The Romeo Club

He let out a long breath, which hissed through his lips. “I’m glad to hear that. Because we never kissed, and I chickened out in the movie theatre and never tried to hold her hand or anything. I swear, I get so nervous around her.”

“Just be yourself—er or better said, the new improved you.”

He ran a hand through his already disheveled hair. “Easier said than done.”

I saved our game then turned off the console. “Okay, c’mon.” I stood, dragging him to his feet.

“Where are we going?”

“The movies.”

“What about the guys?”

My eyes drifted to the clock again. “Well, it’s after eight, so I’m assuming we’ve been stood up. We’ll use tonight as an extra lesson for you. I’ll teach you how to be suave and do the hand holding thing.” Oh god, what the hell did I just offer to do? Relax. He’s your friend. It’s not like a real date or anything.

“You’d do that for me?”

“Of course. That’s what friends are for. But first, I need to change real quick.”

When I got to my room, I rummaged through my closet. Not that I should care what I looked like, I mean this was Trey. He’d seen me at my worst. My teeth grazed my bottom lip as I tugged a cute, white ruffled skirt from a hanger, then paired it with a light blue shirt and sandals. I grabbed a cardigan to go over my shirt, in case I got cold in the theatre.

A few minutes later, I met Trey in the living room. His eyes swept over me. “You look nice. Should I go change?” He gestured to his jeans and polo shirt.

“No. You’re outfit’s fine.”

“Delyla,” Mom called from the kitchen.

“Yeah?”

“Where are you going?”

“To the movies. I told you that earlier.”

“Oh, that’s right. Well, have fun and don’t be out too late,” she said.

The theatre was packed when we arrived, so we parked in the back lot. The warm spring breeze licked at my bare legs, and made my skirt snap against my thighs. I held my hands against my sides to make sure it didn’t blow up.

“So, what movie do you want to see?” Trey held the door open for me.

We went to the line to purchase our tickets. I glanced at the movies and times. “Oh, my gosh, Lords of Space is out. We’ve got to see it. It’s the one with the space pirates and that guy who hides away in their cargo to try to stop them from starting the intergalactic war.”

“I should’ve known.” He smirked then pulled out his wallet. “Two for Lords of Space,” he told the cashier.

“Trey, you didn’t have to pay for my ticket. I could’ve covered it.”

He raised his hand. “Nope. My treat. Besides, what kind of guy would I be if I made a girl pay for a date—fake or not.”

“Then will you at least let me buy the popcorn?” I fished in my purse.

“Absolutely not. C’mon Del, let me treat you. You’ve done so much for us. Not to mention, you’re still saving for your prom dress.”

“Fine, but next time I’m gonna pay,” I said.

He quirked an eyebrow. “We’re gonna have a next time?”

My cheeks warmed. “Um—well, we are friends and hang out, right?”

He smiled. “Yeah.”

We stopped at the concession stand and bought two colas and a tub of popcorn then headed toward our theatre. From the corner of my eye, I swore I saw Rex come in with Bart. But when I looked again, I didn’t see him.

Geez, try not to get so paranoid. Rex was supposed to hang out with the guys tonight. According to Bart, they hadn’t had any “bro” time lately. Which meant, they’d probably be at Rex’s house, playing golf or something.

Trey and I found seats about half-way up and moved to the center of the row. The projector clicked on and showed a stream of previews. When they finished, the lights dimmed and the theatre grew quiet, except for a few idiots up front.

A spaceship appeared on the screen, followed by smaller ones trying to get away from its laser beams. The scene cut to a man, being held prisoner in a pair of laser shackles, with an alien standing over him.

Trey bent his head close to me and whispered. “Okay, so what do I need to do to hold a girl’s hand?”

“First step is to see if she has her hand on the arm rest. If so, it’s a good indicator that she wants to hold hands. If her hands are folded in her lap, then she’s not ready for you to do that.”

“Sounds easy enough.”

I nodded. “Okay, now you try it with me.”

My gaze went back to the movie screen while I placed my hand on my arm rest, palm up. My heart pounded against my ribs like a prisoner banging on bars. I swallowed the lump in my throat. What’s gotten into you?

He linked his fingers with mine. His skin was soft and warm. “How’s this?”

I sucked in a deep breath in an attempt to slow my pulse. “Perfect. Once you have her hand, you can rub your thumb across the back of it. It’s kind of intimate, but lets them know you’re into them,” I whispered.

Rivulets of electricity shot through my body as his thumb stroked my skin. It was so gentle. So perfect. For a moment, I couldn’t breathe as my eyes met his.