Chapter thirteen || Brylan’s POV

Leaning my head on the couch behind me I try to focus on the movie but I can't take turn my hyper awareness of Damon who's breathing I can hear besides me.

Him and his friends had decided to come in to watch the movie me and Katie had chosen and of course he decided to sit besides me. I wouldn't say it's scarily close there's probably a ruler and a half's length between us.

Not that I have anything against him but we aren't close and I think him driving me home was the most we've ever talked in one sitting.

Pulling my knees up to my chest I rest my chin against them before noticing Katie get up.

'I'll be back alright I'm just going to take a shower,' she states as she stretches her arms.

Not saying anything back I grab her ankle looking up at her discretely. I didn't want her to leave me alone with them but she lightly tugs her leg from me smiling slightly.

'I'll be back,' she mouths to me before leaving the room.

Her family had recently gotten this theater room installed with a projector and speakers. It's honestly the coolest room in her house from this point onwards especially since they have these cool theater chairs to go with it. Which is my favorite part of the room despite me sitting in the carpet instead.

'You're going to take a shower without me?' Jacob asks rhetorically as I can hear his voice over my shoulder since he's seated on one of the chairs besides the one my back is against.

'Jake stop.' Damon threatens in a low voice not moving other than to open his phone. He knows his joking.

Hearing Katie leave the room she doesn't bother responding. Leaving the room silent once again besides the movie being projected, which I was the only one who wanted to watch it in the first place.

'You know what I'm going to check if she knows how to turn on the shower,' I hear Colton get up off the ground slowly making his way out the room.

Immediately looking at Noah he watches Colton, scrunching his eyebrows. I can't tell if he's jealous, angry or reading him.

He could be doing all three maybe.

'Dude what?' Damon turns his head looking over at him. Which he hadn't bothered doing for Jacobs comment, maybe he doesn't trust Colton as much for whatever reason.

Sneakily Colton leaves the room still making it unclear if he's joking or not. He's always found it funny making crude jokes to piss Damon off and usually Katie just ignores it.

'Jake can you go and get him please.' Damon asks him which then Jacob gets up leaving quickly.

A little too quickly.

'You horny mother fuckers- Noah. Can you go and check if Jacob will actually get Colton or just watch him try something,' Damon pleads.

Looking at Noah he masks a look of consideration before agreeing. I think he assumes that I don't know that he and Katie have the hots for each other.

Hearing a ping from my phone besides me I pick it up seeing it's from Alex. A smile grows on my face as I open the message he had sent on the groupchat.

'Guysss are you having fun without me?' The message reads but before I can respond with anything I hear Noah close the theater sliding door behind him.

Feeling my heart fall slowly it sinks in that I'm sitting alone with Damon in here. Immediately feeling uncomfortable I keep my eyes on the phone already knowing Damon is on his anyways.

'No. Katie literally up and left to go take a shower and Damon's friends went after her to piss Damon off. So I'm left alone with him and it's so awkward,' I respond as the smile I had fades.

Waiting for a respond I don't get one so I exit the iMessages app wondering what app to click on to avoid the tension. My interest in the movie deteriorated long ago.

Flinching I hear shuffling behind my back before looking over at Damon who's looking at his phone in his right hand. I'm seated on his left side so I look up at his left arm which is resting against the seat behind me.

Following it with my eyes I turn my head to my own left seeing his hand there. Looking at the rings on his fingers he quickly pulls his hand away.

'My bad.' He looks over at me realizing his arm was around me.

Just nodding I don't look at him putting my phone down and looking at the projector. Obviously I'm not watching the movie, a part of me wants to leave or move away but another part of me doesn't want to be even more awkward if I do.

'Are you okay?' He asks as I can feel his eyes on the side of my head too nervous to look up, 'you're being really weird today.'

I guess he'd think that since I spoke to him prior in his car a day or two ago. But I was in my emotions at the time so I was a little more confident when talking.

Im not sure why but this time its so painfully uncomfortable.

Hearing his hand move again I try my best not to react or look at him. He put his hand back where it was and I can feel it brushing against my back sending goosebumps up my spine.

Turning my head to steal a glance at him I realize that he's already looking at me with a look that I can't distinguish to be amusement or confusion.

Maybe it's both.

'You're being so shy.' He feels the need to point out but all I can think about is the sound of his voice. Naturally his voice is very heavy so it can be a little overwhelming. I feel my skin itch of anticipation whenever he speaks to me.

