Kiss Cam [Teaser/Published October 2016]

CHAPTER THREE | THE DANCE WITH NO PANTS

THE VIDEO CAMERA is mine today, as it always is on Fridays. Out of all three of us, I am the one who has the camera the least. Some might say it's because I film uninteresting things, others because I borderline on having short-term memory loss— meaning I often forget I have the camera and therefore don't end up filming a single thing. The latter is often the culprit. It drives Jasper crazy and might just be the reason that we don't upload anything on Fridays, which isn't a big deal since our weekends are about as exciting as the night shift at a nursing home—minus the demented residents.

A typical Friday night for us usually goes something like this: Lenny hibernates at his house to watch Desperate Housewives and ogle Eva Longoria. Meanwhile, I go over to Jasper's house to eat his food and force him to give me a foot massage while we watch endless hours of Criminal Minds. This usually results in me spending the night because I'm too paranoid to walk across the street back home at midnight.

So is it even worth filming when I know editing isn't going to get done and our plans are practically set in stone? Nope.

I decide to take the video camera from my backpack and place it on the top shelf of my locker, knowing that I won't film anything today. In mid-replacement of textbooks, the hood of the sweatshirt I'm wearing gets forcefully tugged over my head and smothers my wild curls to my forehead.

"I was  wondering  where my hoodie  went,"  Jasper's voice teases, and he bumps me out of the way of my own locker to snatch the video camera. "Why do I give you this thing again?"

I pull the hood off my head and attempt to straighten my now fuzzy hair with one hand while the other struggles to hold up my heavy backpack. "Because it's only fair." I poke my tongue out at him and reach for the camera. "Besides, we never do anything on Fridays. Unless, of course, you'd like me to film you being thoroughly whipped tonight while you rub my feet." I smirk and swing my backpack over my shoulder, still trying to retrieve the camera from him before I close my locker.

He laughs, dodges my arm, and then sends me a sly smile. "And how do you know that tonight will be boring?" he asks, and wiggles his eyebrows. Laughing, I roll my eyes and slap him on the shoulder when he leans in and makes a noisy kissy face.

Pleased with the scene he's made, he puts the camera back and shuts my locker door for me. Then his eyes glint and he falls against my locker door, leaning into a suggestive pose while attempting a sultry expression.

"You're an idiot," I tell him, and he grins boyishly while placing a hand on his hip.

"Aw, babe," he murmurs with dark, smoldering eyes as he reaches for one of the tassels hanging from my sweatshirt. "Don't pretend you don't love me."

He's a natural actor, always playing up the drama to make someone laugh. I've become immune to his performances but am entertained, nonetheless. If anything, I've learned to play along. "You're right," I sigh as I walk away. "I'm truly, madly, deeply in love with you."

Catching up, he throws one of his long arms over my shoulders and tilts his head down to whisper in my ear. "I knew it."

"Mhm," I hum, and nudge him off. "Anyway, it's cool if I come over tonight, right?"

"Totally." He nods and returns his arm to rest on my shoulders while we walk. "Mom won't be home until two. No idea how I'm going to occupy myself, otherwise."

My eyes follow the marbled floor, watching as feet zip in and out of my line of sight. "And Lenny's ditching us again?" I ask, even though I obviously already know the answer.

"Eva Longoria is far more intriguing."

"Right," I reason, and shake my head critically. "And Criminal Minds is on the agenda?"