playing dangerous (E.C.)

eight

"You wanna share some of that with me?" Eyeball asked as he stared down Layla's clark bar. Eyeball purchased two clark bars, two cokes, and a popcorn.

Layla looked at him like he was crazy.

"C'mon, Layla. Just a bite."

"No."

"Well, why not? I bought it." He tried to reason.

"You already ate yours, and most of the popcorn too! The movie hasn't even started yet!"

"Don't attack me for being hungry."

She rolled her eyes and bit her lip to hide a laugh. Then, she handed him her clark bar. "Take a small bite."

Eyeball grinned at her as he took the world's largest bite ever. She gasped, quickly grabbing her candy bar back. He laughed hard, earning a 'shh' from the old couple sitting below them.

"Great going, Eyeball."

"Sorry." He whispered. Layla only nodded as the movie was starting. Eyeball didn't care for the movie. If he had a choice, he'd be making her watch Night of the Living Dead. The more he thought about it, the more he wished he was. He kept thinking about what it'd be like to watch Layla get scared. Eyeball hoped she'd curl up with him, and he could wrap his arm around her. But, no. He was watching a childish movie.

Twenty minutes passed, and he was glued to the screen. He loved Baloo's character. He tried not to laugh at the funny parts in case someone was watching, but he'd look at Layla to see her expressions. She'd laugh and smile, and by the end of it, she almost cried. Eyeball wouldn't admit it out loud, but he adored her.

When the movie finished, the lights turned back on. Eyeball yawned and stretched out to make it look like he'd been sleeping, but Layla knew better. She had glimpsed over at him watching, trying his best not to smile.

"Did you like it?" She asked.

Eyeball chuckled as if that was the most pathetic question he'd ever heard. "You think I enjoyed that? Hell no."

She smiled. "Yeah, okay. Can you take me home?"

"What? No." He looked around nervously. "I mean, uh, why don't you stay out for a little bit? Come to Charlie's with me."

"Yeah, okay sure." She replied. Relief washed over him as he led her outside to his car. He wanted to spend as much time with her as he could.

-

Charlie's house was nicer than most. Eyeball had explained that his parents were extremely rich, but made Charlie feel like dirt. Layla completely understood that. After Denny passed, her parents were never around. They always had excuses for coming home late, or being away in different states. It was like they had vanished.

"You guys going steady or what?" Charlie asked, breathing into his third cigarette since they'd arrived. Leslie was sitting next to him. If Ace knew she was alone with Charlie, he'd kill him and keep her locked up till she turned thirty.

"No. We're friends."

Eyeball immediately chimed, "Friends with benefits."

His response earned a few laughs from Charlie and Leslie, and a gag from Layla.

"You wish."

"You bet I do." He smiled, leaning closer to her. She playfully hit him. "Ow, not here babe."

She tried not to laugh, but ultimately failed when she saw his playful smirk. "You're a jerk."

"Yeah, yeah. Y'know ya like me."

What she'd soon admit, is that she did.