AnguiSH by Lila Felix Page B

opened my door for me and smiled.  He had a great smile, I would give him that.  I wondered what Breaker looked like when he full-on smiled—when he wasn’t too busy being a full-on jerk. 
                  We decided on an action movie.  He circumvented the snack bar and I stared after it, wondering what offense it had caused him.  Plus, I could smell the popcorn—it was calling my name.  I thought about breaking away from him and following my stomach’s desire.  At this point, I didn’t even think he’d notice.  He was bee-lining for the theater; you’d think there was gold in there the way he was running.
                  We sat in the very back and it disturbed me.  He can’t buy a girl popcorn but he assumes I’m a back of the theater kind of chick?  I sat next to him, inhaling lungfuls of popcorn infested air, hoping to trick my stomach into thinking it was actually eating.  The movie started and as soon as the lights went out he put his arm around my shoulders.  The movie hadn’t even started.  I wanted to tell him to at least let the dancing Coke and hot dog finish their cabaret before he started getting fresh but I took it as punishment for lying to Breaker.
                  And he was silent.  I liked to talk a lot, everyone knew that.  But my ultimate favorite thing to do, especially with a new movie, was make fun of the acting, pick out plot mistakes.  It was my thing.  So I liked to talk through movies.  But other than the arm around my shoulders thing, I seriously considered calling 911 and reporting a death by silence. 
                  “This is a great movie.  I love Jason Statham.” I whispered in his direction. 
                  He cut me a look that could only be described as a dictator’s nod, hushing his crowd of followers.  I pulled my lips inside my mouth and crushed them between my teeth in an attempt to stay quiet.  After a few more minutes, I shrugged out of his arm and got up wordlessly to use the bathroom.  I didn’t really need to use the bathroom, I just needed a minute to breathe.  I took my time and by the time I got back, the movie was almost over.  He had his hand in my chair and when I moved to sit down, he took up residence on my shoulder again.  I wished I was with Breaker.  Even as a jerk, he still magnetized me.  And the one next to me, with the ‘make the girls drool’ blue eyes—he might as well be a speckled trout for all I cared.
                  Ozark drove me home and even though I didn’t want to, I gave him the benefit of the doubt.  Maybe he was nervous.  He’ d always talked to me before, when he was at work.  That had to be it. 
                  I got out of the car at the driveway and he barely said goodbye. He didn’t even walk me to the door. 
                  I unlocked the front door and walked in, shutting it quietly behind me.  I really didn’t want to tip Breaker off that my date was over so quickly. 
                  “You were only gone two and a half hours.  Did he have to get home before curfew?” So much for that theory.
                  “No, I showed him such a good time that he was exhausted.”
                  I heard him huff his disbelief from the couch.
                  I pulled off my heels and sat next to him. I wanted to be near him after sitting next to the floppy, silent fish for so long. He was watching Gone In 60 Seconds.  “Ugh, I love Memphis Raines.  So hot. And the English guy, the one who doesn’t talk?  Double hot.”
                  “I have to ask you something, Ash.” He turned to face me on the couch.
                  “What?”  I thought this was a setup for something rude.
                  He looked around the room once and then pegged me in a dead stare.
                  “Did he tell you how