Page 88 of Perfect
Alex, wine glass in hand, sits close to me on the couch after dinner. She puts on some horrible reality TV show, but I ignore it. I’m too busy paying attention to the fact that she keeps shifting closer to me until her arm is looped through mine and her head is resting on my shoulder.
Then she starts asking me detailed questions about the show because she can tell that I hate it and she’s trying to force me to watch it with her. She’s being a dick, but she’s having fun with me, so I play along.
She falls asleep in my arms on the couch, and when I take her up to bed, she barely wakes up enough to brush her teeth. She strips and climbs into bed immediately afterward, humming contentedly as I pull her into my arms. I lie there as she relaxes against me, and my breath catches in my throat as her hand slips under the pillow, her fingers threading through mine before she falls asleep.
It feels more intimate than sex, somehow.
25
ALEX
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 29
Despite what he says, Theo just wants to fuck and play house, and I’m fairly sure that he won’t kill me if we keep doing that. It’s nice, sometimes, and if I keep him at arm’s length, I can keep control of the situation. If we stop getting to know each other, everything will be fine. If I can ignore how I’m starting to feel about him, I can keep this going until I figure out how to get away from him.
***
Alex, 11:45 AM:
hey, i’m inside. i’ll get popcorn?
Jessica, 11:46 AM:
i’m out. food poisoning. do NOT get the teriyaki burger at Mikes.
oh no! i'm sorry
Will, 11:48 AM:
too hungover
feel better!!
I sigh, disappointment and irritation rising. I’m trying to make plans with my friends, but so far, everyone seems a little flaky. I’ll take what I can get, though, because I still get to have friends. Theo’s weirdly respectful of that, even though he seems to have no friends whatsoever.
“Hey, Alex.” I look up to see Ben walking towards me from the ticket counter. “Zach couldn’t make it. Guess it’s just us?”
I force a smile. “Oh, um, I haven’t heard from Anna yet, so maybe not?”
Anna, 11:51 AM:
I got called on shift last minute! You guys enjoy the movie.
Rain check???
I stifle a groan. Anna chose the movie, and I don’t want to spend three hours watching another franchise action movie. I only watch them to annoy Theo, who hates them just as much as I do.
Alex, 11:52 AM:
shoot!!! definitely rain check :)
“Anna’s out?” I look up at Ben and nod.
“Yeah. What do you want to do?” I ask, hopeful he won’t want to see this movie either, but he smiles, pointing towards the concession stand.
“I’ll get the drinks if you get popcorn?”
I force a tight smile. “Sure.”
