Free Chasing Atlantis by Kelly Coughlin Page A

out some excuse to get to see Ty.
    “Yeah. I’m fine. I just didn’t get a lot of sleep last night.”
    “Well, if you get tired you can always fall asleep on me. I won’t mind too much.” He winked at me. I looked away, embarrassed. The movie hadn’t even started and I was already dying to get out.
    I was barely aware of Adam until his massive arm was right up against mine on the armrest, forcing me to flush red. I moved my arm off in a vain attempt to put some space between us. I was suddenly glad that the movie theater was dark because my face always gave me away when it came to boys.
    The arm rest that was between Adam and I apparently no longer existed. I realized that he had moved it somewhere between the last preview and the opening credits when his vast arm suddenly pressed against my scrawny one. I could almost hear our moms squeal with delight.
    How sickening.
    I twirled my hair idly, I’d seen movies like this all my life, and knew instantly that this would be no different. Boy accidentally bumps into girl and they are forced to spend an uncomfortable situation with each other, decide they love each other and vow then and there that they will be together always. The end. How boring, no exciting plot twist or interesting characters.
    “Hmm. You seem quite bored, already? Why is that?” Adam leaned over so that he was whispering, his hot breath warming my ear. I went rigid.
    It took me a minute to formulate what sounded like a decent intelligent response. I didn’t want to be like all the other girls I could imagine that fell all over Adam. He was the type of boy I always saw as being just my friend.
    “It’s just another trivial high school movie. The only purpose of this is to get teenagers out of the house for a while, depriving them of any values that might have been passed on.” I couldn’t stop my rant, it just kept on going. “Instead replacing them with what the corporate images of the perfect teenager should be, designed to sell the teenagers things that they should wear or do. Not what actually happens.”
    Stupid mouth. Why can’t you just stop? Oh well.
    There. Let him make of that what he will.
    “Wow. You have quite the cynical side. It is very attractive on you.”
    Dang. Why does he always take what I say and turn it around so that he’s hitting on me? It would be slightly more annoying if I could completely convince myself that it wasn’t flattering.
    The movie finally came to a close, when I was beginning to think I couldn’t endure it any longer. I hadn’t been able to hold still for five minutes the entire movie. I knew my restlessness had earned my mom’s scorn. So instead of walking with her to the car, I lingered near Adam, to make sure she got off my case.
    I thought I was home free when Adam stopped walking, and turned around to face me with a serious look on his face. Oh boy. “I would really like to see you later tonight, Amy Jane. If that’s alright with you?”
    My breath caught in my throat. “Uh, tonight? Hmm. I don’t know about tonight. I really am thinking about going to bed early.” I ignored my mom’s gasp of terror. “How about tomorrow night? I don’t have any plans then.” I mustered up a smile.
    “Tomorrow night, then. I look forward to it.” He took my small hand in both of his dry rough hands, kissed it, pushing his hot lips against my hand. Then gently shut the car door after me.
    Shoot! What did I just agree to? I don’t want to go on a date with him. I set my chin gently on the hand that Adam kissed—there it is again! This time there was no mistaking the overwhelming smell of smoke. My nose wrinkled in disdain as the smell burnt the inside of my throat. I don’t like smoke, but I wasn’t a snitch either. Why couldn’t he just own up to it and admit that he smokes? The teenage male is absolutely perplexing. And they say girls are complicated!
    My hand feels incredibly hot too, like my cheek had felt earlier when Janice kissed it.