forbidden - chris beck

Chapter 8

"Johanssen!"

"Whaaat?" She whined.

We had a free evening and I suggested that Beth should watch one of my favourite movies with me. So she agreed and lay in my bunk as I played 'Gone With the Wind' on my laptop.

After about 20 minutes of the film I turned to ask her how she was finding it so far and instead saw her sound asleep.

"You're missing the movie." I continued to nudge her with my elbow but she just groaned in response.

"It's so boring, Ava." She attempted to sit up and wake herself from her sleep.

"Fine, what do you want to do?" I asked her. I kind of figured she wouldn't like the movie. It's not exactly her cup of tea, and I had seen it a hundred times so I really wasn't missing out.

"Can we go get some food?" Her eyes widened at the idea as she sat up straighter awaiting my response.

I shook my head and laughed, "Always awake for the food." I threw the bed covers off my legs and we both jumped out of the bunk.

We reached the empty kitchen and I opened the cooler room to get bottle of cold apple juice, while Johanssen scavenged through cupboards for something to settle her hunger.

"I miss my soda bottles and French fries." She whined as she grabbed a bag of salted potato chips and sat on the counter top.

I laughed in agreement, "I miss real fruit." I sad raising my bottle solemnly and then taking a sip. Hats off to NASA who tried their best, but seriously everything tastes pretty lame up here.

I leaned my elbow against the counter and placed my bottle down, playfully sliding it back and forth between my hands.

"So I'm guessing tomorrow it's your choice of movie?"

"Mmhm." Johanssen nodded with a mouthful of chips.

"I still think you need to give my movies a chance. They're not so bad." I said picking up the bottle and taking another sip.

"No way. I can't take anymore of your soppy love stories."

"You'll learn to love them one day." I grinned cheekily at her and she let out a huffed laugh as she threw a chip in my direction.

"Raiding the kitchen are we, ladies?" Watney said in a low voice pretending to act serious.

He walked in with Beck by his side who shot a small smile in my direction.

"We could ask you guys the same question." Johanssen smirked.

"We were just watching last weeks football game." Beck spoke as he took out a couple packets of pretzels whilst Watney grabbed their drinks.

"Ugh! I'd do anything for a beer right now." Mark groaned as he lazily shut the cupboard door after retrieving two ice cold beverages.

Beck made his way over to where I was standing and took the bottle from my hand. He brought it up to his lips and took a sip as a grin formed on his face before placing it back on the table.

"Hey, get your own." I said prying the bottle back into my hands.

"Maybe I want that one." He spoke in a low tone as he leaned towards me slightly. I couldn't help but feel slightly intimidated.

"Maybe you should get back to your football game." I said as I peeked over to see if Watney was waiting for him, but he was engaged in a conversation with Johanssen about how much they missed be taste of Earth food.

He grabbed his pretzels and leaned closer to me so that his mouth was next to my ear as he whispered, "Maybe. Just maybe I'll get to see you in that cute underwear again."

He winked, causing me to hit his arm playfully. "Don't talk about it!" My cheeks flushed and I could feel the heat running through my entire body. Beck just chuckled and walked over to Watney who had finished his conversation.

"You girls wanna join us?" Mark suggested as they neared the door.

Johannsesn stretched and jumped off the counter. "No thanks, I'm feeling sleepy so I'm just gonna go to bed." She threw her packet in the garbage and made her way to her bunk.

"How about you Collins?"  Watney asked as Beck waited at the door for my response.

"Actually, I think I'm gonna go to bed too. I have a full schedule tomorrow." I finished my drink and put it the the garbage also.

The three of us walked out of the kitchen, "Well goodnight guys." I waved tiredly and began walking to my bunk as they walked in the opposite direction to the Rec.

"What? No goodnight kiss?" Beck yelled, earning a laugh from Watney. I turned around shook my head and smiled at him.

I realised then that no one else really suspected anything. I mean, there wasn't really anything to suspect, it was just the fact that Beck was acting a little... forward recently. But I thought that was just his way of being friendly. I hope it was just him being friendly.

Maybe I was overthinking the whole thing. But some little part in me, a little microscopic element in my body wanted to believe that he wanted more than just friendship.