Fall from Love

I glance over to the recliner beside the couch and find Carter watching me. I smile politely and then focus my attention on the T.V. in front of me.
    It’s not even thirty minutes into the movie before Josh and Jenna are making out on the couch beside me. Carter’s in the chair to my right, so I’m sandwiched in between him and two sex crazed people. Awkward and uncomfortable doesn’t seem to do the situation justice or explain how bad I am going to kick Jenna’s ass for this later. Thirty more minutes go by and I reluctantly glance to my left to see that Josh and Jenna are still at it.
    How obvious would it be if I just got up, walked out the door and drove away? I wonder. Reaching my eyes to the right, I see Carter playing with his phone.
    As I’m contemplating my exit plan, my phone chimes and I lean over to get it, hoping—no praying—that it’s a message stating that zombies are invading Colorado and we all have to evacuate. Even though it’s not the state of emergency I was hoping for, the name that pops up on my screen still surprises me.
    Carter: Want to get out of here?
    I smile and glance over at him. He’s smiling, but still looking down at his phone, and not meeting my gaze. Before I even have a chance to respond, my phone chimes again.
    Carter: Or are you enjoying the make out session beside you?
    Glancing over at him, I shake my head and purse my lips. Carter stands and jerks his head towards the kitchen, signaling me to follow his lead. We walk down the hall that eventually empties into the garage.
    “Thanks for bailing me out,” I say when he closes the door behind me.
    “Well, I know that once they get started, especially during a movie, they don’t stop.” He laughs.
    I can’t help but laugh, too. “So you’ve had to witness this for the last few months?”
    “Oh, yeah, that’s PG compared to some other things I’ve seen.” He shakes his head as if trying to empty the memories from his head.
    “Oh, wow, I had no idea. Maybe they’ll start splitting up the time between you’re place and our place, and give you a break.”
    “Watch it.” He smiles. “Be careful what you wish for.” He walks over to the pool table, takes a ball out of the pocket and tosses it up in the air. “It’s cool, though. I haven’t seen Josh this happy in a long time… maybe ever, so I’ll deal with it. Tonight was some big plan for us all to hang out and get to know each other better. I think he’s tired of his girlfriend and best friend not getting along.”
    “Don’t let Jenna get to you.” I take a few steps closer to the pool table and then lean against it. “She’s really a nice person when you get to know her. It’s just that she’s—”
    “Protective,” he says, interrupting me. “I know and I get it.”
    “It’s more than that, though. She’s loyal and can be really sweet when she wants to be. You just have to get to know her.”
    “That’s the plan.” He tilts his head and shoves the ball across the table. It bounces off the corner and comes to a rest on the other side of the table, near me.
    “She put up with a lot from me this past summer.” I shiver involuntarily. “Most friends would have given up on me a long time ago… but she… even at my worst, she was still there for me.”
    His face softens and he swallows hard. Crossing his arms across his chest, he rests his left hip against the pool table and stares at me, his eyes unwavering.
    “Aren’t you cold?” I ask to fill the silence. It isn’t too strange of a question; he really could have been cold. The temperature in the garage can’t be much warmer than outside. He’s only wearing a t-shirt. I, at least, have a sweater on.
    “Nah, it’s not too bad. You?”
    “No, I’m okay.” I shrug. “We don’t have to stay out here if you don’t want to. The movie’s probably almost over anyway... and I’m sure the make out session will end, too... hopefully.”
    “We can go in, if that’s what you want.” His gaze never leaves mine and I can’t figure out what it is about his eyes. They’re not only tired looking, but lost and sad, too. We hold our stare for a long minute before the door swings open.
    “There you are,” Jenna says, smiling blissfully at me. “The movie is over.”
    “Hey.” I return her smile.
    “That movie was so disgusting. It was pretty uncomfortable to watch, huh?”
    I choke out a laugh, but try to cover it up by clearing my throat. “Yeah, it was uncomfortable to