Better Than The Movies Series Novels & Stories

“There's no expectations. Just dinner.” Her smile softens. “Good, because that's all that was happening tonight anyway.” The waitress comes, and we order appetizers, the jerk wings, fried green tomatoes, honey chicken biscuits, and the conversation flows like we’ve been doing this for years instead of weeks. We get on the subject of Comic-Con and our favorite characters. She then tries to argue that Spider-Man: No Way Home isn’t the best Marvel movie to date. She started talking about the The Black Panther movies, Captain America Winter Soldier, and ShangChi and Legend of the Ten Rings was much better.

Kate would’ve watched them any day with the Bali Girls but, being alone and in an unsavory cellar, she chickens out on Poltergeist. The ones that make the deepest impact on her are the sci-fi Terminator series (both directed by James Cameron!). One time Ms. Perfect drops in for a surprise check (she took off her stilettos and pantyhose and tiptoed barefoot), Kate has just turned off the Betamax and she’s fresh from crying because of Model 101’s heroic sacrifice. At the sight of her red eyes and soaked eyelashes, Ms. Perfect is instantly convinced of Kate’s tortured state.

Liam said. "You guys have watched the first movie? Do you think it's better than the books?" Diana queried. "I've read the books.. And watched the first movie. I don't think it's necessarily better than the movie, or vice versa." Kate puckered her lips. "Me too. Maybe for other movies, they would get disappointed that the movie didn't give justice to the book, or that the movie just made a crappy book better." Miriam stated. "Right..right.. Like I said, as expected of Griffin Entertainment. They can make what you imagined from reading the book come true on screen." Liam aptly said.

"What about this 'Under the Tuscan Sun'? Witch Anya asked for my opinion. "It's good, but we've watched it like five times. I already memorized some of the lines!" I cringed my nose and shook my head. "How about a series, so we don't need to look for other movies later?" I suggested. "Good idea. Hobbits, then? Or Lord of the Rings?!" Both Adam and I shook our heads. "Avengers? X-Men?" Witch Anya had already mentioned most of the popular series nowadays, but Adam and I both rejected all of them. "Okay, I give up. You, kids, choose!" She sat back and poured their glasses of wine.

"You said we were going to watch a movie but that's a series." "Movies are long. I figured you wouldn't want to stay for too long." He lied without batting an eyelid. Movies were long but it would only be one hour and a half and it would be over unless there was a sequel. Series on the other hand, was addictive. Watching one episode was like promising to eat only one M&M out of a jar with a hundred of them. She opted for the mat and sat down, having set a throw pillow against the foot of the seat behind her so it would be comfortable.

It was a genuine smile, it got my hopes up that she will be able to get past what she just suffered from. “Let’s watch one of my favorite movie series. It has five movies and each one of them is amazing. It’s about pirates” I said excitedly. She raised her eyebrows in surprise “Pirates?” she looked at me with so much uncertainty and doubt, it made me laugh under my breath. “Yes pirates, you will love it I promise. Let’s start with the first one” I held the remote and started the tv. We leaned our backs against the sofa and started watching the movie together.

"What do you think about the movie" Flashback "I'll never run out. So its After you picked" I said dropping the blankets "Yup. The name sounds interesting" "Yeah because the book is" "After has a book" "More like the book has a movie" "How" "Its a book on Wattpad and that book is a bomb" "Really" "One of my absolute best" I said and smiled. End of flashback "Its a really good one. One of my absolute best even" I said summing up every other thing I would have said.

"Really? Like, do you even hear yourself? Books are far better." "Give me an example." "You said you read romance novels right? The After series is a perfect example." "Sad, 'cause on the contrary, I only watch horror and action movies." He said and shrugged. "Hey! And you were going to argue with me about movies being better than books!" She snapped at him. He shrugged once again and sipped his coffee. "I still stand on that," he said. The argument continued that way, and instead of it being tense, it was relaxing for both parties.

We finally entered the bookstore and I let go of his arm. “A-ahm, I don’t want to huddle there” I answered sparingly. A book caught my attention and I was amazed that they are selling this book. “Gosh! My favorite series!” I get the Twilight book. Gio followed me and observed the book as well. “I’ve already watched it” He bragged. I narrowed an eye at him. “Book version is still the best. The feels and emotions are there when you’re reading it” I answered. “But the movie adaptations are easy to understand since you don’t need to use your imagination anymore,” He said frankly.

“Younger me would probably panic and ruin it somehow.” God. She laughed softly through rising emotion. “Probably.” “Absolutely.” Fair. But then her expression gentled again. “You know what’s beautiful though?” “What?” “We actually became better than the fantasy.” Silence wrapped around them. Because movies sold obsession. Fantasy sold perfection. But reality? Reality gave them something deeper. Trust. Repair. Emotional intimacy. Adrian looked toward the paused movie thoughtfully. “I don’t think dramatic love stories ever show what happens afterward.” God.