Nothing Like the Movies

Liz

Was I okay?

That depends.

On the one hand, I was hot and cold and feeling more alive than I’d felt in years. Two years, to be exact. But on the other hand, I felt queasy as I looked at him, because this felt like such a terrible idea. That handsome face was the one I’d pictured while I cried a thousand tears.

And even though he hadn’t cheated, my brain couldn’t change the fact that he was the avatar of my heartbreak.

God, was I seriously trying to do this again with him?

I was an idiot, right?

A big, huge, foolish idiot.

Who kind of just wanted to stay there and keep being an idiot.

I nodded, looking into his brown eyes and wondering how to feel safe with this. He was watching me, his face impossible to read as his fingers stroked along my lower back, and I said, “I can’t believe Otis lives with Michael now.”

His eyebrows lowered a little, like he was confused by my words.

Or like he didn’t like them.

He probably expected we’d talk after the kiss, because we definitely weren’t a random Batman and Batgirl at a party, no matter how badly we wanted to pretend. Random superheroes didn’t kiss like that. Everything about the kiss had felt like coming home, like a reunion, like some kind of agreement had been reached.

That kiss had been the heroine and hero, running toward each other while the music crescendoed.

That kiss had been Elizabeth Bennet telling Darcy that his hands were cold.

That kiss, God help me, had been the one that lets you know the characters are finally going to end up together.

But no agreement had been reached, and I wasn’t ready to talk.

Because I had no idea how I felt or what I wanted.

“Yeah, and he loves it.” Wes kept his hands on my lower back, holding me in place, and I could feel the press of all ten fingers. His dark eyes were intense, so directly on me that it seemed like he could see my every thought when he said, “So we just kissed, Lib.”

I swallowed and looked out at the night below, mostly because I needed to avoid his gaze. Looking at Wes made me so confused. “We were pretending, remember?”

He made a noise in his throat. “Come on.”

“What?” I said lightly, as if it was no big deal.

As if that kiss hadn’t just scrambled my brain.

“Don’t what me,” he said, half smiling, but his voice was dead serious. “That wasn’t pretend—”

“Liz?” Leo’s voice came from inside the attic.

“Out here,” I yelled, jumping away from Wes and awkwardly climbing to my feet. I stumbled in the stiletto boots, but Wes’s hand was just there, steadying me, like that was where it belonged.

“You sure you’re okay?” he asked quietly, watching me with an unreadable expression.

“I’m fine,” I managed, looking into those dark eyes just before Leo popped his head through the window.

“You’re free,” he said, and Campbell was beside him, holding an actual flashlight. Their ski masks were a little jarring now, because I’d been a million miles away in a land where nothing existed except Wes Bennett and the stars.

“Thank you,” I said, ducking to climb back inside. “For going to get the key.”

“Of course, sweets,” Leo said, helping me in. “Was it terrible?”

I sensed Wes climbing inside behind me, waiting for my answer. No, it wasn’t terrible at all. That was what was so confusing; being with him was never terrible. I could be locked inside a creepy spider attic, forced to take refuge on a roof, yet somehow still have a great time.

And be kissed like that, like he was leaving for war and knew he’d never kiss again.

“No,” I managed, realizing my hands were shaking. “I was with Batman, so it was okay.”

“Hey, Wes,” Campbell said, smiling at him and then giving me a holy shit look. “If you’re really Batman, how come you couldn’t break out of here?”

“Maybe I didn’t want to,” he said in that deep voice, and dear God, there was no way I could look at him.

Leo giggled, which made Wes say, “Who are you?”

And he said it in the same tone he’d use if he were asking Leo why he’d just soiled himself, like he was disgusted.

“I am Cupid, the god of love,” Leo said dramatically, tossing a handful of confetti at Wes. “Let’s go do shots, Batboy.”

“Man. It’s Batman,” Wes growled, which made Leo and Campbell burst into laughter.

We all exited the attic room, and the second we stepped into the hallway, we were back in loud chaos. The party was even more crowded than before, and after I followed Leo downstairs, embarrassed because I’d lost my ski mask so everyone could see that Latex Batgirl was Liz Buxbaum, I looked behind me and realized he was gone.

I scanned the packed party, but I couldn’t see him anywhere, which immediately made me panic.

Was he avoiding me now? Was he mad?

I hated how insecure he made me feel after everything that’d happened, like things could shift at any given moment.

But then my phone buzzed.

Wes: Three things, Buxbaum

I’m more obsessed with your mouth now than ever before

AJ almost got in a fight so we’re leaving before he does something stupid

I’ll pick you up tomorrow at 7