Page 98 of I Don't Need Your Protection

I groan. “Again? Come on, dude. Make a sick girl happy by watching a movie with her. Pretty please?”

He watches me for a bit before releasing a breath. “All right. Only because you asked so nicely.”

I beam. “Awesome.”

We finish eating and Caleb throws away our garbage while I get comfortable in my bed and search for a movie. He stands near the table, eyes scanning around. Then they focus on me.

I pat the spot beside me, lifting a brow. “You promised, movie buddy.”

He hesitates. It’s like he’s worried he’ll lose focus as he watches the movie. But that won’t happen. I’m safe here and I know he won’t let me get hurt. Besides, one movie won’t kill him.

“Caleb.” I pat the spot on my bed again.

He heads over and sits down next to me. I lift my blanket, motioning for him to slide under. He does as I say, and I try to hide my smile.

There are a few inches between us. Caleb notices it at the same time I do. I scoot closer. He moves closer as well and wraps his arm around my waist. It tingles. I scoot even closer to him, so close our toes poke each other.

“I’m in the mood for a fantasy. Like maybe one aboutmermaids? Aren’t mermaids so cool?” I ask.

“I haven’t thought much about them.”

I playfully jab him in the chest with my finger. “You need more fun in your life, dude.”

“No. I need to be more vigilant so no harm comes your way.”

My mouth shuts as I look at him. “One movie won’t kill you.”

He doesn’t say anything. He knows I’m right, but he won’t admit it. And anyway, I know that hewantsto watch the movie. Mr. Big Muscles might be this macho bodyguard, but he’s still just a sixteen-year-old kid.

I play the movie and we watch. The beginning is slow, but the mermaid world is so beautiful. Caleb seems a bit bored in the beginning, but when the plot and action pick up, he gets more into it.

We don’t talk because we’re engrossed in whatever is on the screen. The movie turns out to be better than I imagined, and I tell Caleb all the parts I loved.

He adds a little here and there, but he seems more interested in what I have to say. There wasn’t a lot of romance, which I find a little odd for a mermaid movie, but whatever.

Caleb is about to climb out of my bed since the move is over, but I grab his hand, begging him for one more. He scans my eyes for a few seconds before nodding.

I squeeze my arms around him. “Yay!”

I pick a very action one because I want him to enjoy it. The kind of movie with crashing cars and explosions. Caleb appearsmore into this one.

We’re still close to each other, with his arm around my waist. I rest my head on his chest, feeling his steady heartbeat. Though it seems to increase now. Because my head is on his chest?

When I look up at him, I find his beautiful eyes on me. We must be staring at each other for an eternity before he breaks his gaze and focuses on the movie.

His chest is so comfortable—way, way more comfy than a pillow. I wrap my arm around his waist, squishing myself to him as much as I can. I keep my head on his chest throughout the movie, and when we’re close to the end, I feel my eyes start to droop.

I’m half awake/half sleeping when I feel and see Caleb remove his arm from around my waist and stand up. He gently tugs me down on the bed and places my pillow under my head and Ellie in my arms. He then tucks my blanket tightly around me. Before he walks away, he brushes his lips across my cheek.

Chapter Thirty

Addie

Sophie, Carly, Raven, and I head for the dining hall on Tuesday morning. I’m feeling nearly one hundred percent and am ready to go back to school.

Caleb follows us a few feet away, lost in the crowd of students. I don’t see him, but I feel him. Weeks ago, I used to roll my eyes that he kept shadowing me, but now I like that he’s so close.

My friends and I get our food and sit down at our table. As we eat, there’s a commotion when the popular kids enter the dining hall. My eyes latch onto Warner. He’s surrounded by a crowd, smiling at the attention he loves so much. I wait for him to look at me, but he doesn’t. He hasn’t texted me at all the past day, even though I contacted him a few times. I really thought he’d visit me, but it seems he had other plans.