise. I grit my teeth and resisted the urge to turn around and punch them in the face. Alex’s little displays were raising my blood pressure, and I was itching for confrontation. I reached into my pocket for my vape and took a hit, trying to calm my nerves. And if anyone in the theater said shit to me about it, I might actually fight them.

Alex adjusted his 3D glasses and huffed, “Well, fine then.”

Once I was sure that the metaphorical blinking “idiot” sign that hung above Alex’s head had begun to fade and be forgotten by the audience, I rested my head against the back of the soft fabric and took in a deep breath.

Finally, some peace.

I moved slightly in my seat so that I could see Delane in the shadows. I noticed that her eyes were fixed on the enormous exit sign that was placed in front of the theater, despite her facial expression suggesting that she was looking intently at the movie. Her foot tapped nervously, but discreetly, so she wouldn’t draw attention to herself. Her gaze occasionally flickered around the room like she was looking for someone who wasn’t there, then returned to the exit as though she was speculating how quickly she could run there and, if so, whether she would have enough time to escape before Chelsea barreled after her.

She wanted out so badly. I could tell.

I wished I could talk with her. I wanted to find out what was wrong and fix it. Or at least try to. I couldn’t bear the thought that she was acting like this because of me. All I knew was that she was angry with me for following through with Silas’s terms. She was worried for my safety.

At least, she was worried for me before. I cringed, considering that she had no idea I’d met with him again. I knew she was aware of my connection to Silas, but she had no idea that I trusted him more than I trusted myself, sometimes.

I looked at Alex. And then, to top it off, my dumbass showed up with another guy as my placeholder “boyfriend” and I wondered why she was standoffish?

I really wanted to clear the air between us.

I was stirred from my thoughts with another jab into my side from Alex. “Noah?”

“What?” I asked, irritation filling my tone. Was it not possible for him to be silent for more than two seconds?

“Umm,” Alex grinned up at me sheepishly. “Can you go buy me some candy?”