The next day at lunch I got trapped between Sierra and Eden, and the seats across from me were taken also, leaving no room for Alec. He sat at his other spot at the end of the table, throwing flirty little smiles at me every few minutes that I couldn't help but smile back to.
I didn't see him after school, and tried not to feel too disappointed about it. I had talked to Kayla, Brooke, and Sierra about going to see the movie with me, and Alice volunteered to take us all and pick us up, considering none of us have a license. Only a few more weeks, though!
"Your sister is so cool." Brooke gushes as we walk down the sidewalk towards the theater, Alice's Lexus speeding off into the distance.
"And she is gorgeous. How does she get her hair to stay like that?" Kayla asks, talking about Alice's cute, short spikes that look totally natural. Well, they are totally natural, but like anyone would believe it.
"Alice never tells her secrets." I grin, unable to fathom just how many secrets my pixie of an aunt must have. A century of past secrets and even secrets of the future.
We walk on and into the lobby of the theater, buying tickets and the others bought popcorn and Icees. My stomach is too full of butterflies to possibly have room for food.
"Purple is a lovely color on you." A husky voice murmurs in my ear from behind. I jump and shriek, turning around wildly. Alec is there, with two boys I've never seen before, laughing at me.
"Damn it, Alec." I breathe, a hand over my racing heart. He pushes my hand out of the way, placing his hand in its place.
"Oh my God, your heart is going crazy." He says, wide-eyed. He grabs my wrist, placing two fingers on the artery there. "What the hell?" He looks up at me, asking for answers that I can't give. I try to pull my hand back, but he clamps down hard on it. I jerk back with vampire strength, breaking free of his grip. His eyes get impossibly wider.
"I have a fast heart. So what?" I roll my eyes, realizing our friends have gathered around to spectate. He stares at me, eyes slightly narrowed, studying my face without another word. Kayla, flirty and unstoppable, is already getting friendly with one of Alec's friends. We all continue into the theater, finding it empty, and picking the seats in the far corner of the back row. I take the seat next to the wall, and Alec shoves through everyone to take the seat next to me. I hate how much I loved that.
"So, did you even notice the movie we're going to is rated R?" he asks in a hushed tone though their is no one else here.
"What?" My eyes grow large, looking up at him. It is dark in here, but my advanced eyes see it all as perfectly as if the sun was shining directly on us all.
"I didn't tell you because I knew you wouldn't be able to confidently buy a ticket if you knew, and then there is no way they would have bought that you're 18." He explains with a smile playing on his lips.
"I wouldn't have come if I knew! Is it horror? Me and scary movies do not mix well." I gulp, leg shaking and foot tapping against the floor nervously.
"Calm down," He whispers, placing one hand on my knee, "I'm right here." And for some reason, his touch and words did calm me. I look up into his gorgeous green eyes, and find there is absolutely no trace of mischief there. Just sincerity and something that looks vaguely like adoration.
"Please. When did you become so corny?" I laugh to hide the fact that the butterflies seem to be spawning and a blush is creeping on to my cheeks.
"As soon as I realized it was going to take more than my daringly good looks to make you swoon." He chuckles, laying his arm across the back of my chair casually. I then notice the cup holder between our seats is up, leaving free space between us.
"I don't swoon easy." I roll my eyes, settling in as the movie begins. Just the beginning sends chills up my spine. Two parents trying to burn their child and then "send her to hell"? Yeah, not really my type of movie. But it is hard to focus on it anyways considering I am very much aware of Alec's arm slowly sinking down, finally coming in contact with my shoulders.
"Smooth." I whisper to him.
"Thank you very much." He says proudly, settling in now that he knows I'm not going to shrug him off. "What are the chances of you screaming, jumping into my arms, meeting my eyes, and then us spending the rest of the movie making out?" He deadpans.
"One in a billion." I smirk. Suddenly the hideous, burned, demented face of Lily's mother bursts forth from Emily's closet. I scream shrilly, seeking protection in Alec's arms. I keep my face buried in his chest for a long moment, and then slowly peek out. He is looking down at me, highly amused. I stare into those intoxicatingly beautiful green eyes for an immeasurable moment. He begins to lean down suavely.
"Nice try." I raise one hand, deflecting his face away from mine.
"Maybe someday." He shrugs, returning to the movie.
"Maybe." I smile, being subtly flirty. He looks down at me, still grinning, then shakes his head and returns to the movie. A little later and the hand of the arm on my shoulder begins to play with my hair, twisting and untwisting my curls. I keep my breathing steady, and after a good fifteen minutes, the unnervingly consistent twist-untwist pattern stops.
The rest of the movie goes without a hitch – Alec's arm remains gingerly resting on my shoulders, my friends hit it off with Alec's friends judging by the giggles to my left, I am successful in keeping my breathing regulated, and Dad only texts me four times to check up on me.
