“You two knew?” Charlie asks. Shocked and a bit offended.
The girls nod. “Since your party last spring,” Parker admits.
“Her boyfriend gave me a nose job,” Apollo says tapping the rakish bump on the bridge of his nose.
“That was you?!” Haley and Charlie blurt out together.
Apollo gives them a boyish shrug and his signature smile and I swear the humidity in the room gets so thick you could swim in it.
Blue fills them in on how that all came about. They aww at how it seems to be fate that brought us together. And watch, doe-eyed as Apollo pulls me to stand in front of him holding me with his arms around my waist and his nose and lips on my neck. And I desperately want to kick the girls out so I can have him all to myself.
“It was meant to be,” Haley says with her hands clasped over her heart.
They all quietly observe us letting us enjoy the moment of relief from a little bit of the secrecy that has been holding us hostage before Charlie finally says, “So are we going to watch this thing or what?”
Haley joins in. “Yes. It’s about time. Parker’s gotten away without having to suffer through it for too long.”
“Suffer through what?” Apollo asks, easily joining the fun. Not put off at all by being the only man in the room.
Parker starts to explain but Charlie shushes her. “I think it’s best he go in blind. Or he might not stay.” She bats her eyes. And all I can see is Apollo getting another broken nose but from Gage’s fist this time. It’s all in fun, though. So I let it go.
Not that I’m jealous. Apollo has been all over me. Even now with all these women swooning over him, he can’t take his eyes off of me.
Leaving the warmth and comfort of Apollo’s arms, I go over to put the disc in the player while he heads to the kitchen to make popcorn.
When he comes back, the bowl falls scattering the white puffs across the wood floor as the opening credits roll and Charlie says, “Not even kidding. He’s like this.” She’s holding up her arm with her hand in a fist to describe the alien’s package as his purple image appears on the screen.
I run to help Apollo clean up and ask him, “You okay?”
“Just slipped. Sorry. I’ll clean it up.” His voice cuts like a knife.
“I’ll help,” I say wondering why he’s angry. He knew there would be girl talk. He signed up for this. And he’s not shy. If anything, I figured he’d be the one to start it. At least egg it on.
The girls have forgotten about us and gotten into the show as we pick up. They laugh like they always do. Making fun of my obsession with it.
“Exactly how many times have you paused this and done naughty things with alien boy watching?” Charlie teases when the disc skips.
I turn back and defend myself like I always do. “I’ve had the same copy since I was thirteen. It’s bound to have some wear.”
“I’d have worn it out too,” Haley jokes as Apollo’s hand grips my wrist.
I turn back to find him studying me with the most serious, concerned, and kind of scary look on his face.
I shake my head. “Apollo, what is it?”
He doesn’t answer. Just stands leaving the rest of the spilled popcorn behind as he marches out of the room into the hallway.
“What was that?” Haley asks in a hushed tone.
I have no clue.
I just shrug and follow him.
But I’m going to find out.
