Sweaters & Cigarettes (20 page)

"You, what?" Theo says, voice
slightly steadier, but still stunned rather than disbelieving, and he keeps his
eyes fixed on Max's, which keep the same expression. Then, after a few moments,
Max visibly shifts slightly, glancing down.

"You heard me," he says,
voice low, with a tone that says he was sort of hoping Theo hadn't heard him,
the first time. And Theo swallows uncertainly, heart suddenly pounding.

"I did," he confirms. And
it takes another couple of seconds of silence, on his part, before Max looks up
at him again. He looks uncomfortable.
Really
uncomfortable, actually,
and Theo watches, as he practically fidgets, looking down. It's something he
has barely ever seen Max do, and he suddenly realizes that he's probably
supposed to say something.

"I love you, too," he
blurts. And almost immediately, he feels the urge to facepalm in embarrassment;
that did not come out as gracefully or smoothly as he had hoped, and he
suddenly feels ridiculous.

But Max doesn't seem to notice, or
care. Instead, he slowly meets Theo's gaze again, hands still softly gripping
the front of his jacket.

"Good," he finally says,
looking rather unlike his normal, effortless self. Theo nods, feeling
ridiculous, and Max nods back. And then, after what feels like several seconds of
tense silence, Theo actually snorts, his face breaking into a smile, and Max
looks at him like he's insane, before smiling, as well.

"Shut up," he mumbles,
looking down, but for some reason, Theo can't stop laughing. It's a rather
silent laugh, making his shoulders shake slightly, and Max looks up at him
again. He rolls his eyes, smiling.

"Stop it." His words
carry no weight, though, as he chuckles, tugging at Theo's jacket. "I
already feel like an ass, you're making it worse."

Theo presses his lips together,
trying really hard not to smile, but he can't help it. He's not even sure why;
something about the whole situation just makes him want to laugh, and Max seems
to get that, at least judging from the way he keeps that unusually shy smile,
avoiding Theo's eyes.

Theo takes a deep breath, in a
valiant effort to control himself, and Max looks up at him again.

"You done?" he asks, a
small smile still on his face, and Theo nods.

"Yeah," he says.
"Sorry."

They just look at each other for a
few moments, before Max sighs and pulls Theo closer. The kiss he gives him is
soft and sweet, and Theo closes his eyes, keeping them closed as Max leans
their foreheads together.

"You're making me
stupid," Max murmurs. "You know that?"

Theo sighs.

"I very much doubt that,"
he says. "But I get what you mean."

Max makes a small sound of
confirmation, before suddenly letting out a small scoff.

"Fucking Batman," he
murmurs, and Theo frowns, opening his eyes.

"What?" he says, and Max
pulls away a bit.

"I shouldn't have said anything,"
he explains, looking into Theo's eyes, "when you came by here, that day. I
should have just kept my mouth shut, and we wouldn't be in this mess."

Theo thinks back to the day in
question, back when he first caught Max smoking here, behind the school. He
remembers it in such perfect detail, and he smiles, almost shyly, at the
memory.

"I was so nervous," he
admits, and Max frowns. "When you talked to me. I mean, I thought you were
a total douchebag, at first, but I was still crushing on you. And you made me
nervous."

Max frowns indignantly.

"Douchebag?" he says.
"Why?"

Theo gives him an
are you
kidding me?
-look.

"You blew smoke in my
face," he says pointedly, with a small smile. "Twice."

Max rolls his eyes at the memory.

"Alright," he says,
"that may have been douchebag-level behavior. But we've been through this.
I thought
you
were the douchebag."

"Still, though," Theo
says, cocking his eyebrows.

"Fine, I'm sorry," Max
practically whines, leaning in and kissing Theo on the mouth, moving his arms
up to wrap them around his neck. "But I think I've made up for it."

Theo makes a doubtful sound, and
Max frowns indignantly, lips still pressed against Theo's.

"I have," he says
defensively against his mouth. "With blowjobs and orgasms and my generally
awesome company."

Theo can't help but chuckle, still
keeping their lips locked together, and he smoothes his hands up over Max's
back. Somehow, he finds it oddly amusing that just a few weeks ago, he would
have blushed and fumbled and been extremely uncomfortable at Max's way of
phrasing things. It still kind of has that effect on him, but he's more used to
it now, and it's something about Max that he would never want to change.

