Last Flight to L.A.

chapter sixteen: midnight movies

"We've all got both light and darkness inside us. What matters is the part we choose to act on. That's who we really are."

~Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

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"Oh, yes, you know you're trouble, don't you?" Kelsey cooed, rubbing Roadkill's face as he wagged his tail.

When Ethan called him over to play tug-of-war with a slobbery rope, Kelsey leaned back on her hands and looked around. Ethan had said he lived in an apartment, but Kelsey was seeing something a little more than a typical condo.

It resembled a house, but wasn't nearly as fancy as Kelsey had expected—not like Becca Lynn's residence, anyway. It was spacious, of course, but cozy.

It was pretty much a mess, with dog toys strewn across the carpet in the living room, a fair amount of dishes in the sink, and a suitcase left on the dining room table.

She yawned sleepily and glanced at the time. It was almost eleven o'clock.

Roadkill plodded over to her and she smiled. "Hey buddy."

"He tore up my couch too, if that's any consolation to your roommate," Ethan sighed.

"He didn't mean it, did he?" Kelsey said, talking to Roadkill. "He just likes all the fluffy stuff inside."

"I also took him to the set one day and he ran off. Found him in the snack lounge, eating all the treats the actors were giving him."

Kelsey giggled and stifled another yawn.

"Hey, none of that," Ethan reprimanded. "We're gonna pull an all-nighter if your roommate doesn't text you—like a high school lock-in."

Kelsey rolled her eyes and groaned as he pulled her to her feet.

"So he's going on this shooting spree just because someone killed his dog?" Kelsey asked, propping her chin up on one finger as they watched a movie of Ethan's choice.

"He meant a lot to him," Ethan explained.

"And that means he has to massacre everyone in a pointless bloodbath? I mean, I love dogs, but..."

Ethan gasped and covered Roadkill's ears, who was contentedly sitting between them. "Don't listen to her, I'd seek revenge if anyone tried to hurt you, pal. Don't worry."

Kelsey leaned back on the couch, mindlessly watching the plethora of guns, punches, and knife-wielding. If she closed her eyes, she could remember nights just like this with her family. The boys always won when they fought with the girls over watching a chick-flick or action movie—mainly because Kelsey and her mom secretly enjoyed them.

She fought to stay awake and would pretend to be interested when Ethan glanced at her.

But once she rested her head against the arm of the couch, she fell sound asleep.

                                                                                  ~~~~~~~~

Kelsey woke up, panicked for a second, not knowing where she was. Light spilled in from the window and she sat up blearily.

Ethan had put a blanket over her and placed a throw pillow under her head sometime during the night. She smiled absently.

As soon as Kelsey got her bearings, panic fled through her. She'd stayed the night at Ethan's...what would Sandy think?