Not Today | ✔️

Chapter Thirty Four.

"Does it ever drive you crazy
Just how fast the night changes?"

✧✧✧

"What time does our movie start again?"

"Not for another two hours," Tristan said.

Evelyn peeked over her book, meeting Tristan's eyes. "You thinking what I'm thinking?"

Tristan narrowed his eyes in suspicion. "What are you thinking?"

"Wanna go get ice cream?" she said with a grin that was bright enough to light up a Christmas tree.

"...ice cream? In winter?"

"Absolutely. Why not?"

"Because it's freezing out," he pointed out.

"So we'll be cold either way, might as well be cold and eat ice cream," she said with a bright smile, already seeing Tristan getting closer to giving in.

He sighed, covering his face with his hands before peeking at her through his fingers. "Fine."

She leaned towards Tristan, pressing her lips against his cheek, gently. "Thank you."

Before he could reply, she was already walking away from him, towards her coat.

"Ice cream in winter is the best," Evelyn said a while later, stuffing spoonfuls of her chocolate ice cream into her mouth.

"I disagree," Tristan said, his voice muffled due to the ice cream in his mouth. Evelyn laughed at him. The entire sight of him was both hilarious and heartwarming enough to warm the chill in the winter air. The cold weather had caused his skin to turn a light pink color and the breeze rustled his hair, but what was truly heartwarming was the innocence in his face, reminding her of a child, his cheeks puffed like a chipmunk because of the ice cream stuffed in them.

"What? Do I have something on my face?" he asked and crossed his eyes trying to look down at his own mouth.

Evelyn had to smile brightly at this, especially since there actually was ice cream on the corner of his mouth. She stepped forward, ready to wipe the ice cream away with her thumb, but in a move that surprised Tristan, she instead pressed her lips against his, kissing him softly and pulling away quickly enough that Tristan was left slightly dazed and confused.

"Told you ice cream in winter is the best," she said with a wink, walking ahead of him.

Evelyn loved teasing him, because his reactions would never fail to brighten her mood, and it sometimes made her step out of her comfort zone.

Tristan caught up to her, and for a few moments he just stared down at her as they walked.

"What?"

"Nothing, just thinking."

"Thinking about what?"

"Maybe ice cream is better in winter," he said with a shrug, a small smile painted on his lips. Evelyn felt her heartbeat pick up slightly and her lips lift almost unconsciously.

"This place is disgusting," Evelyn said once they entered their specific theater, about an hour later.

"Very."

"My God, I can practically see the disease all over this place."

Tristan chuckled as he glanced at Evelyn, her facial expression one of immense disgust, her nose scrunched and her eyebrows furrowed.

Her expression wasn't only disgust, but she was also anxious, made obvious by the wringing of her hands. Tristan let his fingers drift down to her hands, stopping her nervous movement, before he separated her hands, clasping one within his, accompanied by a squeeze, which caused her to look at him.

"Then don't focus on the place, Evelyn," he said with a soft voice, giving her hand another gentle squeeze. "Focus on me."

For a moment, Evelyn seemed at a loss for words, looking at him like he was the Superman of her Metropolis. And, in a lot of ways, she felt he was.

"You know, I would, but that may be worse," she joked with a smile.

"Ouch," Tristan said, feigning offense, but was really just glad the anxious rubbing of her hands and biting of her lip had ceased.

Evelyn's jaw dropped as she looked at the floor of the movie theater. "Is that a-"

"Condom? I think so," Tristan confirmed before she could finish her sentence.

They looked at each other and laughed.

"I knew we were going to see an action movie, but I'm not sure this was the type of action anyone was expecting," Evelyn said with a snort.

Tristan looked down at her with a smile, his expression causing her to feel oddly shy, warmth feeling her cheeks.

They both took their seats, watching the previews pass as they waited for their movie to begin.

"I'm going to say something kind of crazy," Evelyn said quietly.

"I don't think anything you could say would surprise me at this point."

"I like previews before movies."

Tristan looked at her like she was crazy, causing her to laugh. "You... what?"

"I like previews."

"And you say I'm crazy for pouring the milk before the cereal," he said, shaking his head.

"I hate to break it to you, Tris, but you still are crazy for that. We just happen to both be crazy," she said with a smile.

"I guess we're a perfect fit, then, huh?" he said, squeezing her hand which was still interlocked with his own.

"Like a theater floor and used condom. We shouldn't go together, but no one will try to tear us apart... especially without a broom," Evelyn said, causing Tristan to laugh so hard some of the audience shushed him.

"Did I just get shushed during the previews?"

"See, I'm not the only one who likes previews. Take that, loser," she said, sticking her tongue out childishly. Tristan rolled his eyes, but he was still smiling.

Gradually, the lights in the theater began to dim, so the only light illuminating their faces were the colors from the large screen in front of them.

Evelyn glanced at Tristan as the movie began, feeling shy when she met his eyes, which were already looking at her. Evelyn nudged his shoulder, her silent way of trying to tell him to pay attention, but he just smiled and shrugged. Evelyn ended up being the one looking away, a smile lingering on her lips.

Midway through the movie, a girl came rushing down the aisle, looking for a seat. Evelyn made Tristan move a seat over, and she did as well, to give the girl her aisle seat.

The girl smiled gratefully at Evelyn, which Evelyn returned, before turning her eyes to the screen.

Evelyn glanced over at Tristan, but unlike last time, where he was staring at her, his eyes were on the girl that had just sat down. His eyes were wide and he muttered something under his breath. A part of Evelyn felt her heart drop when the girl turned towards Tristan as if she could sense him staring, and her expression mirrored his. Both of them looking at each other, almost through Evelyn, like she wasn't there, before the girl uttered one word.

"Tristan?"