One Big Cliché

Chapter 14

Dustin

          Nicole called me about an hour before practice.

          "Hey, what are you doing tonight?" She had asked, he voice a little tight with what must have been nerves. Why she would be nervous is beyond me, though.

          Nothing, if you want to hang out. That's what I wanted to say. Instead, I tried not to sound so desperate, "Practice until 5:30. I should be free at six, if there'll be food."

          "Does popcorn count as food?" She asked, then shushed someone in the background. "Sarah, Tyler and I are going to go see a movie, if you and Chris want to come. It's a comedy."

          She sounded even more nervous, and for some reason that made me smile, "I think popcorn sounds appetizing. But that's the only reason I'm going. I have a weakness for too much butter and getting kernels stuck in my teeth."

          "Then this is the right thing for you," she laughed. "Meet us at the theater at ten."

          So I did. And I showed up with Chris thirty minutes early, because... well, I don't know why. He keeps watching me, grinning. I keep glaring at him, until he looks away. The girl he brought—Courtney, I think—stands awkwardly tucked under his arm. She's hot, I'll give her that, but she kind of looks constipated. The school she goes to is about forty minutes from us, so it's not like her friends could come join us, so maybe she just feels out of place. I don't know. But if I ask her if she needs some laxatives, Chris'll let her slap me, and I really don't feel like getting slapped on a Friday night, so close to the weekend.

          I pull my phone out instead, checking the time and for any messages I might have not noticed go off. There's about five minutes until ten, and no messages.

          Chris whispers something in Courtney's ear, and she beams up at him.

          I look up at the glass doors, relieved for some reason when I see Nicole walking up, throwing her head back as she laughs at something with Sarah, Tyler ambling up behind them with his hands sunk into the hoodie Nicole bought him. I bite my lip and look away briefly, not exactly sure why it bothers me he's wearing something she bought him. I'm being ridiculous. We aren't even dating; I don't have a right to be jealous. And even if we were, she's allowed to give her friends gifts. What is wrong with me?

          "I like your hat," Nicole winks, bumping me with her shoulder as I catch up to her.

           I meet her smile and wink back, "This thing? I found it on the side of the road a couple years ago. I can remember it like it was yesterday... It was snowing, such a rare and luminescent event, and like a red beam, it shone from the—"

          "Oh, haha," she snips, slapping my arm and cutting me off. I give her a sloppy grin, looking down at her, amazed at how bright her blue eyes are. She shakes her head, "And you lost me at snow. Luminescent is a big word for you, though. I'm very proud."

          Rolling my eyes, I head for the ticket counter and wait for Chris to get his and Courtney's tickets. Once they're done, Nicole heads over to them to make introductions. I watch her as I hand over the money. How could I not? She dressed up for this; tight skinny jeans, dark brown boots with these buckles, and a tight blue sweater with diamond gems sewn on the V collar. Man, she's so...

          "Hey Dustin, are you going to take your tickets?"

          My head snaps to Sarah, who's grinning at me with a knowing look in her eyes. Quickly, I take my tickets, mutter a thanks, and walk over to Chris, Courtney, and Nicole. I need to stop being so awkward.