The walk towards the theater was filled with chatter, though I wasn’t participating myself. I hadn’t been able to really look at Eli since back at the arcade. The image of his small hands engulfed in my own still engraved in my mind, and the sound of his laughter still ringing in my ears.
I hadn’t spent much time alone with Eli before this, mostly due to the fact that he had seemed to dislike me. Or at the very least, he didn’t like the fact that I was an alpha. That much had been made clear to me. I didn’t really blame him though, as many alphas were rude and arrogant. Always trying to prove something, whatever that might be. For being so strong and powerful, alphas sure were sensitive.
We made our way towards the theater, but once there we realized the last showing of the movie we wanted to watch had just started, so we had to quickly buy tickets and make our way into the movie theater. Eli had excused himself to go to the toilet quickly before the movie, making the rest of us find our spot in the theater. The lights had already been turned off, commercials currently rolling on the big screen, but the lack of light didn’t bother us as we could see quite well in the dark. Just as I was about to take a seat, Simon took a hold of my arm.
- Uhm, I don’t want to sit on the edge of the row... Would you mind changing seats?
- Uh... Sure, I guess?
- Great, thanks!
Simon squeezed himself in front of me, further along the row of seats. I simply sat down in Simon’s seat, making myself comfortable with my snacks and soda. A handful of commercials and movie trailers passed before I could hear the door to the theater open and close quickly. I didn’t pay it any mind until I could feel someone coming closer to where I was sitting. I felt the smell of him before I could see him, Eli was now scanning the rows right beside me, and as I looked up I met his eyes in the dark. He looked at me, his eyes growing momentarily before he seemingly schooled his expression. Before I had the chance to offer and stand up so he could pass by me easier, he began walking into the row of seats our friend group was occupying. I reacted on pure instinct as I felt him stumble on one of my shoes, making him fall forwards. I caught him in mid-air, one hand splayed across his chest, and another on his lower back. He had seemingly also caught himself slightly on the armrest on the seat next to mine, which happened to be empty. The second he regained his composure, cheeks flaring red, I quickly retracted my hands, placing them firmly on my thighs. I looked at the screen, but I could see in my peripheral that Eli slowly sat down in the seat next to me. I didn’t dare look at him as I asked if he was ok.
- Shut up and watch the movie.
- Ah... O-ok.
So I did. I didn’t say another word to Eli, or anyone else during the entire movie. Though I wasn’t really looking at the movie either, as there were multiple instances where both me and Eli accidentally touched each other’s hands or brushed arms, fumbled once or twice with our fingers as we tried to go for the shared snack bowl at the same time. By the time the movie was on its last few minutes, I was practically burning up in my seat. I hadn’t been able to relax during the whole movie, for every time I did, something else happened with Eli. I didn’t know why I was acting so weird around him today, but I figured it was the constant accumulation of embarrassing instances that had kept piling on all day. I reached out to take a last sip of my almost-empty soda, when I brushed against Eli’s hand, which was resting on his armrest. My brain immediately reacted by trying to move away my hand, but this time I felt Eli grab a hold of my hand. I looked up from where our hands were now resting on his armrest, to meet his gaze which was chilly and annoyed.
- What is your problem?
- Wha- I don’t have a problem?
- Oh? Then why are you so antsy, you’ve been bouncing your leg for almost thirty minutes now, it’s pissing me off.
- I’m sorry! I didn’t realize.
I looked down towards my legs, realizing they were now completely still. I didn’t want to think of the implication of that so I looked back up to meet Eli’s eyes again, realizing he had also noticed I wasn’t moving my leg anymore.
- How can you not realize it-
- I get antsy when I’m nervous, ok I can’t help it.
- Why are you nervous?
I felt myself go stiff, my hand which Eli still hadn’t let go off was now clammy with cold sweat. I felt my cheeks warm up as I held our gaze. I watched as annoyance turned to disbelief and further into embarrassment, but just as I was about to try and explain myself, the lights inside the theater turned on, I quickly whipped my head towards the screen, which was now rolling the end credits.
- Quite the movie, huh?
I looked up to meet Simon, now standing by Eli, probably waiting for us to get our things and walk out, though he was looking rather amusedly at our hands, which we were still holding on to. I felt Eli quickly release my hand, and I retracted it, as if I had been burned. I didn’t dare look at Eli, only hearing the rest of his friend group chatting animatedly about the movie. We finally stood up, I grabbed the trash and quickly strode off towards the exit, throwing it all in the bin before opening the exit, walking the few steps in the corridor before I was welcomed by the cold evening breeze as the theater’s exits all led to the parking lot on the backside of the cinema. I took in a few deep breaths of fresh air, before I heard the exit door open once more, and being bombarded with the smells and sounds of Simon, Eli and the others. As I walked along them, trying to stay a few steps behind them, I wished for nothing else but to be home already. So I could take a long cold shower and bundle up in my bed, because this day had been too much.
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