Page 22 of Fair Catch

We hold each other’s gaze for a moment, me measuring his authenticity, and him, my sanity, while his brows crash together in confusion.

Shoving down my paranoia, I murmur, “I just thought I was the only person who did that.”

“Like you invented it?” Kason snorts. “I know you’re wicked fucking intelligent and whatever, but c’mon. I’m pretty sure you can buy it premixed now.”

“One, I never saidinvent,and two, I did it way before they ever decided to premix the bag. It doesn’t taste the same that way.” I roll my head back and forth, trying to figure out the best way to explain myself. “All I meant was that I’ve never met anyone else who likes it. Q always thought I was insane when I’d mix the bags if we went to the movies. Made me get my own bucket of popcorn and everything.”

“Well, now youhavemet someone who does it too.” He pops a couple more of the chocolate-coated peanut-butter candies in his mouth. “The only reason I didn’t was because we don’t have any popcorn.”

“Damn shame,” I utter, and I find myself meaning it. After all, it’s one of my go-to movie snacks for occasions such as this. “But the kind from the theater is always better.”

“Oh, absolutely, There’s no contest.”

My thoughts exactly.

The weirdness of this little bonding moment sits in the back of my mind as silence settles over us once again, Kaylie’s unfortunate encounter with a lightbulb on the screen taking our attention from each other. It’s the best kind of mindlessness, watching something I’ve seen countless times, to the point where I could quote the entire thing. Which, come to think of it, is sort of strange to do with a horror movie.

But I love the predictability of it, and oddly, the comfort.

Maybe because I already know how it ends.

Before I know it, the credits are rolling, and Kason pauses the movie and looks at me cautiously.

“You wanna watch another?”

More than one movie might be pushing it, even if we did have whatever littlemomentwith the popcorn and candy convo. An hour and a half is probably a safe limit to keep us at for the time being.

“I’m actually gonna turn in. But, uh, thanks for letting me watch with you.”

I go to rise from the couch, stifled by the awkwardness of turning him down, but Kason grabs my wrist before I so much as stand.

“Can I…” He blows out a breath, clearly uncomfortable with whatever he’s about to say as he releases my wrist like it’s a hot potato. “Look, Hayes, the last thing I wanna do is rock the boat here. And I know I’m not what you asked for when it comes to a roommate. Believe me, you’re the furthest thing from what I’m used to living with too.”

I raise a brow and lean back against the sofa, wondering where the hell he’s going with this. “I’m assuming this is leading somewhere better than where it currently is?”

He winces before shifting to face me better, pulling one leg up on the cushion between us. Gesturing from me to him, he says, “This is all new to both of us, and if we’re gonna make this work…” He trails off with a sigh, as if he can’t bring himself to say the words.

So I do it for him.

“We have to get along. Before we go insane,” I mutter, my eyes sliding to the television screen briefly. The second they move back to him, I see his silent nod of agreement.

“I’m not trying to be intrusive, insensitive, a pain in the ass, or anything else. I’ve only ever lived with the same person since Freshman year, and you’re…” He lets out an awkward laugh, and I catch him shaking his head in the light from the television. “You’re basically a stranger.”

“Yeah. Same here,” I murmur, sort of hating myself for agreeing with him. Or maybe hating myself for letting things get this uncomfortable between us before finally talking about it.

“A lot of what Quinton and I had were…unspoken rules,” I offer, choosing my words as carefully and tactfully as I can. “Things like not eating each other’s food without having permission. Quiet hours between eleven pm and six am where any loud appliances weren’t to be used.” I shoot him a little half-smile. “Those are things I thought would be pretty standard, but I can see that your past rooming situation might’ve had seemingly obvious things about them that I don’t see that way too.”

Kason’s eyes narrow on me, processing my point of view while he cocks his head to the side. I expect him to tell me what he’s been used to in the past, but instead, he surprises me by uttering, “You know, that is the closest thing I’ve heard to an apology from you since we’ve met.”

My lips quirk slightly, but I school my features before he can notice. “It’s just facts. We’re used to different things, and we need to come up with some middle ground before we drive each other crazy.”

Nodding a couple times, he offers, “So let’s call a fair catch.”

My brows crash together as I frown. “Awhat?”

“Fair catch,” Kason repeats, as if I’ll understand it any better the second time. “It’s a football term. Basically means that the player receiving a kick calls for no interference from the opposing team.”

“So you don’t want me to interfere with you while you live here,” I surmise.

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