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"I completely agree. You keep me alive, and I keep you alive. Deal?"
She gives me another quick kiss. "Deal. Let's do this."
I adjust myself in my pants as she wraps her arm back around mine, and we set off.
It's only the fact that, yes, I keep a tally of how many times Jolie screams that I feel marginally better about the amount of times I do. Mr. Perkins really stepped it up in here. There's a man in an electric chair that scares the crap out of me as we walk through one of the bedrooms. A woman who I'm pretty sure is supposed to be a jackal, a cage around her head, that crawls out from under the couch, and in the kitchen, an old woman with blood around her mouth stares at us like we're her next meal, as she holds what looks like a much too realistic lower arm and hand.
By the time we make it back to the lobby, my throat even hurts a little. Mr. Perkins grins as we burst through the door.
"Like my new additions?" he asks.
"You could have warned me Mr. Perkins," I say.
"Now, what would have been the fun in that? I'm glad you two enjoyed yourselves."
"I've never been so happy to have been so scared." Jolie chuckles.
I say my goodbyes to Mr. Perkins, and we leave back out the door that led us in. We head to Jolie's car, our hands touching each time they move with our walking. Is it my imagination or does she flex her pinky against mine? I do it back and see her smile out the corner of my eye. When we reach her car, she turns around, and I can already tell what she's about to say, to demand. Her spoils from making it through the haunted house. Before she can even speak, I kiss her. Feels just as good as the first time. This time, I keep my eyes open and am able to watch hers flutter closed. I could watch that all day, along with hearing the sigh that leaves her mouth as I press my lips harder to hers. This time, I pull back before things can go further. Only because I hear a car door shut in the lot and don't want to give anyone a show.
"Are you hungry?" I ask.
"I am. Are you going to feed me?"
"Your car or mine?"
"Yours. I like the way it smells." I arch a brow and she chuckles. "It smells like you and the hoodie you let me have."
Why does the thought of her smelling my hoodie make my heart beat faster?
We get into my car and maybe for the first time, I inhale to see how my own car smells. Jolie must notice because she snickers in the passenger seat. When we pull up to the food truck, I love the way Jolie's eyes light up.
"It's like you already know me." She turns around and smiles at me.
I park and go around the car to open her door. This time, I reach for her hand and find her already reaching for mine as well. We walk to the back of the short line, and I look over the menu while we wait. This truck used to come to campus around lunchtime a few days a week. Using an app, I found out they would be here tonight and knew I had to bring Jolie.
"Hi. What can I get you?" the girl asks when we reach the window of the truck.
"I'll have the steak n' take," I say.
"I'll take the turkey panini." Jolie adds.
"Coming right up."
I pay and we step to the side while the next person orders. Jolie looks around at the other trucks in the area, the sitting area in the middle, smiling at what, I don't know because I don't want to take my eyes off of her to find out. I love that she seems to find joy in everything. That she smiles and laughs without a care. That she seems completely unafraid to let her emotions show, good or bad, on her face, in her eyes.
"Not only are you a listener." Jolie looks up at me now. "But you're a watcher."
I smile at being caught. "I am. I think you can learn a lot about a person just from watching them for a little while."
"And are you liking what you're finding out about me, Elijah?"
"I'm liking every single thing."
"Then watch on. And don't get all shy when I decide to watch you back."
"I make no guarantees on that one." I chuckle.
"Order up."
