Page 45 of Method Acting

They sure are.

Chapter Nine

Chase

A trending topic in college news, sure. And that was exciting and so much fun.

But the comments still stung.

Told you they were acting. Chase doesn’t date anyone.

As if Amos would be his type anyway.

Wonder what they’re filming?

A “She’s All That” remake with the Preppy Jock and the Emo?

“Ouch,” I mumbled. “Now I’m a preppy jock?”

Amos didn’t even look up. He didn’t seem interested in any of it. “I told you not to read the comments. Why do you like to torture yourself?”

He’d been quiet since we got back. While the others did their thing and the tech crews set up sound, cameras, and production, he just kinda slunk off to the corner and sat with his back to the wall, knees raised. Not looking at his phone, not reading a book. Just picking at a thread in the hole on his knee and staring at nothing.

Was this him needing to timeout from people?

Probably.

But that didn’t include me, right?

Of course not.

I went over and tapped his knee, then sat down right in between his legs leaning back against him. I was beginning to think this could be my new favorite spot.

“Are you okay there?”

“I am now.” I sighed as I made myself comfortable, which included taking his hand and draping his arm over my chest. “I’m just going to assume that if you need less people time that does not include me. I’ll be quiet, I just don’t want you to be alone.”

“I like being alone.”

“And I like hanging with you, so can you see my conundrum?”

He sighed, long and loud. “And it’s all about you, right?”

“See, you’re getting the hang of this relationship with me. You’ll be a pro in no time.”

He sighed again, and I made good on my promise to be quiet.

If he needed silence, I could at least give him that.

And anyway, I wasn’t lying. I liked hanging out with him. That silence that most people thought was him being shy or emo or reclusive, I actually found kind of comforting.

It was peaceful.

The hard exterior was now almost like a reassurance. The stoicism and reluctance he had around other people felt like a safety bubble, and I found myself enjoying that. I didn’t have to put on an act, I didn’t have to try and be funny, there was no audience. I could just be... me.

I liked it a lot.

After almost everyone was gone, Deirdre came over to us. “How are we feeling? Everything okay?”

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