Dove Sport

Chapter Nine: Burning Pile

The movie theater, Olde Town Cinema, was shutting down for good in Doveport. According to her friends, it had been around since the 1950's. Dara herself was not particularly attached to Olde Town. This was her first time ever visiting and in all honesty, she thought the place was a dump. The seats were squeaky and torn up, the lights flickered constantly, and the concession stand was so unclean she didn't trust any food from there. To her friends however, the Olde Town Cinema was a piece of their childhoods that was about to be demolished. It was located a couple blocks west of The Hook in what Doveport called its 'downtown area' but was really just a collection of buildings which were equally old and in dire need of renovations.

Dara was seated towards the shadowy back of the theater with her date, Liam. Their movie hadn't started yet, but this was meant to be one of the last showings before the demolition and the seats were startlingly full. Then again, Dara supposed there wasn't really much else for the citizens of Doveport to do around here. She was relaxed into her date's side when he pulled out a phone.

"Smile," Todd said, waiting until Dara had sat up and smiled to snap the picture. He showed it her and she wrinkled her nose at it.

"That's awful!" Dara laughed, "Oh my god, we have to re-do that on." Liam snorted and saved the picture to his camera roll. Dara let out a sound of indignation and lunged for the phone to pry it from his hands.

"Okay, okay!" Liam said, fending her off. "Let me try again." He held the phone out again and re-took the photo.

"Let me see it." Dara asked.

"You don't trust me?" Liam joked, smiling for the camera. He took another photo.

"Let me see," Dara pleaded, "I just want to approve the photo." Liam handed over his phone and she scrutinized their faces. She glanced up at him and then back down at the phone before handing it back to him, "I guess this is fine." She said sarcastically. Dara checked the time on her watch and saw they still had fifteen minutes before the show was meant to start. Liam had asked they leave early because he wanted to pick her up but had never driven out of town to where her grandmother's house was before and wanted to make sure they had enough time. Dara looked up from her watch and found Liam staring at her. "The theater is open for a few more nights," She observed, "Why'd you pick the night with a scary movie playing?"

"Maybe I was hoping you'd get scared and jump into my arms." Liam said with a rakish grin. Dara scoffed. "You're different than what I thought you'd be like," Liam told her, smiling slightly, "I mean, a former it-girl from Florida who's daddy owned resorts? I assumed you'd be a little more high maintenance." Dara snorted at that as Liam continued, "You just moved here recently, right?" At her nod he asked, "What do you miss the most about Key West?"

Dara felt her own amused expression fading as she thought about his question.

"Only everything," She told him, "My friends, being with my whole family, the weather especially." Dara picked an invisible bit of lint off her sweater, "I never realized how exhausting it is to be the new kid."

"Try being the new kid whose dad is also the football coach." Liam countered good naturally. He had told her on the drive to Olde Town just how much pressure he felt from his parents to meet their aspirations and get into a good college on a football scholarship.

"Well," Dara began, "From an outsider's point of view, you've not only proven yourself, but you've also raised the bar for other new kids." It was true. Dara had seen Liam practicing out on the field with the rest of the Timber Wolves while the cheer team had gone over new formations. He was an excellent player from where she was standing. "I mean, you're doing varsity football, you made the Dean's list, and on top of all that you have Ivy League aspirations." Liam blinked at Dara in confusion and she leaned in closer to him. "I am nothing if not an informed consumer, you've been vetted."