“Want a picture?” Those annoying event photography people came by. Sometimes it was fun to get pictures, but I so wasn’t in the mood.
“Yeah, we’d like one.” Reed put his fake fangs back in and pulled my neck toward him. The flash went off just as he placed his fangs against my neck. There was something almost intimate about it even though he was goofing around. Part of me wished the fangs weren’t in the way. Was I really thinking that about Reed? I certainly didn’t need to be.
He released my neck, grinning when it took me a moment to regain my balance on the stool. I was such a lightweight. “Do you like scary movies?”
“Talk about a conversation change.”
He stretched out his legs. “There’s a Halloween marathon going on at an old theater a few blocks from here. Want to check it out?”
“That actually sounds kind of perfect.”
“Do you guys want to catch a Halloween movie marathon?” Reed asked his friends.
“Not a chance.” Cara leaned on Aaron. “I hate horror movies.”
“If you get scared, you can spend the night with me.” He grinned.
“I’ll spend the night with you if you don’t make me watch one.”
“All right. I guess we’re staying here.”
“What about you guys?” Reed looked at Bill and Mallory.
“I think we’re good.” Mallory gave me a funny smile.
“I guess it’s just us, Oakley.”
***
The marathon was at this really old theater downtown. At first, I thought it would be creepy to watch horror movies at an old place, but I was totally wrong. The atmosphere bordered on comical.
“Are these seats okay?” Reed led us to seats in a nearly empty balcony.
“Perfect.” I slipped off my jacket.
“Do you always get Twizzlers at the movies?” He sipped his soda.
“Yes. I love them, and popcorn is the worst movie theater food.”
“The worst? This I have to hear.”
“You can’t eat popcorn without getting thirsty, which means drinking a lot, which means going to the bathroom during the best scene of the movie.”
He laughed. “All right, because that isn’t the weirdest explanation ever.”
“You’re not a girl. If you have to go, you run to the men’s room for two seconds. A woman has to wait ten minutes in line.”
He laughed harder, but then he leaned in. “Are you drunk?”
“Maybe. Why?”
“You’re funnier than usual. I was wondering if this was a post-Dylan thing, or just a drunk thing.”
“Let’s not even mention his name.”
“Good deal.”
The movie started, and I settled in my seat. I liked scary movies, but I definitely got jumpy. Thankfully, Reed was hilarious.
“Don’t go back there, idiot,” Reed whispered. “If you’re ever in a slasher movie, remember not to have sex. As soon as you take your top off, you’re toast.”
I laughed. “I’ll try to remember that.”
“Good.”
Even though I knew what was coming, I still jumped, grabbing onto Reed’s arm as I shrieked. He laughed as he put his arm around me. “Are you going to be able to sleep tonight?”
“Probably…with the lights on.”
“There’s nothing to worry about. Just don’t sleep naked, and you’ll be fine. You’re not a good victim if you’re not naked.”
I nudged him. “It’s really good I don’t sleep naked then.”
“I do, but it’s the girls they want naked. The slasher would probably run the other way if he saw me naked.”
Reed naked. I didn’t need to think about that.
“Are you picturing me naked, Juliet?”
“No.” Oh my god. Was I really staring that badly?
“I don’t mind. Feel free.” He looked forward again, keeping his arm around me.
***
Reed dropped me off out front of my dorm. “You all right? You were kind of jumpy the whole way home.”
“I’m fine. I’ll just put on my most unattractive flannel pajamas.”
He laughed. “You do that.”
I reached for the latch to open the door.
“Juliet?”
“Yeah.”
“Do you have plans tomorrow?”
“I’m newly single, and I don’t have anything Delta Mu related until Sunday night, so no plans. Please tell me you don’t need me to work.”
“It’s not work.” He smiled. “Have you ever played paintball?”
“Paintball? Nope. My brother Brandon did it a lot, but he wouldn’t let me come with him. He said it was too dangerous.”
“Dangerous? It’s not exactly hand-to-hand combat.”
“He’s my brother.” I said it like it explained everything.
“Want to try? I usually play with some guys once a month, and we’re down a man.”
“I’m not a man.”
“No, you definitely aren’t.” He smirked. “But you shoot like one. What do you say?”
“What time?”
“I’ll come get you at ten?”
“Sounds good.” I started to get out again but stopped. “Thanks for a fun night.”
“Same to you. We’ll have to make that a Halloween tradition.”
I liked the thought of having a tradition with Reed.
I got out of the car and headed up to my room. I used my key to push open the door, and then I took a step back.
“What the hell are you doing in here?”
Dylan was lying down on my bed. “Hello to you, too. I was just making sure you came home tonight.”
“Whether I did or not isn’t your business. Just like it wasn’t my business when you f**ked Amanda last night.”
“I thought you hated that word.” His shirt was partly unbuttoned, revealing a good portion of his chest. I was positive it was intentional.
“I do. Look, Dylan. I’m exhausted. Just get out. How’d you get in anyway?”
“Tally let me in. She’s really understanding.”
“Did she let you f**k her too?” I crossed my arms. Tally had been rude since finding out we’d broken up. With everything going on, I didn’t appreciate it.
“That’s not nice, Juliet.”
“To her, or you?”
“Either. Come on, baby, this is just stupid.”
“Don’t call me baby. Let’s go. Move it out of here.”