Looking At Us

52. shain

‘‘Horror movies!’’ said Cori, holding up a handful of DVDs. ‘‘What shall we watch?’’

     ‘‘Paranormal Activity 3,’’ Megan said, laying on the couch. 

     ‘‘Texas Chainsaw,’’ Erick suggested. 

     ‘‘Nothing!’’ I said. 

     Cori frowned. ‘‘Come on, Shain. You need some adventure. Watching horror movies is actually good for you, and it’s scientifically proven.’’

     ‘’I don’t care. I am not watching someone get massacred by a chainsaw. It’s really, really terrifying, and I don’t need that much fear in my life. I do, however, need some ice, ‘cause it’s hot, and I need my ice. Come, Megan.’’

     On the way to the kitchen, she tripped, still dazed from drinking. After ten, I’d found her sitting on the edge of the cliff, making out with Jake, and I’d brought her back to the  house, accompanied by Erick and Cori. 

     I filled two glasses with water and turned to her. ‘‘What the hell were you doing with Jake? I thought you had, you know, this huge heartache!’’ 

     ‘’I got drunk,’’ Megan said, like that explained everything. ‘‘Beer does things to you. He reminded me a bit of Cris, too. God. I don’t know. It’s fuzzy. Was it bad?’’

     ‘‘Yes, it was bad! His pants were unbuttoned and he had his hands in your shirt and God, it was disturbing. You are going to wake up tomorrow and remember everything and you are going to hate yourself for it. That’s your punishment, aside from the fact that Erick has changed his mind about you now.’’

     She frowned. ‘‘He’s been interested in you the whole time. I thought he got over me, like, yesterday.’’

     I shrugged and grabbed the ice cubes in the freezer. ‘’I don’t know. He just thinks you’re a bit of a slut, which is kind of what it looked like.’’

     ‘’Oh, did it, now?’’

     ‘’I guess, since you just started making out with a random pervert guy right after you had a break up. I mean, who does that?’’

     ‘‘Maybe depressed and drunk people do. Why are you concerned about this anyway?’’ She took a sip of water and crossed her arms. ‘‘Are we having a fight?’’

     ‘’I don’t know,’’ I said. ‘‘Maybe we are.’’

     We didn’t say anything. I couldn’t remember the last time I’d ever had a fight with Megan. Sure, she criticized me for my clothes and my attitude and my immaturity daily, but that was just our ritual. It was what made us friends. And now I was fighting with her because she’d gotten drunk and had kissed some random guy, and that really wasn’t worth anything. 

     Megan looked at me. ‘’Do you want to make up?’’

     I shrugged. I felt like I couldn’t speak. 

     Cori called, ‘‘Helloooo? We’re starting the movie! Who’s up for The Conjuring?’’ 

     ‘‘I’m sorry,’’ Megan said, her voice rough. 

     I nodded. ‘‘Yeah. Me, too. And I’m sure Erick’s sorry.’’

     She smiled, like she’d just remembered something. ‘‘Hey, you should come watch this horror movie. It’ll give Erick a chance to put his arms around you.’’

     My heart skipped a beat, and I looked down and blushed. ‘‘You really think he likes me?’’ I asked. 

     ‘‘Duh, it’s obvious,’’ Megan said, laughing a bit. ‘’He does. What’s not to like? You’re awesome. Most of the time.’’

     I punched her in the arm lightly, and we took our glasses of water and ice back to the TV room, and The Conjuring was starting, and the room was dark, and I sat down beside Erick on the floor, pressing my shoulder to his, and we watched a horror movie. 

     During the film, Cori screamed twice, just to be dramatic. 

     ‘‘It’s so fake,’’ Megan said, eating popcorn. 

     Erick said, ‘‘Shut up. This is the good part.’’ And then this creepy dude lunged at Andrea in her sleep and Cindy screamed as the spirit starting violently assaulting her sister. I saw blood; my stomach churned. 

     I said, ‘‘Ewww.’’

     ‘‘Yeah,’’ Erick whispered, leaning close to me, and I forgot the blood for a second. ‘’He always does that. Mauls them. It’s nasty.’’

     ‘’Mm-hmm. This is why I don’t watch horror movies. Creeeeeepy.’’ 

     ‘‘Are you scared?’’

     ‘’No.’’ As much as I liked this boy, I didn’t want to tell him that a little blood unnerved me. That would just be sad. 

     Erick smirked. ‘‘Sure. Here, um . . .’’ He held out his arms. ‘‘May I?’’

     Oh my God. Why isn’t every boy polite like this? 

     ‘‘Yeah,’’ I said, and Erick wrapped his arms around me, pulling the blanket tighter around us. My body tensed, and I felt so awkward and uncertain of what I should do next, but then I felt his thumb rubbing circles on my arm, and I relaxed. I put my head in the crook of his neck and pressed my thigh up against his, loosening the tightness of my muscles and giving in to Erick, to this wonderful boy who I was so deeply in love with—

     ‘‘Aww!’’ Cori said, startling us. ‘‘It’s Sherick! You guys are soooo cute!’’ 

     Megan said, ‘‘Sherick.’’ 

     ‘‘Yeah. Shain plus Erick. Sherick!’’

     ‘‘Are you guys officially together now?’’

     I smiled into Erick’s shoulder, smelling his green apple smell as he looked up at them. ‘’I don’t know. Should we be?’’

     ‘‘YES!’’ 

     Erick laughed, so I did, too, and he kissed my cheek, and my skin tingled. 

     Cori said, after screaming at the movie, ‘‘Have you ever kissed a girl, Erick?’’

     ‘‘Yes,’’ he said. 

     ‘’Oh my gosh, really?’’ 

     ‘‘Yes,’’ he said again. 

     Megan asked, ‘‘Who?’’

     Erick hesitated. ‘’Um. Sasha.’’

     ‘‘WHAT?!’’ 

     So Megan and Cori forgot about the movie and fell down beside us, asking questions about Erick’s first kiss with Sasha Hawk. He explained how she’d taken him to the Domnall’s house and they’d spied on Cris and Megan (‘’Oh my God, you dickhead!’’ Megan said) and then Sasha had given him his first ‘experience’ on kissing. 

     ‘’It was crazy. She was, like, trying to eat my face or something,’’ he said, glancing nervously at me, but I didn’t feel jealous. One of my friends had once said that it wasn’t the first kiss that was important; it was the second kiss. If Erick and I kissed tonight, it would be my second kiss as well. The thought gave me shivers. 

     Later, after the movie, we got ready for bed while Adele played softly on Cori’s phone. She and Megan hummed to Someone Like You while brushing their teeth, which I found both weird and soothing, and Erick opened his copy of The Maze Runner. I lay down beside him and asked if it was good. 

     ‘‘Yes,’’ he said quietly, meeting my eyes. ‘‘Have you read it?’’

     ‘‘Once, a couple of years ago, but I don’t remember much of it.’’

     ‘‘Teresa has just woken up,’’ he said, ‘‘and the sky has turned gray.’’

     I nodded. ‘‘Right. I know that part.’’

     He read for a few minutes, and then he slid his arm into my sleeping bag and took my hand.