Page 46 of Any Second Now
I might have missed half the movie though.
“Love that movie,” I say wistfully.
“A serious happily ever after.”
“Right?” I turn my head toward him and gulp at the intense way he’s staring at me. My words stall in my throat and I forget any commentary I was saving for the end. I gulp and try to slow my heart, which has sped up uncomfortably. “Is it fireworks time yet?”
“Yeah. Let’s go set up.” He stands. “I’ll get a few things from my car.”
I follow Atticus outside and grab Megghen from her enclosure. I tuck her into her tent in the Pink Palace right outside my bedroom door and sheboc boc bocsat me.
“Relax. You’re inside so you don’t get eaten. And in this tent so you don’t poop everywhere and hide eggs.”
When I get back out, Atticus has a picnic blanket spread out in front of two fancy captains chairs, the kind that rock back and forth. They look suspiciously new. Not like my cheap ass chair that is ripping at the side so whenever I sit it kind of leans crookedly and I wonder if today’s the day it’ll break and toss me onto the ground.
Atticus pours me wine from a new bottle.
“Did we really finish the bottle?”
“Yep.” He hands me my refilled glass.
“You’re not having one?”
“I’d love to, but I shouldn’t if I’m going to drive home.” He looks at me with alarm. “Which, of course, I am going to do.”
I sip from my glass and know I should probably not have any more either. I’m too relaxed, too giddy, too… something.
“You can always sleep it off on the couch.” I attempt to make my tone as casual as possible, but almost definitely fail. “My very tiny couch.”
“I’m not sure I’d fit.” Atticus chuckles and stares at me for a beat longer than is comfortable. Then the fireworks start, and he finally looks away. It takes me another few seconds to turn to the explosions of red, white, and blue light in the sky. I sneak another look at Atticus, who looks back at me right away.
“What are you thinking about, Raleigh?”
“Warm Bodies,” I say immediately, the double entendre hitting me a second later.
He raises an eyebrow with a grin. “There’s a lot to think about.”
I laugh. “I’m probably thinking too deeply about a zombie movie, but it kind of represents someone completely changing who they are for someone else.”
“You don’t think people can change?” His voice sounds tight.
“I mean, that much? Probably not.”
Definitely not. People simply don’t change that much. In reality, people are who they are. And maybe they shouldn’t change for someone else.
Once a compulsive liar, always a compulsive liar.
Once a player, always a player?
“That’s why I don’t do relationships. I’ll never be good at them. It’s in my blood.”
I swallow and turn back to the colorful display reflecting off the lake. I want to argue with him that he could definitely be good at relationships. But what do I know?
“Do you really think that’s true?” I finally say instead.
He doesn’t answer and we watch the rest of the fireworks until the big finale. I expect Atticus to head out. But instead, he glances back at the Pink Palace.
“Shaun of the Dead?”
