Alley-Oops I Think I'm Falling in Love (With the Wrong Guy)

| ROSCOE |

Whitney and Allie fell silent when we entered the theater. Aria's whole body was tense, like she was knowingly walking across a minefield.

When I passed through the doorway behind her, Whitney's lips parted and she nudged Allie. Their  jovial countenances darkened.  Sensing the mood shift, Taylor checked over his shoulder, following their gaze.

His eyes roamed over Aria and I, snagging on her hoodie — my hoodie. I lifted my chin to him.

Taylor was my dawg, why was I flexing on him right now?

It'd taken a minute for my body to settle down after whatever that was. My heart was still thundering in my chest.  Literally nothing had happened, it was seconds of accidental contact, but my core was tight as bow string.

It was just a moment of weakness, don't read into it, I reassured myself. I puffed my cheeks, pointedly avoiding anything to do with Aria.

"What're you doing here, Archie?" Whitney asked, jiggling the foot that was dangling over her knee. Allie snickered.

Aria retreated, nearly backing into me. I knuckled her in the spine, prodding her forward.

"She's here as my guest." Taylor declared. Whitney and Allie eyed Aria with newfound curiosity.

She moved hesitantly around the couch, opting to sit on the giant bean bag instead of the sofa.

I scrubbed a hand over the back of my neck, weighing my options. I wanted to keep things obscure so that I didn't burn any bridges — I wanted to keep Whitney on the line, but I couldn't over commit either. The easy solution here was to let Taylor wrangle Aria, as planned... but I knew what that meant.

Eff it.

I walked past the couch, past Whitney, past Taylor, and plopped down on the bean bag beside Aria.

She bristled, eying me with such repugnant astonishment that I almost laughed. She tried to shift her weight so that our hips didn't touch, but I leaned in, redistributing the weight in my favor.

I laid back and casually propped an arm behind her. Her spine was ramrod straight, she refused to lay back, lest any part of my arm brush against her.

"What were you two doing?" Taylor asked with a suggestive, but inquisitive croon.

I glanced at Aria. "We're in charge of that basketball fundraiser. We had to work out a few... details." I said lazily.

Whitney nodded to herself, a preening glint in her eye. Taylor wasn't so easily swayed. He chewed his tongue, eyes darting between us, his curiosity piqued. I ignored him and pretended to focus on the TV.

Once everyone's attention had shifted away from us, Aria covertly dug her elbow into my hip. She tried to push me away.

"What are you doing?" She hissed out of the corner of her mouth.

I flicked my hand up, "Exactly what you asked."

She twisted towards me. Her eyes bulging pointedly at the way my legs were sprawled out in front of us, at the arm strewn across the Love Sack, at all the ways I invaded her personal space. If she meant it as a reprimand, it didn't work.

"I don't like you." She said. "I don't want to sit next to you. I'm already getting waterboarded with Roscoe Tate, I don't need any more."

She was so prickly, it actually made me chuckle. Her dogged hatred of me was unmatched, admirable really.