After the movie, we all loiter in the lobby, and I notice Kayla and Brooke each giving their numbers to Alec's two friends. Alec watches with me, until they both head over our way. Brooke comes to me, but Kayla beelines over to Alec.
I could have easily turned into their conversation with my advanced ears, but I didn't because Brooke begins talking, but I see Kayla's flirty smile and watch Alec's eyes dance in amusement. Is that...jealousy? Am I getting jealous? I have no reason to be!
"Caaarliee?" Brooke waves her hand in front of my face.
"Hm?" I return my focus to her crystalline blue eyes.
"Is Alice picking us up?" She asks.
"Oh, yeah, she should be here any minute." I tell her with a smile, trying to swallow back the bile rising in my throat as my eyes wander back to Kayla and Alec. Alec's eyes suddenly flicker up to meet mine, and he smiles at me. A blush creeps up to my cheeks, and Kayla swivels around to see who is is grinning with such happiness and mischief at. Her lips press into a hard line when she sees it's me. What's her problem?
Brooke begins to walk towards Kayla and Alec just as one of Alec's friends comes up to me. "Carlie, right?" the muscular one with chocolate-brown hair spiked up in the front and midnight-blue eyes asks. I nod slightly, becoming humiliatingly shy. "Alec's been hogging you this whole time, we haven't had a chance to meet. I'm Trey Freedman." he holds out a beefy hand.
"Nice to meet you." I shake his hand for a brief second. He feels like ice to my much warmer skin.
"Are you okay? You're really hot." His eyebrows knit together in confusion as I drop my hand back to my side.
"Back off, Freedman. She's mine." Alec laughs, somehow ending up behind me without me realizing it. His arms encircle me, pinning my arms to my side, and he lifts me up off the ground. I squeal and laugh at the same time while kicking my legs and Trey rolls his pretty eyes. He sets me back down on the ground, but keeps his arms firmly locked around me. It would have been so easy to break free of his grip, but I honestly didn't want to. I obviously know that Alec is a major flirt, and considering what I just saw with Kayla, he has many more targets than just me. But I love when I get his attention like this, I love being The Target for a while.
"Oh, really? Have you told Kayla that?" Trey retorts, and my smile slips just a little.
"Please. Carlie is my only girl." Alec squeezes me. I roll my eyes, knowing how untrue that is, and cursing myself for wishing it was. I've known him for, what, three days now?
My phone vibrates in my pocket, and I squirm to get it. "Get off of me, you idiot." I say jokingly, breaking free with vampiric strength.
"She seems really into you, dude." Trey mock-punches Alec on the shoulder.
"She's just playing hard to get." Alec chuckles, coming back to me and wrapping his arms around me, leaving my arms free this time. He rests his head on my shoulder, and while it usually annoys me when people read my texts, I really didn't mind him. It was only a text from Alice that said she was here anyways.
"You have to go." Alec says soberly, releasing his hold on me.
"Alice is here?" Brooke asks from about ten feet away, coming to my side.
"Maybe we can do this again sometime." I say politely to Alec and his friends before turning towards the door with Kayla and Brooke on my flanks.
"Wait," Alec grabs my wrist to hold me back, an apparent habit of his. "Do I at least get your number before you leave?" He grins like a little boy. I consider it for a moment, before snatching his phone out of his hand, again a little too quickly. He notices, but doesn't comment as I program my number into his phone. I nearly write Renesmee Cullen, but delete it before he can see and replace it with Carlie Cullen.
"Don't abuse it." I smirk, then quickly head out of the theater with Kayla and Brooke. As we walk towards Alice's car, I tune in to Alec, Trey, and the other guy's conversation, wondering if I would be mentioned.
"With you and Carlie?" I catch the last half of something Trey said, obviously to Alec.
"What do you mean?" Alec plays whatever was said off cool.
"Since the beginning of school, everyone has known you and Kayla had a thing. Now Carlie shows up Wednesday, and suddenly you are paying no attention to Kayla anymore." The other guy, who I think might be named Drew, says. Kayla and Alec have had a thing since school started? That's only a few weeks, but still, a pretty intense relationship can start developing in few weeks.. No wonder she was giving me the evil eye...
"Yeah, Kayla and I had sort of a thing. But that is all it was - a sort-of-a-thing. Nothing more. Not like she is or ever was my girlfriend. And there is just something about Carlie. We just sort of click, you know? We just met and it's like I've known her my entire life." Alec laughs, half-embarrassed and half-awestruck. My stomach flutters and I nearly stumble over my own two feet.
"Well we all knew Kayla wanted to be your girlfriend. And you sound totally whipped right now." Drew laughs. I can practically see Alec's eye roll as we all three dip down into Alice's car.