Bound to You

Chapter 9: Movie Night

“Darcy?” Darcy quickly snapped her head up to look at Stormie. She was watching her from across the table with a concerned expression. “Hmm?” Darcy asked. Stormie gestured to her plate. “You haven’t touched your dinner. Is everything ok?” she asked, eyeing her worriedly. Darcy nodded quickly and began shoveling mashed potatoes into her mouth. “I’m fine, just distracted.” She assured her though a mouthful of food. Rydel elbowed her eagerly. “Thinking about those Vampire Diaries episode we have to catch up on tomorrow night, huh?” Darcy nodded again, grateful for the excuse that Rydel had unknowingly given her. “Exactly.” She faked a quick grin. Those acting classes had come in handy in more ways than one over the past few months. Stormie smiled as well. “Oh I can’t wait either! Hopefully Elena finally comes to her senses and gets back with Stefan.” Rydel scoffed. “Please! It is ALL about Delena.” She retorted. Darcy looked back down at her plate as Stormie and Rydel began to bicker playfully about the show. Her mind was far from ‘The Vampire Diaries’. She hadn’t been able to stop thinking about Sean since the night before. She had no idea how that tweet had been posted from her account. She hadn’t given Sean her passwords to anything. But who else would have posted that tweet, and been sure to plug ClevverTV while they were at it? The family didn’t seem to suspect anything; they hadn’t mentioned it, though she was sure they must have seen it. They’d probably just assumed it was a part of their arrangement. Darcy pushed around her food on her plate absentmindedly. That worried, pit-in-your-stomach feeling that she’d had on her first day in L.A. was beginning to grow. She needed to get a hold of a copy of the contract; she needed to know what exactly Sean had changed, if anything. It was entirely possible that everything he was requiring of them had, in fact, been in the document since day one. If so, that was what she got for signing something without reading it first. “Darcy!” Rocky’s voice cut through her thoughts. She glanced up at him. “It’s your turn to pick the movie tonight, what’ll it be? Scary, or funny?” he asked, leaning forward expectantly. She pretended to think for a few moments, though she truthfully had no preference of what movie they’d watch. She probably wouldn’t be paying attention anyways. “Scary.” She said finally. Ross and Rydel groaned. “You’re supposed to have my back, Darce!” Rydel complained. Darcy shrugged feebly. “Sorry!” she squeaked.

**

“Does anyone else need a blanket; because once I sit down I am not getting back up.” Stormie called as she tossed blankets to both Rocky and Rydel. “I think we’re good.” Ross assured her. Stormie nodded and sat down on the loveseat next to Mark. “Oh wait, I changed my mind.” Ryland said suddenly, smiling widely at his mother. Stormie gave him a look. He shrank back against the back of the recliner. “Nevermind.” He said feebly. Mark looked around. “Is Riker going to join us?” he asked. Ross nodded. “He said he would, he just ran upstairs to plug his phone into the charger.” Just then Riker came walking back down the stairs. “You didn’t have to wait on me.” He said quietly. He crossed the room and sat down in the only available spot; the one right next to Darcy on the couch. She had to make a conscious effort not to allow her jaw to fall open. Ross was seated on her other side; she could see the shock on his face from out of the corner of her eye. She could also see Rocky and Ryland eyeing Riker oddly from their shared position on the recliner. She turned her attention to the TV as ‘Sinister’ began playing. She cringed as the ominous music wafted through the living room. “Is it too late to change my mind?” she asked meekly. “Yes!” Rocky and Ryland chorused.

Forty-five minutes into the movie, Darcy was beginning to regret her choice. “Don’t go into the creepy hallway don’t go into the creepy hallway don’t-OH MY GOD!” she screeched as a bloody-faced ghost popped out on the screen. She heard a light chuckle from beside her. She snapped her head over to look; Riker was attempting to wipe a smile off of his face. An actual smile, not the usual cruel smirk he sported when he was around her. She turned her attention back to the television, dumbfounded. WHAT was going on? Riker’s behavior was almost freakier than the movie. She cringed yet again as another ghostly figured moved across the screen. Almost.

Darcy’s eyelids fluttered open. She glanced groggily at the clock on the TV stand; 3:00 in the morning. Once ‘Sinister’ had ended Stormie and Mark had gone to bed, leaving the six of them, plus Ellington, to themselves. Rydel had begged for a comedy of some sort to ease her nerves. Darcy yawned. She must have fallen asleep. She glanced around the living room without moving from her position. Rocky was stretched out in the recliner, sound asleep. Ryland and Rydel had taken over the loveseat; they were passed out as well. Ross had stretched out on the floor. And Riker…she slowly lifted her head. Riker was still in the same spot he had been hours earlier. She had fallen asleep on his shoulder. She shrugged and rested her head against him once more. He could move her in the morning if he wanted to. She was too exhausted to drag herself upstairs.

She awoke once again a few hours later. The clock on the TV revealed that it was 7:00 A.M., still a bit too early for her taste. She looked around the living room once more. Everyone was still in their position from the night before. She sat up quickly when she realized she was not. She was still on the couch, but Riker was nowhere to be found. She had a pillow beneath her head and a blanket had been stretched out across her. Stormie? Darcy glanced into the kitchen. Riker was the only one awake in the house; he was making himself a bowl of cereal. She quickly laid back down before he could see she was awake. If Riker was the only person awake, then he must have been the one to put the blanket on her. And find her a pillow. Her mind raced as she drifted back to sleep. She wasn’t sure what was going on with the oldest Lynch, but she intended to find out.