Chasing Shadows

16 Take-Two

A L E C

Rain pounded on the roof of my car. It drowned out the radio and even the usual engine noise. Water streamed down the windshield in fast rivulets obscuring my vision. I could still make out the marquee of the theater lit up in the afternoon gloom in bright red and orange neon lights.

Next to me, Ella smiled as she texted. Her phone cast her face in blue light. She slipped her phone into her purse and looked at me.

"Ready?"

I didn't have an umbrella in the car so we'd have to make a mad dash for the doors. Sheets of rain fell all around us. No matter how fast we ran, we'd be soaked. I took her hand and kissed it.

"See you on the other side."

Simultaneously we opened our doors. Warm rain lashed my face. I hit the lock button on my fob and started to run. Ella was beside me. We splashed through puddles, hand in hand. We made it to the theater overhang, but not without taking on a lot of water. Ella laughed and touched her hair.

"It's going to frizz out by the end."

"You'll still be beautiful to me." I bent down and kissed her lightly.

From the parking lot, I heard loud piercing giggles over the rain. Reagan and Pierce made the same mad dash Ella and I just had. I frowned seeing them clasp hands, sprinting through puddles. God, how I hated him.

They reached us, breathless. Reagan's face was lit up by a wide grin. Pierce came up behind her, wrapping his arms around her shoulders. What was he trying to do? Mark his territory?

"Who's ready to watch some spandexed superheroes beat up bad guys?" Pierce asked. He rested his chin on the top of Reagan's head. I wanted to knock his stupid grin from his face.

"Me!" Ella raised her hand. "I got our tickets already, so let's do this!"

Ella hooked her arm through mine and dragged me inside. The heavy odor of popcorn and butter hit me like a brick wall. The theater was fairly busy for a weekday afternoon. Mostly with tweens looking for something to do during the rain. Excited chatter drowned out the TVs playing previews all around us. Going to the movies on rainy days used to be an activity reserved for just Reagan and me.

Ella showed her phone to the cashier. While we got our tickets printed, Reagan and Pierce stood in line for popcorn and drinks. His hand rested on the small of her back. If I was a dog the fur on my back would have stood to a point, with my ears flattened and hackles up.

"Hey," Ella nudged me gently with her elbow, "Remember what we talked about last night."

"Yeah, yeah. Sorry."

She looked at me with an odd expression, like I was a puzzle she couldn't figure out. I forced a smile, but it didn't lessen her stare. She walked to the concessions stand without taking my hand. Her smile returned in the presence of Pierce and Reagan.

I took up the rear of our little party. Ella and Reagan walked together. They talked animatedly with one another. Pierce walked on Reagan's other side. He held her hand, lacing their fingers together. He laughed along with whatever the girls said. I kept my distance, hands shoved in my pockets.

Ella looked over her shoulder at me. "Come on, grumpy Gus," she said.

I picked up my pace and took Ella's hand in mine. Pierce wouldn't ruin a day out with my girlfriend. I shot him a glare over the girls' heads, but he remained oblivious.

The entire movie Reagan put up the armrest and snuggled into Pierce. Thankfully they didn't whisper the whole time. When it was over, Ella and I left without much of a good-bye. I didn't want to stay a second longer. I even skipped the post-credits scene in a bid to avoid conversation with Pierce.

"You know," Ella said back in the car. "Reagan has been nothing but nice to me since we started dating. You might show a little kindness to Pierce. You know, he's my friend too."

The rain stopped while we sat through the movie, but I wished it still drowned out the noise inside the car. I didn't want to talk about Pierce and Reagan.

"He's just so smug."

I went to put the key in the ignition, but Ella stopped me. Her warm hand stayed on mine and her eyes bore into me.

"He has been known to be, yes, but not last night and not today. He's not the problem. You're the problem."

It was Deja vu. Helen's accusation the night before came back in a torrent, stronger than the rains from earlier. My hand fell to my side, key clutched in my fingers.

"You wanted Reagan, your best friend, to be happy. As happy as us. Now you're unhappy and, quite frankly, a pain to be around. And you have been since you caught Reagan kissing him on the Fourth."

"It's not me, it's him."

Ella struck the dashboard, surprising me. "Say it, Alec."

"Say what?" I narrowed my eyes at her. What was she implying?

Through the windshield, I saw Reagan and Pierce exit the theater. My jaw tightened and my hand clenched. The key dug into my palm. Ella reached for the door handle.

"I'm getting a ride home with them." She jerked her head in the direction of the theater. "And don't bother calling or texting. I don't want to be in a relationship with someone who accepted me as a consolation prize."

"What are you even talking about?" I snapped.

She opened the door, one foot on the wet pavement already. "You didn't want her when you were both single. Now she's with someone else, you can't have her, and it drives you insane."

"You're talking nonsense."

Ella's eyes brimmed with tears and she shook her head. "Good-bye, Alec. I'm done here." She got out of the car and slammed the door on me.

I watched helplessly as she called and waved at Reagan and Pierce. I imagined them talking about me as she walked with them to Pierce's car. I remained in my car, not bothering to drive off. I just watched as they all did. I covered my face and started to cry.

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