𝐁𝐈𝐓𝐂𝐇 • Miguel Cazarez Mora

XVI: PREMIERE

It was Halloween day, a month after they'd finished filming for Tatum's movie, and the night of the premiere. She stared at herself in the mirror. "You look beautiful," Miguel said, looking at his girlfriend. Everyone nodded in agreement.

The past month had been amazing, especially with Miguel. They'd exchanged kisses and had sleepovers, dates, all of the other cute, couple-y stuff. The one thing they hadn't done is say 'I love you'.

Tatum wasn't sure whether or not she loved Miguel yet. She knew she would eventually, and, even though a month seems like a long time, it flies when you're in a relationship. She wanted Miguel to be the first one to say it, anyway. She was afraid she'd say it and her feelings wouldn't be reciprocated.

"Are we ready to leave, then?" Tatum asked her friends, who'd all been invited to the premiere, too.

They all said yes, and they headed out. It was about a two hour drive. Tatum's leg bounced up and down and she picked at the skin around her nails. Miguel placed his hand on her knee to stop it from shaking, like he had before she left to film. "What are you worrying for?" He asked.

"What if people don't like the movie?" She said, staring down at her hands. Miguel moved his hand from her knee to hold hers.

"Then they have no taste. Just calm down. You've done this whole premiere thing before and you were fine. Nothing's changed."

"Yeah, you're right."

They finally pulled up to the premiere, Tatum walking slightly in front of her friends so she could get her own pictures. She found Noah on the red carpet, and they hugged as the paparazzi snapped pictures.

"Tatum, step a little closer to Noah!" One of the paparazzis called out, and she did. She linked her arm with Noah's as they walked down the red carpet.

After that, Tatum was approached by an interviewer. She was asked basic questions, like how it was filming, and what the movie was like, until the interviewer asked her a question that caught her off guard. "So, are the rumours true?"

"About what?" Tatum asked.

"You and Noah kissed."

"What? Yeah, we did, it's in the trailer."

"Not in the movie, Miss Kennedy. In real life."

Tatum hesitated. Not because she had something to hide, but because she was shocked. It was the first time hearing about these rumours, and she didn't know how they'd emerged. Maybe an edited picture? A stupid video online? Maybe even someone who worked on the movie made up some sort of lie.

"No, we didn't. I'm very happy with Miguel. Me and Noah are just good friends."

Tatum finally met back up with her friends after speaking to a few more people. "Any stupid questions?" Tristan asked.

"Not really," Tatum replied, "A few about me and Miguel, but those are expected when you play each other's love interest, I guess."

"Any about me?" Miguel asked.

"Yeah, a ton."

The group made their way to the theatre and Tatum made her way backstage. They sat down, and Tatum joined them after standing on stage for things like speeches. She gave one, but nothing exciting. Just a few thank yous.

She sat down next to Miguel as the movie started, Noah sat on her other side. The rest of the group was a few rows back. It was going smoothly, people seemed to be having the right reactions; laughing at the funny parts, screaming at the jump scares and sighing at the sad parts.

Finally, the part came up. The part that Miguel had dreaded seeing again after he'd already seen it in the trailer, and his Instagram feed, and TikTok edits. The kiss. Alex and Blake kissed. But Miguel didn't see the characters. He saw Noah and Tatum. His girlfriend, kissing another boy.

Tatum and Noah both looked over at Miguel, he stared up at the screen with his jaw clenched. He turned to look back at them, his angry expression faltering as he spoke to Tatum. "I'm gonna go to the bathroom," he said.

Tatum looked upset, she could tell it had affected Miguel. He grabbed her hand and squeezed reassuringly, letting go soon after.

Miguel came back after about ten minutes, grabbing a hold of Tatum's hand. "You okay?" She whispered, almost silently. He nodded.

The movie ended soon after. Tatum almost threw up a few times, but was silently consoled by Miguel, who rubbed her knuckles with his thumb.

Tatum went through a few more questions on the way out, finally finding her friends again. "That was amazing!" Brady exclaimed.

"You did a great job," Mason said. Everyone agreed.

"Thank you, guys," Tatum said as they walked towards the link that had dropped them off. Miguel was silent.

"Are you okay, Miguel?" Becca asked.

"Yeah, I am. Just tired," he replied. The group where dropped off at Mason's house, where they were sleeping over, as per usual.

The group had a few questions about the movie themselves, questioning Tatum pretty much as soon as she walked out of Mason's bedroom, where she'd went to change into her pyjamas.

"So, what about a sequel?" Maddy asked.

"Well, they haven't said anything yet, but I'd be down for a sequel. I don't know how that would work, though. I mean, if Alex was to be alive and come back, he'd have no friends, so the title would be inaccurate," Tatum said.

"Maybe he doesn't come back to life," Tristan said. "Maybe Blake gets new friends, and she ends up killing all of them, except one, and then that one becomes a killer, and it's like a franchise."

"Yeah, but after the third movie it'd just become predictable. Maybe a trilogy," Brady said.

"I think we should sleep," Mason said, yawning.

Tatum yawned to. "You're right. I'll sleep in here," she said.

"Me too," Miguel said.

"Obviously," Tristan laughed.

Everyone left the living room, and Miguel and Tatum were left alone. They got comfortable together in the couch. "Are you sure you're okay?" Tatum asked. They'd been alone for ten minutes, and Miguel hadn't said a word. He hadn't even kissed her.

He hummed a response. She couldn't tell what it meant, but she didn't want to press any further, so she left it, drifting off to sleep oblivious to her boyfriends slowly breaking heart.