Convincing Amy (Amy, #1)

Chapter 02: A Strange Request

Chapter Two 
A STRANGE REQUEST

August

Amy Carter sat in the theatre lobby, waiting. For what exactly? She did not know. Yes, she was waiting for the arrival of her friends, but why? The only reasonable explanation she could conjure up was because Donna and Yani wanted to see Jake Hamilton's latest film, 'Butterfly Wings'. Amy had no clue what it was about exactly, but she went along for the sake of her two best friends.

"Amy! You're here!" a short, blonde-haired woman exclaimed. Her shoulder-length blonde hair was curled intricately and her blue eyes were formed in cakings of make up. All this for a movie? Amy thought it was ridiculous that Donna Patricks should dress the way she did.

"Hey, Donna," Amy smiled back. She stood up from the purple velveteen bench and gave her friend a light hug. Donna returned the gesture with warmth and friendliness.

"How long have you been here? I thought I was early!" Donna exclaimed as she released Amy from their embrace.

"Not long," Amy replied sullenly. "Five minutes at the most."

Donna tried to lighten Amy's mood. "Oh, Amy! Cheer up! You're going to America! Opportunities like these don't come up often!"

"If that's not enough to cheer you up, Jakey Hamilton sure will!" Yani Ulla exclaimed as she approached Amy and Donna, her dark, russet-coloured skin and big brown eyes reflecting her Aboriginal heritage.

Amy rolled her eyes at both her friends. Donna and Yani still swooned over the young American actors as though they were fifteen years old still. Not Amy though. She'd given up on all of that long ago.

"Hey, Yani," Amy giggled in greeting.

Yani proceeded to both embrace and peck Donna and Amy as she showed her loving affection for her friends.

"Ready to swoon?" Donna asked with much enthusiasm as Yani pulled away from Amy.

Yani clapped excitedly and squealed like a young girl. Her hands were running a fast tempo, gaining the stares of many adolescent teenagers presumably here to view the same film. Neither Amy, Donna or Yani cared anything for the loooks they received. They'd looked past that years ago.

Amy rolled her eyes at the sight of her two friends, evidently happier now that Yani was here. Yani could always make anyone laugh, even when they were in the most depressing of moods. That was one of the reasons she'd become a psychiatrist.

"Shall we go in then?" Amy asked, trying to put as much excitement into her voice as possible. Honestly, she didn't understand their obsession with Jake Hamilton. He was someone they would never have, but someone they thought about day in, day out.

Both Yani and Donna gave eager nods before the three friends headed to the candy bar to purchase their tickets. The two queues were of equal population so the girls lined up at the nearest register.

"Do you guys want to give me your money so I can buy your tickets? That'll make it easier and more efficient for the guy at the register," Donna asked, holing out her palm as Amy and Yani searched through their handbags.

Both Amy and Yani gave Donna a red twenty-dollar note, knowing she'd use whatever change leftover for popcorn and drinks. The three girls then remained silent as they got closer and closer to the front of the queue.

As the people before them moved away, Amy, Donna and Yani proceeded to be greeted by a member of the cinema staff behind the register.

"Hi. How can I help you?" a young man asked. His eyes were a brilliant green and his hair was messily gelled atop his head like a brone fire. His smile was dazzling whilst his acne scarred his cheekbones.