It's Not You. It's Me. And No! He is Not My Boyfriend!

“Stop! I’m trying to watch the movie!” I slapped Carter’s arm away. It was quickly replaced with another, which I swatted away. That arm was again quickly replaced.

“Come on,” he whined as I continued to wrestle with his arms. “This movie is sooo boring!”

“Since when did you become an octopus? It’s almost over. The other vampire clan just found her.”

“I thought the only reason couples came to the movies was to make out,” Carter, finally giving up, slouched back in his seat with his arms locked over his chest.

“Oh come on!” I rolled my eyes. “I would let you watch your stupid action movies that have no plot.”

“That’s because you like watching those too!”

I heaved a big sigh before I conceded, “I’ll let you put your arms around me if you promise to just let me watch this movie.”

“Finnnnee,” Carter wrapped his arms around me, still with a scowl.

It was cold in the movie theater and his arms provided warmth so even though he was still unsatisfied I was. Now if only he could’ve morphed into Edward Cullen in someway I might have been even a little more satisfied.

“You should pay attention to this. You might learn a thing or too.”

“What are you talking about? This guy has zero game! I’m surprised that idiot girl fell for him. If I was her dad I’d be getting the stake right about now!”

“Her dad doesn’t know he’s a vampire!”

“Oh right. It makes it all the more romantic,” Carter shook his hands with sarcasm.

“If you ever want to make out with me again, you’ll let me watch this horrible movie in peace!”

“That movie was terrible!” Carmen screamed once we stepped outside the theater.

“I know! They totally butchered the book.”

“By the looks of the movie, the book butchered the book!” Carter muttered to Brian who roared into a fit of laughter.

“We never said it was a good book!” Carmen hit Brian in the stomach.

Carter looked at me and pleaded, “Please don’t hit me. I can’t stand any more pain. Sitting through that movie with no action was enough pain for tonight.”

“Maybe you’re right,” I interlaced my fingers into Carter’s. “Let’s get something to eat! I’m starving!”

“Oh! I forgot to tell you!” Carmen turned towards me with a apologetic expression plastered upon her face. “I have a family function that I have to attend.” she rolled her eyes. “I’m lucky I could get out for the movie. We have to get back to my house now.”

“Oh that’s cool. Carter and I can just get dinner. Good luck!” Carmen and I shared a hug. Brian and Carter shared a brug, and then the two ran off the Brian’s car, leaving Carter and me alone.

“Where do you wanna eat?” he asked once we watched Brian and Carmen speed away.

“I hope Carmen’s wearing a seatbelt. Brian drives like a maniac!”

“I’ve never been to that restaurant before. What kind of food is served there?”

“Shut up!” I smacked him in the arm. “Let’s just go to Chilis,” I began walking in the direction of the building where a big red neon chili pepper stood.

“We don’t have to go there if you don’t want to,” Carter ran to catch up with me. “I don’t mind driving somewhere else.”

“It’s fine. I like Chilis, and it’s convenient. I’m really hungry.”

“Okay,” he shrugged.

We walked across the Cinema World parking lot in unusual silence. I could only think of the terrible news Carter was getting ready to tell me. His lack of insults had to mean something was wrong. He was a mutant. I knew it. Every other Saturday he becomes some slimy thing. I was piecing it all together. It explained why he had to go “babysit” his brother when we went to the beach that one time.

“So the truth comes out,” I broke the silence as we crossed into the Chilis parking lot. “You’re a disgusting mutant.”

“Well I thought I looked pretty good tonight!” Carter pretended to begin crying.

“No. I mean, you’re getting ready to confess this to me. That could only explain the lack of insults here.”

“Oh yeah. That’s definitely the only reason why I wouldn’t be insulting you! You got it on the mark. How have you not graduated a year early?”

“Don’t patronize me!”

“Well, don’t give me things to patronize.”

“I demand explanations!” I walked through the door Carter held open for me. “Thanks.”

“Two?” the hostess questioned once we stepped inside from the vestibule.

“Yup.”

“Follow me!”

The hostess lead us to one of those cute two person booths, and handed us two menus.

“Your waitress is Karen. She should be with you in a minute,” she informed us before zooming away.

“Don’t think I forget about explanations!”

“What? You totally got it. I’m a mutant. I’ll even show you my true form!” Carter screwed his face up into the most disgusting expression he could twist it into. “I hope you can accept me for who I am,” he made his voice sound like the Elephant Man.

“I am not amused.”

“Ah,” he flipped his wrist in my direction. “You’re never amused.”

“Am too! When I’m insulting you!”

“We’re dysfunctional!” Carter stated matter-of-factly.

“Thanks!” I giggled.

Carter enveloped my hand, which laid on the table, as we looked over the menu.

“I think you should pay for dinner for making sit through that movie.”

“I think that’s the worst idea I’ve ever heard beside that time I made us pretend to be boyfriend and girlfriend. Remember that?”

“Yeah” Carter sighed. “It feels like it was three weeks ago.”

Another silence passed over the table. I watched Carter’s thumb slowly stroke the hand his hand was enveloping. I looked up to meet his eyes which were staring intently at me.

“I don’t think that pretending to boyfriend and girlfriend was a bad idea.”

“Hey guys!” a busty blonde girl interrupted Carter. “I’m Karen and I’ll be your waitress for the evening. Can I get you something to drink?”

“I think we’re ready to order,” Carter looked in my direction for my nod of agreement.

“Okay then! What are we having?” Karen stared at me.

“Can I have the mozzarella sticks and a water please?”

“Sure! And for you?”

“Can I have the Bacon Ranch Chipotle Burger, and a coke?”

“Sure thing! I’ll put that right in for you guys!” Karen grabbed our menus and ran off with our ‘thank yous’ lagging behind.

“I hope you have gum because I’m not kissing you after that meal.”

“Yeah. Yeah,” Carter re-enveloped my hand.

***

“So why do you think that us pretending to be dating was a good idea?” I asked Carter, remembering what he had been saying before the waitress interrupted.

Carter wrapped his arms harder around me, due to my shudder from the fall wind that rustled through the trees.

“Because, then I would’ve never had to nerve to ask you out.”

I nuzzled my head into his chest. For a blubbering idiot he could be really sweet sometimes.

“Maybe you don’t need to learn from Edward Cullen,” I murmured into his chest.

“Maybe,” he lightly lifted my chin up and let his lips softly brush mine.

The kiss deepened as Carter’s hands slid down my back, pulling me even closer to him. I twisted one of my hands into his hair while I laid the other upon his chest. My lips parted slightly as Carter slowly slipped his tongue into my mouth. Our tongues danced with each other before they moved into Carter’s mouth to begin the dance again.

Minutes, more like fifteen minutes, later we parted breathless.

“What happened to not kissing me?” he planted a light kiss on my forehead.

I shrugged, “I decided against it,” my teeth chattered as the wind blew again.

“You’re shivering. Go inside.”

“I don’t want to.”
 Carter tightly wrapped his arms around me again, and we stood in that position for a while.

“I’ll talk to you tomorrow?”

“Yeah!” I gave him a peck on the lips. “Just call after seven. I have a history paper to write tomorrow. No distractions!”

“Okay,” Carter gave me a half smile before giving me another soft kiss on the lips. “Goodnight.”
“‘Night.”