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Chapter Sixteen

Paige

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“You're a mad scientist,” Mikel says. He stares at me with horror, like I'm holding a bloody heart instead of a bowl of popcorn. “How could you?”

“Oh my god,” I laugh, shaking the bowl in his face. “Don't be dramatic. It's delicious.”

“It's an affront to nature!”

“It's popcorn and candy, Mikel.”

His lip curls as he continues to shake his head. “Trying to smooth it over by avoiding the details. Popcorn and peanut-butter cups and sour gummy worms all stirred together? Blasphemy.”

Rolling my eyes, I flop down next to him on his couch. The big screen TV flickers in front of us, lighting the room in red and white, sharpening our shadows, creating the perfect mood. “I'm too excited to be mad at your lack of taste,” I say. “I've been waiting to watch this with you forever.”

Dawn of the Dead. My favorite zombie film, with my favorite snack, and with my favorite person in the world? Nothing can bring me down. Mikel chuckles as he pulls me closer to him. His palm scoops up some of the mess in the bowl in my lap. “I guess I'll suffer,” he sighs, crunching on the popcorn.

I join in, loving the mix of salt and sweet on my tongue. And when Mikel steals a kiss, I love that, too.

The movie flies by. He doesn't talk through it, which I'm glad for, because it's a pet peeve of mine. I steal glances at his face; he's fixated on the screen, paying attention. It's not because he loves the movie, I think, It's because he loves me. He wants to understand me.

Snuggling against his arm, I hug him until the credits roll. “What did you think?” I ask.

“Bloody,” he says honestly, grinning down at me. “Next time we'll watch one of my favorites.”

“Oh yeah? Such as?”

“Lord of the Rings.”

“You're predictable,” I laugh. “All tech-bros love swords and fantasy.”

“Tech-bros?” he scoffs. He leans into the couch, staring at me with insincere offense. “Are you saying you don't like those movies?”

“I love them,” I admit, shrugging. “I've seen the extended versions three times.”