"Fair enough," he admits,
melting as Max lets one hand run its fingers through his hair.

For several seconds, they just
stand there, kissing, holding each other, and Theo finds himself feeling
eternally grateful at the fact that he did choose this route, that day, all
those weeks ago. That he chose to take the route behind the school, rather than
another one, on that specific day, at that specific time, when he ran into Max.
He's not sure what things would have been like today, if he hadn't.

"I love you." The words
escape his lips out of nowhere, slightly muffled against Max's mouth, and for a
moment, he tenses up. They only said it for the first time, two minutes ago.
Maybe this is way too soon. Hell, maybe Max doesn't even
want
to say it
anymore, maybe he has changed his mind.

The way Max tenses up against him,
though, in his arms, tells a different story, and Theo absently notices how
those fingers tighten their grip on his hair, ever so slightly.

"I love you." There's
only a breath of hesitation before Max says it, and when he does, his voice has
the same, non-flinching confidence that Theo is used to hearing. And Max kisses
him again, not moving his lips away more than a fraction of an inch. "I
love you, Theo."

Theo exhales slowly, tightening his
arms around Max.

He just knows that he'll never get tired of hearing
that.

Chapter 15

Ties

To say that everything is a mess right now, would
probably be an understatement.

Theo finds himself feeling
unusually resentful toward his parents, even though it's been a few days by
now, since they had their big fight. Maybe he just figured they would come
around, eventually, or at least try to see his side of it. But so far, no luck,
and he just feels uncharacteristically annoyed, especially at his mother. He
was hoping that she might soften, at least, unlike his dad, seeing as how she's
usually the one to back him up and support his choices.

Perhaps this is too much, though
, he thinks. If his parents' motives are in fact
driven by him suddenly changing so drastically, lately, and for the worse,
according to them, this might be too much. Asking them to simply accept it,
might be the most he has ever really asked them for, and he's not entirely sure
they will be coming around, anytime soon.

Going to school helps a bit, since
it's the only way Theo actually gets to see Max, anymore. He doesn't see him that
often, though. They get to have lunch together, if they're lucky, and more than
once, Theo has only heard from Max through either Riley or Cassie, either when
seeing them in halls of the school, or through text messages to their phones
(since Theo still hasn't gotten his own phone back). It's not enough, but it's
something, and Theo is really glad to have at least some people on his side.

He also still has detention, which
means he has to sit around even after classes are done, before going straight
home, since he's basically grounded, which only gives him more time to miss Max
so
endlessly
.

Nearing the end of the week,
though, Cassie reminds him of the
Thor
-screening, and after some arguing
with his parents―and convincing them, annoyed, that he's going with a
friend, rather than Max―they finally let him go. He's glad; it's a nice
break from everything that's going on, and although he could risk bringing Max
along, anyway, he and Cassie both agree that it's an unnecessary risk. If
Theo's parents find out, things could get so much worse, and Theo honestly
isn't about to risk abusing the one piece of freedom he has actually gotten,
lately.

Theo's mother drops him off at the
movie theater, where he's supposed to meet up with Cassie. It annoys him, to
say the least, that his parents insisted on driving him, but he figures it's
best not to argue. It's just their way of making sure he's actually doing what
he says he's going to do, with who he says he's going to do it with.

Theo spots Cassie waiting outside
the movie theater, as his mother pulls up the car, and Amy sighs, killing the
engine. She doesn't say anything for a moment, but Theo has a feeling that she
wants to, so he gives her the chance.

"Theo," she finally says,
"I'm sorry it has to be like this."

Theo doesn't answer, simply glances
out the window, absently touching the door handle. He's itching to leave, but
somehow, he feels like his mother needs him to listen, for a moment. Unlike
with his father, he has a hard time rejecting her, or letting her down.

"I know you must be angry with
us," his mother continues, her voice soft and sympathetic. "But we
just worry about you. I don't like it, but it's for the best."

