Chapter 28: A Night Out
Things seemed uneventful without Rylee around. It was strange how empty the apartment felt once she stopped coming by. He had three weeks of pages pre-drawn for his Patreon, had best his high score on several video games, and was out of things to post on the forum. FallenSparrow had been busy, which meant less rapid fire posting to entertain him. He was honestly quite bored with his daily routine.
When it was finally time for their movie outing, Evan felt happier than he expected. He took Zane's advice and picked one of his Z of Legend T-shirt's, and a pair of dark blue jeans to wear. He paused in the living room, debating if he should bring Rylee's hat or not. In the end, he decided to wait and give it to her some other time. If she left it behind at the movies, there was no telling if she would ever get it back.
After a quick inspection, Zane decided Evan was presentable enough. They made the short drive to the theater and waited near the entrance.
The weather was still warm, so it was comfortable in the outside air, although they didn't wait long before the girls arrived in Tara's truck. Evan smirked slightly when he heart the roar of the engine mixing with the loud music coming from the cab. When the girls parked and walked up, Zane was the one who commented.
"Did you lose a muffler somewhere? Your truck can wake the dead!"
"Hey, at least mine still drives!" She retorted. It was a low blow, but Zane still grinned back at her. Tara had styled her pink hair, the short tips somewhat sharp with gel. She had thick eyeliner, ripped jeans and a hooded half-sweater over a tank top. She could have easily fit in with a rock band, and made her best friend look quite tame behind her. Rylee was wearing clean jeans, a Star Portal T-shirt, and a pair of high tops. She wasn't wearing makeup, but her hair was pulled into a braid, one little ringlet free on the side of her face.
Evan had already purchased the tickets, so he handed them out as they walked in. "Zane wants popcorn, does anyone else want something?" He offered as they paused near the concession stand.
"If you get the value pack we can split it. I just want water, and Tara's not drinking soda right now," Rylee suggested. Evan was pleased with her suggestion. She wasn't shy to admit she wanted something, and didn't do the fake modesty he had seen with some of Zane's dates. At the same time, she didn't take advantage of the fact he was buying. It showed a mixture of qualities he admired.
After collecting the refreshments, the group found their theater and took their seats. Zane sat down first followed by Evan, Rylee, and finally Tara. The theater was filled with families, but they weren't the only group their age. Tara was texting on her phone, which gave Evan a better chance to talk to Rylee.
"How's your week been?" He asked casually.
"Actually, kind of eventful. I uh, quit my job at the burger place. The craft store has given me enough hours I don't need to stress for a bit. It's a little weird knowing I will have days off now," she admitted. She looked down for a moment then caught his eyes, a somewhat embarrassed look on her face. "I really appreciated the gift, too. The game has been great. I spent half the morning playing."
Evan grinned, "I'm glad. I'll have to show you how to link to your Pocket Monster app later. Are you coming out for ice cream after the movie?"
"She is," Tara interrupted without glancing up from her phone. "I have to help with inventory tonight though, so she'll have to ride with you guys."
Rylee shot her a look but didn't argue. Evan wanted to laugh. It seemed Zane wasn't the only one trying to be a matchmaker. "How's your dog?"
"Bandit? He's grumpy. He has been a pain since I haven't been able to take him for walks like normal. Tara has tried but they don't get along well."
Bandit... the name sounded familiar, but he didn't pay much attention to it. "If you ever need help, I could try, but I've never actually had a dog..."
Her expression revealed surprise, "That sucks! I don't know if I could survive without my dog. He's like my best friend."
"How does Tara feel about that?" Evan laughed. Tara rolled her eyes.
"I accepted that he would be first in Rylee's heart the second she adopted him. If it came down to a battle between me and the dog, I would lose," the tone was playful, but he sensed Tara was throwing him a bone. Clearly, accepting the dog was a prerequisite to ever being with Rylee.
"So he is the one I have to kiss up to... I may have to buy some dog treats," he pretended to look thoughtful, and Rylee hit Tara's shoulder in the corner of his eye.
The lights dimmed and the previews started, putting their banter to an end. Evan felt a rush if nerves in the darkness. Did Rylee expect him to make move, he wondered? At the moment her hands were wrapped around her water cup, her expression relaxed. He had a feeling if she was open to anything, she would find a way to show him. So why did he feel like a nervous middle schooler?
Midway through a preview for an upcoming superhero movie, Rylee leaned over and spoke into his ear, "I am super stoked to see this one when it comes out!" Her hand was on his arm and he felt her breathe in his ear. Her fingers felt small and light on his skin.
"Maybe we can see it together?" Evan offered.
Rylee's response was a welcoming smile before turning back to the screen. Her hand moved to the arm rest, which felt like a clear enough sign toward him.
Evan let his right hand catch hers, their fingers naturally interlocking. It made his pulse race just from the action. When had such a simple thing become so exciting? He had long forgotten the buzz that came from first contact, and being close to someone he was attracted to. Had romance always been like this? He was sure something about this was better.
The movie continued, but he couldn't remember much about it. Evan was far too preoccupied with how perfect Rylee's hand felt in his.
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone