Page 15 of That's Too Pucking Bad

We sit in silence for a while, and I try to focus on the movie, but it’s hard with his body pressed against mine like that. Every time he moves, I feel it, and it’s driving me insane. I glance over at him, and he’s just watching the screen, totally oblivious.

Or maybe he’s not.

He shifts again, this time his hand landing on my thigh. Not in a weird way, just… resting there. Like it’s the most natural thing in the world. And maybe it is. But my skin is suddenly hyper-aware of every touch, every brush of his fingers.

“Colin,” I whisper.

“Hm?” He doesn’t look at me, still watching the screen like nothing’s happening.

I want to say something, but I don’t even know what. So I just lean into him, resting my head on his shoulder. It’s stupid, but it feels safe.

The movie drags on, and I’m barely keeping my eyes open at this point. I’m tired, but I don’t want to leave. Not yet. Colin’s fingers slide up and down my arm, gentle and rhythmic, almost lulling me to sleep.

“You okay?” he murmurs, his voice low in my ear.

“Yeah,” I say, even though I’m not sure if that’s true. “Just tired.”

He presses a kiss to the top of my head, and I let my eyes flutter shut for a second. Just for a second.

The next thing I know, the movie’s over, and Colin is shaking me gently. “Hey. You fell asleep.”

“Shit,” I mumble, sitting up and rubbing my eyes. “Sorry.”

He chuckles. “It’s fine. You ready to go?”

“Yeah, let’s go.”

We pack up the blanket and head back to the car. The drive home is quiet again, but this time it’s a little heavier. We both know something’s not quite right but don’t want to say it.

When we pull up in front of my dorm, Colin turns off the engine and looks at me. “You wanna come over tomorrow? We can hang out.”

I hesitate. “Maybe. I’ll let you know.”

“Okay,” he says, his voice softer now. “Night, Remy.”

“Night,” I say, opening the door and stepping out into the cool night air. I watch as he drives away, the tail lights disappearing into the distance.

I’m sitting on my bed, staring at my reflection in the mirror while trying to figure out if this top makes me look like a kindergarten teacher. Maya’s rummaging through my closet, tossing rejected outfits onto the floor like a woman on a mission.

“You sure you don’t want to come with me tonight?” she asks, glancing at me over her shoulder. She looks stunning in this slinky black dress that hugs every curve.

“I can’t,” I say, tugging the hem of my cardigan, my go-to when I’m not really feeling confident. “I’m meeting Colin later.”

Maya rolls her eyes and dramatically flops onto my bed. “Pity. This party is going to be wild.”

I raise an eyebrow. “Like...the other one?”

She smirks, and there’s something mischievous in her eyes. “No, this one’s different. I’m not even allowed to talk about it outside the party.”

I laugh. “Okay,Fight Club.”

“Pretty much,” she shrugs with a playful grin.

Before I can ask her more, my phone buzzes on the nightstand. Colin. I glance at Maya before answering, already half-expecting some kind of excuse. “Hey, what’s up?”

“Hey, babe,” he starts, his voice low, almost apologetic. “I’ve been swamped with this group project. We’re meeting in like... an hour. I thought I could get away, but they kind of need me. Raincheck on tonight?”

I pause, feeling that familiar twinge of disappointment. “So... you’re canceling?”

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