A\n: I am loving writing for this movie- I hope you find the story enjoyable and not too OOC lol. Reviews and constructive criticism are appreciated!
God Bless,
Sarah.
Natalie was surprised when they arrived in front of the local movie theatre.
"Isn't the movies a date scene?"
"Well," he smiled at her. "We can pretend, can't we?"
Before she could reply, he climbed out of the car and moved to open her door.
"My lady," he said softly, holding out his hand.
She laughed and willingly offered her hand back.
When they made it to concessions, Keith handled the buying of snacks and he let Natalie pick the movie.
"Hanging by a Thread," he said. "Sounds sappy."
"It's the only girl movie; I hate action."
"Great, so we're both in for a treat of a movie we have no idea about."
She laughed. "Yeah, pretty much."
In the theatre, Keith rested his jacket behind her back so the seat was more comfortable for her, and then he sat back himself with a bag of popcorn. The movie started quickly, and Keith tried his best to say alert during the 'chick flick'. It was about a guy…and a girl…who were dating…who were in love…who were taking one last trip together…because he was dying.
Keith felt trapped ad vulnerable…
The odds…
Oh, the odds…the odds of this happening to him. It's like she had sixth sense or something. First, finding his favorite spot, and now this…
She was a great girl.
He looked over at her as the on-screen couple kissed, and he smiled as she watched with mild attention. He could tell her mind was drifting-but to where?
He had no idea.
He yawned and rested his arm around her shoulders; chuckling as her eyes widened. Natalie's breath hitched in her throat.
"Keith?" She asked quietly; he leaned close to her face. "What're you doing?" She asked.
He drew in closer.
"Pretending…C-can't we?"
Closer…
"Pretend?"
Their lips met for a second time as both of their eyes fluttered shut. He rested his warm hands on either side of her face and sunk into the kiss He had kissed her this time. He knew he shouldn't have…But he couldn't help it. They pulled away then, their heads still together for a few moments.
"You know, partner, we need to stop putting ourselves into these situations." She said quietly. He sat up straight again as though nothing had happened, and with an air of seriousness, replied: "No, we don't have to do or not do anything."
They turned back to the movie and Keith's façade built-up again slowly.
It was the 'hospital scene'.
The boyfriend had a tumor; his head was shaved and he was waiting for surgery.
Keith wondered if that's what he'd look like soon.
He didn't care…as long as Natalie was leaning over him like that; telling him everything would be okay. He stopped his thoughts there, dead in their tracks. He needed to stop getting attached.
"Keith, you know what time it is?"
"Shh, watch the movie." He replied, annoyed.
There was a wall coming between them again…
And he had let it.
He always did.
Natalie furrowed her eyebrows and turned back to the movie. The girl was crying; asking her boyfriend's mom why he hadn't told her sooner…telling her how differently she would've done things-how she could have been prepared. The movie ended not too soon after that, with the girl gathering all of her things from his bedroom. Keith didn't move his eyes from the screen until the credits rolled. Natalie stretched as the lights came on, and stood.
"How'd you like the movie?" He asked, picking up all their trash.
"It was good; the guy just made me so mad."
"Why?" He asked curiously. As far as he was concerned, the guy was just like him, and he was interested in how she took their subconscious reality.
"He didn't tell her." She said simply. "He was so selfish. If I ever had a boyfriend who was sick like that, I'd never forgive him for not telling me."
Keith felt sick. "You'd never forgive him? Isn't that a tad harsh?" He scratched his chin.
"Isn't lying to the girl he loves, 'a tad harsh'?"
Keith threw away the trash and walked to the bathroom wordlessly.
"Man, the weirdest things make him go all psycho sometimes." She mumbled to herself.
Keith locked himself in one of the stalls and breathed heavily.
You have to tell her, Keith. You have to.
His head was spinning; his stomach churned.
If you ever have, do, or ever will, love her…you have to tell her.
He stumbled out of the bathroom and caught her eye from where she was sitting on a bench alone.
She was beautiful.
She was falling for him.
And he…well, he was going to leave her.
She deserved, at least, this: to know.
"Ready to go, Pumpkin-love?" He asked, jokingly.
"Yeah." She smiled.
Once they were settled in the car, he put the keys in the ignition and drove out of the parking lot.
"I'll have you home to get Raf soon, but we need to do a Confession Scene first."
"I'm actually going to be late as it is, Keith, I-"
"-Please," he asked desperately; staring at the road ahead. "Please."
She complied by not answering, and before she knew it he was pulling up and parking just before the cliff stopped. He helped her into the truck bed and they laid side by side, his jacket protecting her from the cold.
"So," she leaned up on one elbow. "You have a confession?"
"Yeah, and it's not easy for me to say…I may have to let my truck run me over when I get home for telling you, actually."
"Oh quit," she replied, staring at him as he stared at the night sky.
Just the other night they'd laid here, fighting over whether the moon was full, or a sliver too short.
"Partner, I'm not gonna beat around the bush."
"Then don't."
"I won't."
"Then say it."
"It's just," his lip quivered gently. "It's hard to say."
"But you trust me."
"You're a double agent."
He was shutting down; chickening out.
He was wrecking the time he put into hiding away in his own shell by wanting to tell her- he couldn't.
He wasn't ready.
"I'm not a double agent.
"I just can't tell you."
"Why?"
"You aren't different than a-anyone else," his voice cracked-he was lying. She was so different; so beautifully, amazingly different.
"So what?"
"You aren't going to care." He replied bluntly.
"You think I don't care about you?"
"Do you?"
"I love you."
His heart stopped. He sat up and took a sharp inhale of cold air.
"I have cancer." He blurted out before he could stop it.
Natalie stared at him for a long moment. Soon though, her face broke into a smile.
"Keith, I get that you hated the movie-but this is a pretty drastic way to make fun of it."
He bit his lip, tears cultivating in his eyes.
"I told you that you wouldn't care, partner. I knew if I didn't quit the sarcasm no one would believe me."
The pill bottle popped into her head again…the awkwardness during the movie…the wanting to go over the cliff…the missing school for two weeks…
She sat up now, too, her body pressed against his as they looked into each other's eyes.
Natalie was surprised to see his tears hadn't spilled over yet. How could he hold them back so well?
"Y-you really do?"
"Yeah, partner…I do. And I think," he took in a deep breath; his mouth opening and closing a few times before he finally pressed out: "I think this is the scene in which you make me feel like I'm not a loser, without showing me pity."
Natalie nodded-her face streaked with tears.
"I can do that scene," she said tearfully, pulling him into a frigid hug. "Keith, I can do that for you."
He wrapped one arm around her and buried his face into her neck.
She still felt no tears.
"You don't have to." He said softly. "I don't deserve it."
She cupped his face in her hands and breathed against his lips.
"You do deserve it, Keith. You deserve for someone…something to make you happy."
"So do you, Natalie…and that's not me."
"It is you, Keith."
He looked into her eyes wearily, and she squeezed his shoulder in assurance.
"And I don't care for how long."
