CHAPTER 99: NEXT MOVIE, GAME?

The movie Atlas chose was a drama, which surprised Lola. She wouldn’t have guessed it was something he would watch. Then again, who was she to judge? His suggestion to watch a movie at all was a surprise in itself.

Eventually, all her other thoughts slowly left her overstimulated brain. Her initial disinterest in the movie faded, and before she knew it, she was giggling, holding her breath, or holding back tears.

Lola leaned back on the couch, hugging a cushion. The corners of her eyes were red from holding back tears, while her throat was dry. But just as a tear successfully rolled down her cheek, she intuitively glanced at him, curious about his reaction.

"You’re not watching?" She blurted out, making him peel his eyes away from the tablet.

His answer was short and dry: "No."

"...Why not?"

"I’ve already watched it a hundred times," he said, glancing at the screen. "I don’t need to watch it for the hundred-and-first time."

Her lips curved down slightly, and she looked away. "Why ask me to watch with you when you’re not going to watch?" The words were out before she could stop them. She bit her tongue, then quickly looked back at him with a forced smile.

"I mean, I’m not upset or disappointed," she laughed, waving a dismissive hand. "That’s not what I meant."

"I can watch the next one if you’d like."

Lola paused, looking at him without much reaction. "The next one? I only agreed to one movie."

"I’m suggesting," he shrugged, casually shifting his attention back to his device. "Next time, you can choose. I thought you’d like this one after a long day."

Maybe it was the distance they maintained on the same couch that made her more relaxed, or maybe the mood of the movie had affected her. Either way, Lola found herself staring at his side profile after his last remark.

"Thanks," she whispered, catching him giving her a sidelong glance.

"You’re welcome."

Silence quickly followed her words of gratitude as she turned to face the screen. She pressed her lips together, and the corners of her mouth hooked up before she refocused on the film.

Strange, she thought. But somehow, her brain automatically translated his words into more than what he had uttered. He wasn’t wrong, though. Not only had she had a long day, but before the twins or anyone else, Lola had never truly stopped for anything. Otherwise, she would just be left with the tragic highlights of her life.

Lola smacked her lips, relaxing on the couch with her snacks and wine, enjoying what she hadn’t done in a long time.

****

A mix of emotions swirled in Lola’s heart as she stared at the after-credits. There was a brief feeling of satisfaction, a certain heaviness, and also a little bit of hope. The movie, after all, was all about self-discovery, forgiveness, and a type of strength that didn’t involve lifting weights.

Perhaps that’s why it had resonated with her so much.

"Did you like it?" His voice brought her back from her thoughts.

"Mhm," she hummed, looking back at him. "I didn’t know you’d watch a movie like this a hundred times, though."

"It’s not me. It’s my sister."

"Penny?"

Atlas paused, then nodded. "She likes that movie, and we used to watch it together with the whole family. I had no choice."

"Oh." The shallow lines of disappointment on her face faded a bit. "With the family, huh?"

He didn’t answer, just giving a mild nod.

Lola pressed her lips together, then let out a shallow laugh. "You... you really get along with your family, don’t you?"

"Is that surprising?"

"No, of course not!" she shook her head, leaning back comfortably as she thought about it.

Looking back, the Bennets did seem to have a good family dynamic. Even though she only attended school with them for a year, it was enough to get a grasp of it.

"Jealous?" His remark made her look back at him.

"Huh?"

"Are you jealous of our family?" he repeated.

"Are you teasing me or something?" she quipped, about to drink her wine, only to notice her glass was empty. It didn’t matter, though, as she looked back at him. "Maybe, maybe not."

She shrugged as she stretched her legs out to pour herself another glass. She continued, "You’ve seen my father and his wife. And even though you haven’t met their beloved daughter, you can just imagine what it’s like to have a family like that." She chuckled with a tinge of bitterness. "So, I’m not really sure."

Lola cocked her head at him, smiling. "Not sure if a good family relationship makes me envious, or if I just don’t really care at all." She raised her glass slightly. "Cheers."

Atlas narrowed his eyes, watching her chug another mouthful. He glanced at the bottle of wine, which was almost empty. He had only had one glass.

"You’re drinking more," he pointed out.

"It’s fine," Lola waved dismissively while picking up the remote. "I don’t get drunk... I mean, I quickly sober up."

"That’s interesting."

"And why is that?"

"I just know someone who is very lightweight, and not at the same time."

"That’s confusing," she hummed, only to see him shrug in return. "Anyway, don’t worry about me. It’s not like you can get me drunk." She blinked and beamed. "Next movie, game?"

He didn’t answer immediately, studying her ever-changing demeanor with every chug of wine she took. The more wine she had, the more confident and relaxed she became, especially with him around.

Atlas cocked his head a little to the side, his eyes still on her. "Before you choose, answer me first."

"What?" she frowned, remembering the first movie was a condition for his earlier help. "What is it?"

"Don’t you always get drunk?"

"Huh?"

"You said you either don’t get drunk easily or sober up quickly," he repeated. "Are you always like that?"

Lola pouted a bit, rubbing her chin as she looked up to think about it. "No, I don’t think so, because I don’t always drink." She smiled at him. "The first time I got drunk was... hmm... about five—six years ago?"

She then looked back at him. "Around that time, and then several months later, I discovered that I am not a lightweight! It was an interesting discovery... for me. Why are you asking?"

Because the woman he had a night of passion with didn’t seem to sober up quickly.