Shifting in my position I keep looking at him not saying anything once again. It's not exactly intentional at this point, he just keeps saying things that I don't know how to respond to.

'I'm not,' I speak up knowing damn well I am.

'That's a lie,' he responds not giving me the benefit of the doubt.

you're not even focused...what happened in the movie that you chose?' Damon looks down at me.

'Well...' I look away awkwardly realizing I hadn't been paying any attention. The show is a 90s sitcom since those are my favorites but I hadn't watched it yet so I had no memory of it.

'You know you would've remembered it, if it was a horror movie,' he speaks for me.

'It's scary...I'm not a big fan of fear or too much adrenaline,' I shake my head disapproving of what he had said. 'They're usually very aggressive and I'm not all for it,'

Waiting for a response he doesn't give me one so I look over at him as he's just staring at me.

'They're not always scary. They can be fun,' He adds before reaching for the remote switching out of the movie, 'its really good and if you don't start now you won't be able to build a tolerance or it'll always be 'too hard to handle,"

Not stopping him from changing the movie I watch him scroll though the horror movies unsure if we're talking about the same thing.

'This one isn't that bad...it was made years ago.' He clicks on 'lights out.'

Shooting my head in his direction I see him biting his lips trying not to laugh. Even though I hadn't watched the movie when it came out back in 2016 I had avoided it.

We where a lot younger and I was eleven and used to cry since Damon and Thale would always turn off all the lights from the switches in the basement and pretend to be the demon girl. They would always make us cry and beg for us not to tell Katie or I's parents.

'Damon no.' I attempt to get up but he grabs my wrist pulling me back down like I weigh nothing, this time close to him then I already was.

'Bry if you don't face your fear now it'll always be on your back creeping you out.' He laughs

'You're the reason I have that fear.' I flinch moving closer into his shoulder as the intro music to the movie begins.

'And I'll be the reason you'll get over it,' he leans back into the seat behind him making me wonder why we aren't just sitting on them.

Looking at the screen I pull my knees up again wrapping my hands around them. Focusing on the movie every slight jump scare or moment the girl would come on screen I would flinch shoving my face into my knees.

Soon after the movie ends and I keep my face covered by my knees as I physically feel my heart thumping out of my chest.

'Brylan you okay?' I hear Damon ask me trying not to laugh noticing me hiding.

'Yes.' I say with a muffled voice.

'Okay then I'll just go,' he gets up as I shoot my head away as the comfort of his hand leaves my back.

'Wait!' I grab his hand before realizing what I'm doing and letting go. 'Nevermind.'

'Are you scared?' He looks down as I look up at him fighting the urge to bite his knees given he's standing above me.

Moving towards the door he fully shuts it before resting his hand on the light switch besides it. Eyeing him down I glare into his non existent soul.

'Look that's not funny don't do that.' I warn him knowing I'm not in the slightest intimidating to him.

Watching him trace his finger around the switch he pauses before leaning against the wall, 'what'll you do if I turn it off?'

Getting up off the ground he places his hand back onto the switch causing me to freeze. I don't fuck with the occult and everything horror scares the shit out of me, as childish as it sounds.

'No no Brylan don't test me I will turn it off.' He laughs but I keep a dead face, I'm not in the mood and I don't even understand why he's fucking with me right now. We don't have that kid of relationship.

But before I can get another thought in I hear the click of the lights turning it off. Surrounded by the darkness my stomach drops to my feet as I attempt to make my way to the wall almost tripping over.

'Damon?' I whisper as fear runs me dry, wondering if I'm walking in the right direction.

Reaching my hands out in desperation I touch something soft causing me to shriek. Hands reach out grabbing my forearms jump.

'Damon!' I practically yell before feeling the hand cover my mouth.

My body flips over so my back is against the wall I was trying to hard to find, as I make an attempt to calm myself down.

'Relax it's just me.' He whispers moving his hand off my mouth slowly, 'if you yell you're going to anger her and she'll come for you.'

Sniffling I take shaky breaths which he soon notices relaxing his grip on me. Unsure what he looks like I'm grateful the lights are off as I rip my hand away wiping my eyes.

'I'm sorry.' He apologizes but I'm not in the mood for his games. It's been almost five years since he pulled this shit on me and I'm not in the mood for him to do it again.

Ripping away I feel him grab me by the waist pulling me back against the wall.

'Brylan wait.' He holds me still.