Short & Sweet | ✓

Promise

Please come watch it with me I have no one else to go with 😫

But if it's just the two of us won't it be kind of like a...date?

Invite Ben! You can invite Ben then I'm just third wheeling two best mates. Pleeeeease Owen you're my only chance at watching this film

Ben's busy on Halloween he's taking his sister trick or treating it would just be us two

And why's that so bad?? Please Owen

It's bad because it's just me and you

What the worst that could happen??

I could kiss you

Well I'm sorry that the idea of kissing me revolts you sooooo much that you can't go anywhere with me

You know that's not true. It's not that the idea's revolting. It's that it's NOT revolting.

I know

Yeah, so, I'm sorry that I can't come. Guess you'll have to ask someone else

I have no one else to ask. Look if it means you'll come with me, I PROMISE I won't let you kiss me. No matter how much I might want you to

Promise?

Promise.

Fine. Get me a ticket.

~*~

As I walk towards the cinema complex, I can't believe I let Tess talk me into coming. The light was already fading at the not so late time of 6:40 and I place my hands in the pockets of my skinny jeans. Me and Tess have always had something. But we both agreed it wasn't worth risking our friendship for. Usually, it's not so hard to ignore. But usually, we aren't alone together in the dark.

Tess had somehow convinced me to come and watch this Halloween film she'd been dying to see. It's only showing for one night and if she had no one to go with...well, she wouldn't have been able to watch it at all.

I walk into the foyer, looking for the head of blonde hair I know so well, giving myself an internal pep talk. I spot her in the line for the food counter and cut in next to her, ignoring the annoyed stares of people behind me.

"Hey T." I say from behind her.

She jumps and turns, looking up at me with brown eyes. "You scared me."

"Sorry." I reply, laughing.

"You will be." She responds, eyes narrowed.

"You say that every time and yet, nothing ever happens."

"Just you wait, I'm building up to it."

"Lucky me."

We continue talking all through the line, all the way to our seats, and all throughout the ads. Only to fall silent when the film eventually begins. As soon as the lights go down, I'm instantly aware of my every point of contact with Tess.

It's ridiculous, but no amount of inner scolding stops my shoulders tensing at Tess' every shift. She leans closer, I tense. She crosses her legs, I tense. She puts her leg back on the floor, I tense. She reaches for her popcorn, I tense. I can't relax, I can't concentrate, I can't even keep track of the film.

This never happens. We always hang out in a group, I can sit next to Tess fine then; so why is this so different? Why am I so physically effected by the sound of her breathing, the way her eyes follow the characters on screen, everything, every little detail of her is obsessed over in my head. And I can't make it stop. Everything about her is perfect.

Everything.

The film ends and the lights come back on and I can barely stop myself from breathing a sigh of relief. She looks over at me, eyes lit with fresh excitement.

"That. Was. Amazing."

I nod in agreement, despite having no idea what happened during the film. "It sure was."

We're soon stood back in the foyer as Tess waits for her ride home. "Are you sure you don't want a lift?"

"Nah, it's fine, I'll get the bus."

"If you're sure..."

"I'm positive."

She smiles, then leans in, giving me a hug. "Thank you for coming with me."

Me breath is caught in my throat and I'm forced to just give her a quick squeeze as reply.

She pulls away, but remains close. Close enough for me to smell her perfume, close enough for me to see every detail of her face, close enough for me to kiss her.

So I say screw it. I give my own brain the finger, and I lean in. Tess tilts her head, her lips close, so, so close.

But she pulls away, shaking her head.

"I promised Owen. I promised you."

Shit.

Why? Why would I ever make her promise something like that? I want to kiss her. I need to kiss her. It was never a matter of saving friendship. It was a matter of being scared. But I don't want to be scared anymore. I won't be. I want to kiss Tess Rhodes. And she wants to kiss me.

So what's stopping us.

"I want you to break it."

"Owen, the risk-"

"Everything we ever do has risks. But we still do them. Please Tess. If you want to kiss me as badly as I want to kiss you right now, break it."

So she does.