Dylan
“Dylan!”
Hazel’s screams are practically squeals as she throws herself across my body.
“Give itback!”
“Nope. Andrew promisedmepopcorn, not you.”
I stick my tongue out at her playfully, and she pauses. Her freckles and green eyes draw me in. They disarm me. She licks my tongue quickly and steals the popcorn from my outstretched hand.
“Sick! Hazel, that's only okay in the bedroom!”
Tonight is going so much better than I expected it could. Well, I guess I didn’t reallyhaveexpectations for how tonight would go, but I really didn’t think things could feel back to normal this quickly. Maybenot ever, but especially, not so soon.
“Okay, relax, you two. I just put more popcorn in and soon everyone can have their own bowl.”
Andrew brings out the biggest blanket he owns. It’s plush and king-size, and he throws it over us on the couch before turning the lights low, handing us our popcorn, and pressing play on our movie.
I like the feeling of him covering us with his gigantic blanket. It smells like him and Hazel. She leans against me, lightly and her tiny frame fits like a puzzle piece into mine.
Nostalgia tingles in my throat as the sound of a guitar strumming dances through the speakers. A fishhook lands in a pond, with a reflection of a moon above. The screen pans up into the night clouds before reaching the crescent moon.
I haven’t felt this way since I was a kid. Being snuggled up under this blanket with Hazel and Andrew, popcorn in our laps and candy spread across the coffee table- it all feels so right.
The TV fades to black and a few credits roll on screen before big red letters open the movie.Red Eye.
“Andrew, I swear to God.”
“What? It’s a good movie!”
The red letters don’t even have time to fade before he pauses the screen.
“What’s wrong with this movie, Dylan?”
Hazel’s voice is coy as she presses popcorn to her lips, watching Andrew and I like we’re the entertainment for the night.
“There’s nothing wrong with the movie, it’s just that it’s about a hostage situation… on a plane. Are we not on planes enough? Come on!”
The two blondes laugh beside me.
“Mm, I see your point. Andrew? Thoughts?”
Hazel points a twizzler at him like it’s a microphone. He taps it with his fingers and a ridiculous laugh escapes my lips.
Holy hell, I missed them- I missed this. It feels amazing. I wish the three of us could do things like this more often. Andrew clears his throat and speaks into the twizzler. His voice is low, and rough, as if the faux microphone actually has the ability to amplify the sound.
“I think Dylan needs to get over it and just watch the movie with us because we are also on planes at all times but still want to watch it.”
Andrew clears his throat.
“Thank you.”
Hazel brings the twizzler to her lips.
“No, thankyou,Mr. James. Next up on tonight's debate: who should really be picking out the movie on date night? We’ll find out after a word from our sponsors.”
Hazel is simply perfection.