“Because this Spiderman was inCaptain America Civil War,” Felix answers slowly, like I’ve transformed into some weird alien creature before his very eyes.
Embarrassment burns in my cheeks, and I want to pull the hood of my sweater over my head and hide the way toddlers do-- if I can’t see them, they clearly can’t see me.
Kaleb sends Felix a meaningful look that I really don’t like. It speaks volumes of the things I’m not ready for them to know.
“There’s so many of these coming out that if you’re not right on top of them, it’s easy to get lost,” Kaleb offers casually, attempting to cover my blunder. “What was the last Marvel movie you saw? We can start there.”
“As long as we stay far away from the DC movies, I’m good,” Felix adds affably. “Wonder Woman was awesome, but the rest are just depressing and boring. How do you manage to make Batman boring, I ask you? How?”
“Stop him quickly,” Donovan demands around a bite of his burger, “or we’ll have to listen to Felix’s soapbox speech on how DC movies are literally destroying some of the best comic superheroes of all time.”
“They are!” Felix cries, arms thrown up in exasperation. “I was bored to tears watching Batman v Superman. Batfleck was alright, surprisingly so considering the disaster that was Daredevil, but…”
“I haven’t seen the Wonder Woman movie,” I chirp, saving us all from Felix explaining the merits of movies I haven’t seen. I’m also relieved I didn’t spout how I didn’t know they made a Wonder Woman movie until right this moment.
“Wonder Woman it is. Our Callie has spoken,” Nolan chimes, grabbing the remote and backing out of the current movie. I’d make a fuss since he just rented it if I wasn’t eating a restaurant grade burger made by his personal chef. I’m so not feeling too guilty over $4.99.
I settle in to watch the movie, taking a bite of the delicious burger.Yep, a hand is going to be kissed. I may also have to build a small shrine to the goodness that is this burger.
At the beginning ofWonder Woman, there are parts that are clear references to movies I haven’t seen, but thankfully, it quickly goes back in time to her origins which doesn’t require familiarity with any other film.
I quickly polish off dinner, softly moaning over my full stomach, and add my plate to the stack of cleared plates. Despite how fast I ate, I’m still last to finish.
I kick off my boots and curl my legs under me, trying to perch in the middle of Nolan and Connor in a way that gives them room, and I’m not leaning against either of them. For some reason, it’s starting to be okay when they make contact with me, but I can’t seem to initiate it myself. Well, ‘okay’ is a loose term for it.
Nolan glances over at me, shakes his head, then pulls the throw pillow next to him onto his lap. “Lie down,” he whispers in my ear. “You can’t be comfortable like that.”
I arch a brow at him, sure he can’t be serious. Oh, but he is, illustrated by him reaching for my far shoulder and tipping me over into him. I squeak, half falling into his lap, which earns snickers from the others.Oh great, my noises amuse them.
This tilted position is definitely uncomfortable, but I have half a mind to stay this way just to annoy Nolan. However, the idea of sitting in this awkward timber position for two hours makes me wince. I adjust myself so that my head is on the pillow in his lap, and I curl into a ball, my knees tucked tight against me. Apparently, this doesn’t work for Connor, because without warning, he tugs my feet onto his lap so that I’m now properly stretched out. This position is somewhat weird, but I do give it to them that this is more comfortable. Gives them more room too, I guess, because they both spread out further along the couch now that I’m lying on top of them.
Connor’s huge hands cup around my feet and feel like mini furnaces against my ice cold skin, and there isn’t even a tremble of anxiety over being touched.Warmth overrules the want for personal space. Good to know.
Seeing me still curled into myself with my hands hidden in my sleeves and tucked under my chin, Nolan reaches up and pulls a blanket from the back of the couch and throws it over me. He tucks it around me until I’m bundled up and snuggly, then begins absently playing with my hair. For the first time in my life, I feel safe and cared for, and I have to blink a few times to clear my vision. It’s more than I ever thought possible.
The movie is great, but my sleepless night and overwhelming day pull at me, and my eyelids begin to droop heavily. I try to fight the pull, but somewhere around Diana dancing with Steve, I drift off.
∞∞∞
“Is she asleep?” Felix’s warm timbre pulls me from my doze. The sound of an end credits’ score plays softly in the background.
Sleep still clings to me, and I hold onto the warm bubble of my nap, not letting on that I heard him.
Someone, I presume Nolan from the angle, gently pulls my hair away from my face. “Looks like it,” he whispers, confirming my suspicion.
There’s a pause, then someone clearing their throat. “This is going to sound like a weird question,” Felix murmurs, his words hesitant, “but what does her hair feel like?”
Nolan runs his fingers through my hair that’s spilled over his lap. “Soft,” he confides without judgement. “And weighty. Our Callie has some thick hair.”
A longer pause. “Smell?” Felix asks, embarrassment coloring his question.
I don’t know how I feel about this. On one hand, discussing me like this seems kind of creepy, but since Felix can’t find out these answers on his own, I have a hard time feeling too upset. I’m curious why he wants to know this stuff, but maybe this is his way of trying to stay connected to the world around him. He certainly can’t throw his arm around me like Nolan has no qualms doing.
Kaleb answers this time, his voice a soft rumble. “Pomegranate and orchids. It’s subtle. Only really detectable when you’re right next to her.”
“White orchid,” Connor corrects. I guess there’s a difference in orchid smells.
I love pomegranate, so along with my chapstick, my body wash is pomegranate, and I think white orchid is some type of extract in my conditioner. Can’t decide if it’s weird that they can smell it on me.There are worse things to smell like, I suppose.