Theo still doesn't reply, and Amy
tentatively touches his arm, making him look up at her. Her face is kind and
thoughtful, and Theo once again blatantly questions her part in this, her way
of deliberately keeping him from someone who makes him happy. It just doesn't
make sense.

"I'm not trying to be the bad
guy, here," Amy says. "I'm only doing this because I care. I hope you
know that."

Theo just looks at her, before
nodding, and his mother presses her lips together, as though she wants to say
something else, but decides against it. Instead, she looks over his shoulder,
through the passenger side window.

"Is that her?" she asks,
sounding lighter, as through striving for casual conversation.

Theo follows her line of sight, and
spots Cassie, her red hair bright against the bleak autumn backdrop. She's standing
outside the theater's entrance, slightly huddled against the cold.

"Yeah," Theo says,
turning back to his mother, who nods, as she gives him a small smile.

"Okay," she says, as
though she knows Theo isn't as alright with this whole thing as he's letting
on, right now, but that she's taking what little peace she can get. "Well,
don't keep her waiting."

Theo isn't used to things being so
stiff and tense with his mother, and as he gets out of the car and waves her
off, he can't stop wondering why the
hell
she would go along with this
whole thing. Maybe she really
is
worried about him, like parents are,
and Riley's word come to him, as he walks over to the theater entrance.

"Maybe they're scared... I'd
be scared, too."

He doesn't want them to be scared,
they have no reason to be, and he wishes they would see that. Then again, if he
has changed so much, lately, maybe it kind of makes sense. They don't seem too
happy about his sudden burst of rebellion, after all.

"Hey!" Cassie lights up
when she spots him, and they hug. "Thought you'd stood me up."

She gives him a stern, jokingly
angry look, and Theo smiles, ruffling her hair in a way he knows she hates.

"How could anyone stand you
up?" he says, and Cassie smiles smugly.

"Good point," she says,
holding out her arm. "Shall we?"

Theo smiles wider, hooking his arm
through hers, as they make their way inside.

There isn't that much of a crowd,
but that probably shouldn't be surprising. Considering the fact that the movie
in question has been out for years, already, and that it can easily be
downloaded, if nothing else, most people don't really seem to keen on paying to
see it. But the sparse crowd is kind of nice, Theo thinks, as he and Cassie
find their seats, popcorn and sodas in hand. It's calmer, devoid of small,
annoying children and people who'd rather talk through the whole movie, than
actually watch it.

"So, how's it going?"
Cassie asks, putting some popcorn in her mouth. The movie hasn't started yet,
so they just sit there, waiting, as the theater fills up with people.

"Are you kidding?" Theo
says, voice sharp with sarcasm. "It's awesome."

Cassie raises an eyebrow at him,
and he cocks his head in apology. He didn't mean to snap at her, and she knows
that.

"You know," she says, her
voice considering, "I think I see it, now."

Theo frowns.

"What?" he says.

"Nothing," she says.
"It's just, that kinda sounds like something Max would say."

Theo's expression relaxes, and he
just looks at her.

"Not in a bad way," she
adds, rather hastily. "I mean, I kinda like it."

Theo just keeps looking at her, as
Cassie puts the straw of her soda cup in her mouth and pulls down a huge gulp
of Coke, eyes wide and still focused on his. Then, Theo turns away to look at
the blank, white movie screen at the other end of the large room.

"If it helps," Cassie
adds, "you have that effect on him, too."

Theo glances at her.

"What do you mean?" he
asks, and she shrugs.

"Well, he's..." she says,
searching for the words. "He's
nicer
, now. Not as abrasive. You
know, overall. I mean, he's still pretty bitchy, but... I don't know. Can't
really explain it."

She shrugs again, and Theo can't
help but quirk a small smile.

"Bitchy?" he asks, and
Cassie nods.

"Yes," she says, then
rolls her eyes. "Oh, come on, you know he'd approve."

Theo considers that for a moment,
before cocking his head in agreement. Max probably would approve. And it's
adorable.

"Any word from Michael?"
Cassie asks after a little while. "Or Hannah?"

Theo frowns, looking at her.

"No," he says.
"Why?"

Cassie shrugs, looking at the big,
white movie screen.

"No reason," she says.
"It's just too bad you guys fell out."

