“No, actually, I usually don’t.”
“Usually?” His hand goes to my neck before I answer. Tingles spread from his fingertips all the way down my spine. As his fingers weave themselves into my hair, I try to maintain clarity.
“What about you? What’s your type?” I ask.
“I thought that was obvious.”
He pulls me toward him and when his lips touch mine, I try not to audibly sigh. I can’t help it though, and he chuckles again, against my mouth. In the back of my mind I still wonder if we’re right for each other, but the rest of my mind doesn’t seem to care.
CHAPTER 14
NORM-games: n. strangely foreign, slightly lame, and yet unexplainably compelling rites of passage in the Normal world
Back in the theater, I let go of Trevor’s arm. Our entry is accompanied by the horrified screams of really bad actors. I glance up at the screen in time to see the decaying face of the lead zombie. This movie is so dumb.
Once I’ve taken my seat, Rowan leans in. “Are you sick or something?”
“No, I’m okay.” And I’ll be even better once I tell Trevor that he doesn’t need to set me up with his friends.
After the movie, I turn my back on Rowan to exit to my left. I hope he follows Lisa, Brandon, and the others who are leaving the opposite way. He doesn’t.
“That was the lamest movie ever,” he says behind me.
“I’ve seen lamer,” Stephanie says, and even though we’re standing, she’s cuddled up to Trevor’s arm.
“Remember that werewolf movie we saw last year?” Trevor says. “That was worse than this.”
I have no idea which movie they’re talking about, so I keep my mouth shut. We get new movies way before they come out here.
“I don’t know,” Rowan disagrees, squeezing himself alongside me. “That had the scene where the three wolves fought the big wolf, and that totally redeemed it. Well, until Stephanie’s screams ruined it all.”
“Oh, shut up, Rowan,” she says, with an eye roll.
I take a few steps closer to Stephanie so that she’ll turn and start to walk. It seems to work, and soon we’re standing outside the theater by the fountain again.
“Okay, who’s up for the dessert game?” Rowan asks.
Brandon and Lisa—who are holding hands—laugh, and he says, “We’re in.”
Two other guys, Liam and Jason, both nod their agreement.
“Okay, you guys are one car then. Me, Addison, Stephanie, and Trevor will be another car. Katie and Sarah, which car do you want to join?”
“I’m out. My mom’s making me wake up early tomorrow to visit my dad,” Katie says.
Sarah grabs Katie’s arm. “And she’s my ride, so you guys have fun.”
Rowan points both his thumbs down in disapproval. “Just stay up all night, and you won’t have to wake up early.”
“Whatever.” Katie hits his arm. “See you Monday.”
I watch them leave and wait for Rowan to explain what’s going on. When he doesn’t, I ask, “What’s the dessert game?”
“Whoever brings back the best dessert wins.”
“What’s the catch?” There’s always a catch.
Rowan smiles. “That car is going to tell us where we have to go to find the dessert. It has to be one of our houses.”
Brandon points to me. “We pick Addison’s house, because she had no idea about this game so she wouldn’t have stocked up.”
Rowan lets out a low grunt. “Well, we pick Jason’s, because his brothers always eat everything in the house.”
“Wait, we’re going to my house?” I ask.
“Just for a minute to raid your fridge and cupboards. Then we’ll meet back here, and whoever has the best dessert wins.”
“Wins what?” This game sounds like something the guys made up to get free dessert.
“The right to be the darers and not the darees.”
“Rowan in the fountain last week,” Lisa says, “his team lost the dessert game.”
“I still think I won that night,” Rowan says. “Five bucks.”
“And an amazing rent-a-cop parking-lot chase,” Lisa says. “It was pretty awesome.”
It did sound kind of funny. I find myself nodding.
“Okay.” Brandon looks at his watch. “We meet back here in thirty minutes exactly. Pictures for proof, and cheaters automatically lose.” The second he finishes his sentence everyone runs for the cars, except me, of course. I’m a beat behind, trying to play catch-up.
By the time I get to Trevor’s car, it’s already running and Stephanie is in the passenger seat. I climb in back and buckle in.
“So what do you have at your house? Any good treats?” Rowan asks, leaning toward me.
The fact that Rowan is about to find out where I live is just now sinking in. “No. We have nothing. Really, my dad is a health nut. Why don’t we just go to the store instead?”
Stephanie turns around. “We have to take a picture with a cell phone of us inside your house holding whatever we find. If we don’t, we automatically lose.”
“Nobody knows what my house looks like. And we’re going to lose anyway,” I say. “We might as well try.”
Rowan laughs. “I like this girl. She’s a rule breaker.”
“No. I’m really not,” I say too quickly. I don’t want him to get any more ideas. Trevor’s eyes find mine in the rearview mirror. I’m trying to give him the please-come-up-with-a-different-plan look. Laila would know the look.