CHAPTER 56
877 Words
Cooper glanced around, horrified. But if anyone else noticed, they didn't let on.
Jessica stared up at Calla, her mouth twisted in a sneer. Calla's eyes narrowed, and
something in the other girl's expression faltered. She looked away with a roll of her
eyes, throwing open the theater door a little too quickly.
When she spoke, not even the venom of her words could disguise the quiver in her
voice. "And screw you too, Calla," she called over her shoulder, disappearing into the
dark theater.
Cooper stared at Calla, dumbfounded. And not just because he'd never seen her
break character in public before. But because he hadn't expected that she would ever defend him for any reason at all.
Oh, God. Cooper watched her usual mask slip back into place. She's going to kill her.
Damn it. What am I going to—
"Hey." Ryan reached up to throw an arm over Cooper's shoulders. "You're right.
Screw her, right?"
"Seriously. Don't listen to her," Ali chimed in. She wrapped her arms around Steven's
waist and shot Calla a kind smile. He hugged her back absentmindedly. Trevor
Miles, who stood on his other side, disguised a gag.
Steven bit back a grin. "She's just in a mood for some reason. What'd you do, Ryan?
Spill something in her car?"
"Ketchup," he confirmed, also fighting back a smile. "Father forgive me, for I have
sinned."
"What did I miss?"
Cory Michaels walked up to their group with his arms spread wide, eyes flickering
from face to face. His gaze lingered on Calla, who offered him a smile.
"Jessica," Ali and Stephanie said in unison.
Why did girls think that was actually an answer?
"Ah." Cory walked over to Calla and leaned against her shoulder. He looked down at
her with a soft smile. "Well, don't let the wicked b***h of the west bother you."
Ryan and the other guys laughed. Even Stephanie grinned, throwing her arm around
Calla's other side so that she and Cory had her sandwiched between them. Calla
rolled her eyes and sighed, playfully bemoaning her predicament.
Their group slowly began piling into the theater, Cooper shuffling in with Ryan and
Trevor, who'd also been there the day Jacob beat him within an inch of his life.
Funny, how the thought barely bothered Cooper now.
He had much bigger problems.
Since when are those two at each other's throats? Cooper wondered, aware of Ryan
by his side. As far as he knew, Jessica and Ryan had always been amicable, if not
friendly. And now...they weren't?
"I always knew Jess could be crazy, but..." Cooper commented as they filed down
an aisle midway up the theater. He'd somehow ended up in line behind Calla, which
meant he'd be between her and Ryan. What a combo.
"I dunno, dude." Ryan sighed as they sat, settling in near where he and Calla had
been originally. As if on cue, Calla pulled a bag of popcorn out of nowhere, resuming
her animated snacking.
"She's just been so... tense lately." Ryan shrugged off his hoodie and readjusted his
Grateful Dead t-shirt. "Like, I get it. Breakups suck. But don't take it out on other
people, y'know?"
"Definitely. Don't get me wrong. I like a clean car. But she's gotta chill."
"Yeah," Ryan murmured, the lights dimming as the previews began to roll.
He said nothing else on the subject, instead turning his attention to Trevor on his
other side, the two muttering about something Cooper couldn't make out.
He liked Ryan. And Jessica was, without a doubt, a horrible b***h. So why did
Cooper get the feeling that Ryan had just lied to him?
Cooper's phone buzzed and he slipped it out of his pocket, ignoring Calla smacking
his shoulder with the back of her hand, hissing something about no phones inside
the theater. His heart sank when he saw who the message was from.
You at the movies with Calla?
Calla leaned over to peer at his phone. He tried to shoulder her out of the way,
frantically typing back: It's not like that...other people are here too.
And then he waited. And waited. And waited until the previews were almost
finished. But Vincent never responded.
"What's all that about?" Calla hissed, keeping her voice low.
Cooper sighed. "Vincent thinks we're dating."
Calla, who had been taking a sip from her drink, choked. She coughed as subtly into
her hand as possible, shooting Cooper a look. " What ?"
"He's pissed we're at the movies together," Cooper explained. The lights dimmed,
signaling the start of the film. "'Cause, y'know. We're secret lovers."
"Oh my God. "
Stephanie tapped Calla's shoulder, grabbing her attention for Cory, who sat on
Stephanie's other side and looked quite put off about that fact. She grudgingly
turned away from Cooper, wiping the exasperated look from her face.
I can't believe my best friend thinks I'm dating a psychopath, Cooper thought with
despair, sinking into his seat as the movie began to play.
Then again...I can't believe my best friend wants to date a psychopath.
Cooper didn't know which was worse. All he knew was that he needed to make
things right with Vincent—and catch a killer—before his time finally ran out.
- Writer
