CHAPTER NINE - Fundamentally

"Ashton, hurry up!"

"I'm coming, I'm coming, jeez," Ashton said, threading his way through a line of people before making it to Alara. "Got your favorites," he said, handing her popcorn and candy.

She kissed his cheek. "You're the best," she gushed, and he blushed.

"What movie are we watching?" Luke asked, playing with Anna's fingers.

Ashton shrugged. "I don't know."

Alara rolled her eyes. "Book of Life. You chose the movie!"

"You know we weren't actually going to watch it," Ashton teased, nudging her with his elbow.

Alara blushed. "I-I mean-"

"Let's just go get our seats," Anna suggested, and the four of then entered the dark theatre.

They sat down and immediately, Alara began picking at the popcorn. "Hey! Save it!" Ashton said, trying to bat her hand away.

"But Ash, I want it," Alara said, pouting.

Ashton sighed. "If we eat it now, we won't have any for the movie."

"Were you planning on eating during the movie? I thought you had other plans?" Alara winked.

Ashton grimaced and said, "Fine, just save some for me."

Next to them, Luke and Anna were sharing a box of Dibs ice cream, their intertwined hands on the armrest between them. "I heard this movie is cute," Anna commented, popping another chunk of chocolate covered ice cream into her mouth.

Luke nodded. "Yeah, I heard it's supposed to be great."

"You're not gonna watch it, are you?"

He grinned. "If I'm not making out with you, maybe."

Anna grinned back at him. "No, then you'd just be staring at me the entire time."

Luke shrugged. "True," he admitted shamelessly.

Anna laughed, and then sobered. "What do you think about Michael and Elle?" she asked in a low voice.

Luke pursed his lips and sighed. "I guess... I don't know. I know he really likes her."

"She likes him, too. But Kat."

Luke scoffed. "She's just a bitch."

Ashton leaned over. "Are we talking about Kat?"

Alara leaned over as well. "She's gotten jealous of Elle. She still has feelings for Michael, you guys."

"But she lied-"

"And you haven't? We all attend a behavioral camp," Alara pointed out.

Anna frowned at her. "Are you defending her?"

Alara shook her head. "No, I'm not trying to. But just because she's trying to get between a new girl and a guy she really cares about doesn't make her a bitch. If she were doing it for no reason, then yeah. But you're basically calling her a bitch for having feelings."

"You think Kat spreading rumors about how she and Michael hooked up is caring for him?" Luke demanded.

"She's not doing the right thing, but she's doing it because she cares," Alara said.

Ashton stroked the back of her hand with his thumb, trying to calm her down. "Hey, babe, I know what you mean. We're just upset because she's hurting all of us by getting at Mikey. We don't like seeing him struggle. He really likes Elle."

Alara sighed and sat back in her seat. "Just saying."

Ashton kissed her cheek. "I know. You're the sweetest person ever. You're the best."

"God, stop with the fluff!" Luke shrieked, and Anna laughed.

Ashton shot him a look and said, "Anna, do me a favor and shut him up by kissing him."

Anna grinned. "Gladly."

Ashton watched the two of them with a mixture of amusement and disgust. "The movie hasn't even started yet."

Anna pulled back from Luke, who sighed quietly. "You did ask me to," she quipped.

Ashton sighed. "I guess I did," he assented, and Anna laughed.

After the movie, they drove back to BCC. "So what do we do about Michael and Elle?" Luke asked.

Alara said, "I think we have to let them figure themselves out. We can't do anything. After all, we don't even really know Elle."

"Does Michael?" Ashton asked.

Anna shrugged. "He seems like he gets her. They only just met, but they know each other so well, it's weird. They fundamentally understand each other."

"But Kat," Luke said distastefully.

Anna made a face. "Kat cares about Michael, a lot," she said. "But... yeah. Yeah, I wish we could get her out of picture."

Ashton parked in the lot, and the four of them walked back in.

"Is that..." Alara gasped, looking to the tree.

Beneath it, Michael and Elle were sitting together, fingers intertwined, laughing.

"OH MY GOD!" Luke screamed, and Michael and Elle looked up at them. Michael flushed, and Elle buried her face in his arm.

Anna elbowed him. "You have no chill," he hissed.

"Ow," he muttered, rubbing his side. "Sorry, I got excited."

Ashton grinned. "The ship is sailing!" he called.

"Ugh, boys," Alara said to Anna, who smiled and nodded.

Calum walked down the path, waved to Anna, Luke, Alara and Ashton, glanced at Michael and Elle and groaned.

"Not another couple!"