Page 27 of Theodore

“De Luca!” called a voice, and I turned to see Jax with his arm around some girl from school, and he sent me that all too familiar wink.

“Yo. I can’t stay, got a date.” Theo shrugged as Jax rolled his eyes. I bit my lip as Jax glanced at me.

"Oh. You here alone, Hannah? You can come—”

“She’s not,” Theo interrupted, pulling me to him possessively.

“But you said you had a date.” Jax looked puzzled as I stifled a giggle. “Oh, best friend date. Gotcha.”

“Mm.” Theo smirked as I pulled him away, winking at Jax, who looked confused.

We bought popcorn, which he thrust into my hands when he saw the shooting range.

“Watch me win,” Theo declared as I inhaled the sugary sweet popcorn.

I tried not to stare as he strode forward, holding out a note to pay. I wasn’t the only one either, I noticed with irritation. A group of cheerleader wannabes was standing staring at him, sucking on their slushies as they drankhimin. I watched as he shot all the targets before turning to me with a giant stuffed...Turtle.

I bit back a laugh as he swaggered over to me, pretending the turtle was super heavy.

The girls watched in envy until one whispered something to the others, their eyes once again lighting up.

“You’ve got fans,” I said as he thrust the turtle into my arms.

“So? Meet Ninja.”

Theo’s smile was so wide I couldn’t help but return it.

“As in, heroes in a half shell?” I quipped, knowing he adored the show.

“Turtle power!” Theo roared as he leaped in the air, making me double over with laughter.

“Thank you.” I beamed, struggling to hold the enormous toy.

“Let’s go. There are some more stands down there.”

He nodded, and I gazed at his eyes a little too long.

I blinked, turning, and following his gaze. Two stands stood side by side, one with two girls in, the other with two guys in.

“A kissing booth? How lame,” I groaned as we neared it.

“Hey, Hannah! Why don’t you and Theo do ten minutes? It all goes to charity after all,” suggested Rosie, the head of the student council and general organizer of all things.

Why was she even here? It wasn’t aschoolcarnival, after all.

I laughed out loud, turning to Theo, who had attracted a sizable amount of female attention as they eyed him up excitedly.

“Me first!” cried some girl, sending flirtatious eyes at Theo, who just stood gazing at the booths with a bemused expression.

“So how much is a kiss?” Theo mused aloud as I frowned at him.

"What? Are you genuinely considering doing it?" I asked in dismay as a smile played at the corners of his mouth.

I bristled when he pulled his wallet out, as the girls in the booth glanced at each other with excited anticipation.

“It’s ten bucks,” Rosie gushed as my eyes narrowed at Theo.

Some fucking first date this is.