She looks down at the popcorn in
her lap and puts some more in her mouth.

"Especially Hannah," she
adds. "She wasn't always like that."

Theo nods in agreement.

"Yeah, I know," he says.
"She―"

Then he frowns.

"Wait," he says,
"how do you know that?"

Cassie doesn't answer right away.
Instead, she sighs and looks up, staring at the screen, slowly putting some
more popcorn in her mouth.

"We used to be friends,"
she finally says, and Theo's eyebrows actually go up, in surprise. "A
couple of years ago. Best friends, actually."

She sighs again, looking down at
the popcorn again, absently digging through it for a moment, before selecting
the right kernel to eat.

"She wasn't a bitch, back
then," she says, sounding a bit sad. "She was really sweet. We had a
lot of fun together."

Cassie looks back up at the screen,
straight ahead.

"Then she met Michael,"
she says. "And he was cool, and popular, and he seemed to like her. And I
guess she decided that she'd rather be friends with him, than with me, the
geeky weirdo. I wasn't exactly cool enough to fit in with her new clique."

Cassie lets out a small, almost
humorless laugh, before turning to Theo.

"I don't blame Michael, though,"
she says. "He seems like a nice guy."

Theo nods in sad confirmation.

"He is," he says. "I
just think he needs more of a spine, than he has. He tends to let people push
him around."

Cassie frowns, clearly surprised.

"Shocking, I know," Theo
says. "But when everyone likes you, there's not much room for conflict, if
you want them to keep liking you. And if nothing else, with a brother like Luc,
I'd probably be pretty reserved, too."

It kind of makes him sad to think
about it. Michael
is
a good guy, and he was a pretty good friend, since
he and Theo started hanging out, last year. Theo is honestly a bit surprised at
him distancing himself so much, just because of Theo being with Max. He didn't
really see that coming.

"So, I guess the question
is," Cassie says, "is Michael really being a douche about this, or is
it just Hannah, acting like she thinks she's supposed to, and Michael just
going along because
he
thinks he's supposed to?"

Theo sighs, turning to look at the
blank screen.

"Beats me," he says.
"The whole thing's turned into a bigger mess than I thought it
would."

"Yeah," Cassie sighs,
sympathetically. Then she nudges Theo's arm. "But hey, at least you got
your man."

Theo smiles then, turning to her,
and she smiles back, and Theo can't help but feel really happy and grateful
that the two of them became friends.

The movie is amazing, but seeing as
how they've both seen it a bunch of times, already, they knew that, beforehand.
But still. It's a nice distraction, and Theo is glad his parents let him go.
Even if it does piss him off a bit, that he basically needed their permission.

They sit through the credits (
duh
),
along with almost everybody else, which is a nice surprise. But then Theo
remembers that this is a screening almost entirely attended by proper fans, so
it makes perfect sense that they all stay behind for the post-credits scene.
And it doesn't matter that Theo and Cassie have already seen it a bunch of
times; there's something so calming about sitting in a movie theater, just
relaxing. It's a nice break from everything else that's going on, if nothing
else, and Theo appreciates every moment of it. He's in no rush to leave.

Eventually, though, he does have to
leave, and he and Cassie make their way out of the theater, into the cold night
air. Theo is surprised, but at the same time not, to see his dad's 60s'
Chevrolet already waiting outside, and he sighs.

"That's my ride," Theo
says, turning to Cassie. "It sucks, but I gotta go."

Cassie pouts sympathetically.

"Yeah, well," she says.
"I'm glad they let you out for the evening."

Theo grimaces, and Cassie smiles.
Then she moves in and hugs him tightly, Theo reciprocating, and he hears her
sigh.

"It'll be okay, you
know," she says. "It'll all work out."

Theo nods, even though she can't
see it, and when they pull apart, she squeezes his arm.

"I had a good time," she
says, and Theo smiles.

"Me, too," he says.
"Thanks."

"See you at school,"
Cassie says, and Theo nods, giving her a small wave, as he turns around and
makes his way to the car.

He can practically feel the tension
emanating from his father, as he slips into the passenger seat, but he doesn't
look up, as he closes the car door. He sees his father basically fidget for a
moment, before speaking.