Page 17 of Some Things Never Change

“No, it’s fine. I’ll pay for the gas.” He pushed his hand back into mine with his card. “Yup, I’m taking the wheel after this.”

“Don’t worry about the gas. Go get more snacks or coffee with your money.” I pushed his hand away and bounced out into the frosty night before he could push his card back.

Instead of going to the restroom like I originally planned, I began filling up my gas tank instead. I didn’t want him to sneakily fill it up while I was busy releasing my bladder. After filling up the tank, I rushed inside to relieve myself. Someone needed to stay in the car, especially with all my belongings in the back.

When I got back, Andy got out of the car with a long sigh. “Since you don’t want me to pay for gas, how about some caffeine? How does iced black tea sound?”

I had a cup of coffee earlier to keep me up. But iced black tea sounded much better and more refreshing. “Yes, please. Make sure to grab the unsweetened one though.”

“You hungry? Did you want any more snacks to eat?”

“Nope, I’m good.”

Andy nodded and was on his way in. I sat in the passenger’s seat and waited for him to come back. Thankfully, there were three other cars full of people at the gas station with us, so I didn’t feel completely alone and by myself outside in the dark. Andy quickly came back with a small bag full of the tea I asked for and plenty of snacks, ranging from cookies to potato chips. He punched an address onto Google Maps, and we were back on the road.

“Excited to live with me?” he asked.

“You’re not going to force me to watch your horror movies with you, are you?” I replied, as I sipped my ice cold tea.

Andy loved horror films. He used to be so obsessed with the genre that he and the boys watched anything and everything horror every night. I hardly ever joined in on the fun and typically opted out. If I did, I usually ended up paranoid of the dark afterwards, so it was never enjoyable for me to say the least. The boys always teased me about it every time and I hated it.

“Unless I want you to force me to sleep by your bedroom door with the lights on all night long, then no,” Andy laughed.

I glared at him. “I only did that once.”

“You did that more than once.”

“So, what? I have a right to be scared.”

“Don’t worry. I’m not going to force you to watch any horror films with me. But, if you like, we can go to the theater again every other Saturday like we used to in high school.”

When we were teens, there was nothing much to do in our small city aside from going to the mall. So, the boys spent plenty of hours playing video games while I binged TV shows. Auntie Gao and Uncle Gary always suggested we go to the movie theaters during matinee hours, especially on Saturdays.

It was a great way to get us out of the house to give our parents some peace and quiet over the weekends. So, the five of us—the twins, Shoua, Jonathan, and I—usually went biweekly the moment the twins started to drive when they were sixteen.

“Sure, but that’s only if the movies sound interesting. I think I prefer watching movies on the comfort of my own couch instead. But, if you ever take me to watch a horror movie without me knowing, I swear to God, I’ll?—”

“I won’t! Does it seem like I want to sleep by your door all night long?”

“You make it sound like I enjoy torturing you like that.”

“I bet you do. This is what I get in return for spoiling you.”

I gasped dramatically. “No, I don’t, and you don’t spoil me.”

“Yeah, you do, and I definitely spoil you.”

“NO—”

“Yeah, I do. What about the earrings I got you for Christmas? If that’s not me spoiling you, then what is it?”

I gaped, unable to answer.

He laughed. “See?”

“Shut up.”

“No can do. I need to stay awake, Tink, and talking to you keeps me wide awake.”

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