Free Archaic by Regan Ure Page A

"She's... interesting." He grinned and walked back around the vehicle after I sat down.
    "So what do you want to do?" he asked as he settled into the driver's seat.
    "A movie sounds good," I said, nodding.
    "The movies it is, then."
    The conversation on the way to the movie theater consisted of the reason why I'd moved in with my grandmother.
    Andrew let me choose the movie, which I appreciated. It was toss-up between an action and comedy, though I ended up deciding on seeing the comedy. We got popcorn and soda and made our way into the theater. I settled into my seat next to him and waited for the movie to start. By the time the movie was finished, my sides were sore from laughing. It had been a good movie.
    Afterward he drove me home. It was getting late and we had school in the morning. He walked me to my front door.
    "Next time I get to choose the movie," he insisted as we both stood facing each other on the front porch of my house.
    "Thanks for a nice evening," I said with a genuine smile. Being around Andrew was easy and just spending time with him had taken my mind off all the chaotic thoughts of Jared.
    "I guess I'll see you tomorrow."
    "Yeah, see you tomorrow," he said as I opened my front door and quickly disappeared inside my house. I sighed and leaned against the front door. Anne appeared in the hallway in her dressing gown.
    "Did you have fun?"
    "It was nice," I admitted to my grandmother.
    I went upstairs and started getting ready for bed. That night I slept better than I had in a while and I couldn't help thinking that spending time with Andrew had something to do with it.
    The next day at school, my friends wanted to know what Andrew and I had done the night before.
    "We just went to a movie," I told them.
    I told them a little about the movie and a couple of the funny parts that had me clutching my sides with laughter.
    "I've been meaning to see that movie," Kennedy said.
    "I'll go with you," Stacy offered.
    That lunchtime, Andrew stopped by our table.
    "Thanks for an awesome evening," he said, brushing his hair out of his face.
    "You're welcome. We'll have to do it again sometime soon," I said.
    "Next time can we come with?" Kennedy asked.
    "Sure," he replied. "Are you in as well?" He directed the question to Stacy.
    "Okay. But no horrors."
    "Really? No horrors."
    "I second that," I said, adding my opinion. Horror movies were a waste of time for me because I spent most of the time hiding behind my hands.
    "Okay. No horrors."
    He was still smiling when he left our table.
    At that moment, my eyes caught Jared's. I couldn't decipher the expression on his face. Abruptly, he looked away.
    "I think someone is jealous," Kennedy said cryptically.
    "I think you could be right," Stacy agreed.
    I was already shaking my head at them. Why would Jared be jealous? He only saw me as an ordinary human who had discovered his secret.
    "Are you sure your hookup was supposed to be a one-time thing?" asked Kennedy as she watched me closely.
    "Yes, that's what he said." That had been the agreement, hadn't it? Now that I actually thought back, he hadn't actually specifically said those words, but it had been implied.
    "If he'd wanted to continue what happened, surely he would have made plans to see me again, wouldn't he?" I threw the question at my friends. "He lives on the same street as me. So at any time between Saturday and now he could have come over and made plans to meet up. But he hasn't, because he isn't that interested."
    He had come over but it had only been to make sure we had our story straight so there wouldn't be any suspicion.
    They knew I was right. The subject of Jared was closed. I wished I could tell them the real reason for the 'hookup'. The truth would make them realize that Jared wasn't interested in me in that way. The only reason he was having anything to do with me was to ensure I kept his secret.
     

CHAPTER EIGHT
    After school I was walking to the school bus when Jared's Jeep pulled up beside me, and I