Those Cold Eyes ✓

Chapter 25

A few uneventful days passed after the incident at the locker, or perhaps it shouldn't be called incident, it was merely a bit weird. Zach hadn't told me anything more. If anything he'd grown a bit more distanced again. I would often catch him looking into empty space, lost in thought. I wanted to ask him, but I had promised I wouldn't pry. I just had to trust that my patience would make him open up to me in the end.

We were still seeing each other, and even if he sometimes zoned out, he was turning out to be more than I could ever have hoped for. He had literally crashed into my life and nestled into my entire being. I was very close to falling in love, or at least that was what I thought. I knew the difference between sexual attraction and love, but yeah, he was definitely becoming something more to me than the sexiest guy I'd ever met.

Since Tobias had been at home this weekfor some reason, my thoughts were strangely free of my old tormentor. That also meant that Zach was on my mind 24/7. I smiled at that thought and decided to send him a message. It was Saturday and we hadn't made any plans for once. 

#You up for something tonight?#

I watched my phone, waiting for a response. Lovesick teenager...extremely disturbing when you came to think about it. I sighed and put it away. After a few seconds I pulled it up again just to see, just to make sure. No response. I shook my head at myself, put the phone away and went downstairs.

"Hi Dylan, want to go watch a movie with me tonight?" Lily asked when I entered the kitchen.

"You want to watch a movie with your brother? Lil, have you no friends?" I asked. She scowled back, thrusting her tongue out.

"Well yes, we haven't done anything fun in ages. You're just hanging with that boyfriend of yours – you know the silent guy that never talks to anyone other than you... he's pretty scary you know."

"Zach isn't scary, just a little misunderstood."

"Sure..." she said dismissively.

"Hey, this is not the way to make me go to the movies with you, just so you know," I told her, a bit harsher than I'd intended.

She just stared at me, clearly a little shocked. "Dylan, you really care about this guy, don't you?"

The expression in her face, the honesty, the seriousness, made me back down instantly.

"Yeah, I think I do."

"I'm so happy for you Dylan, I think it's the first time I've heard you defend someone like that. Well, at least since...you know."

"So, movies," I interrupted, "what did you have in mind?"

I realized that I actually had neglected her for quite a while, and I didn't want to become that guy who just sat around waiting for a phone call or a message.

"Well, I have no idea, why don't we just go there and you we can pick the first one we find interesting."

"You'll buy the popcorn though," I said, shooting her a playful glare.

"Of course big brother, I'm the girl after all, I should definitely pay to prove that we're not completely incapable."

"Always the feminist sis, and an awesome one at that," I said, ruffling her hair – just as I knew she wanted me to...not!

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We went to the movies, and for good measure I refused to bring my phone. I didn't want to pine anymore tonight, and I didn't want to ruin this with Lily. If Mom needed us she could call Lily.

Lily did pay for the popcorn, and as the good brother I was, I let her decide the movie. Of course, I would probably have retracted that freedom if she chose something like Twilight – but she didn't. She wasn't one of those girls – however popular she was in school.