ShadowShifter

Date From Hell

In line for movie tickets, he reached for his wallet as we approached the ticket booth. "Two for Forget Me Not."

The misery rushed in. I hated chick flicks in general, and this one in particular was about a married woman being cheated on and after her divorce, she finds true love again. Not an original storyline. Not an original actress either; This was the same actress that had done the same movie at least three other times in the last four years, but with different titles and leading men.

Erik grabbed my hand and whispered intimately. "I bet you weren't expecting me to pick this movie, were you?"

My smile was like plastic.

Idiotically encouraged by my false approval, Erik tightened his grasp on my hand and pulled me closer as we walked past the concessions. I looked at the popcorn and candy display like a lost puppy. The smell of butter lingered around me as we entered in screen number two, where the two hours of torture would ensue. He led me to the dark corner of the back row and sat down. The surrounding couples were too busy locked at the lips to even notice us. Erik wrapped his arm around my shoulders and pulled me close to him. He clearly had no intention of actually watching the movie. My brain worked hard for a valid excuse to avoid Erik's intentions.

Distraction mode.

"I'm going to get some popcorn and something to drink. Do you want anything?" My voice shook from nerves.

He was obviously taken aback by my preference to eat instead of make out. "Uh, sure. I'll have a water."

The lobby was like a ghost town. Screams were coming from behind the doors of Secluded and loud, thundering battles rattled the doors where Battle over the Pacific was screening. What I would give to slip away into one of those movies!

"Why are you so distressed?" a voice from behind the counter called.

Chase Montandon, the theater's assistant manager, was my go-to guy for all my movie needs. On several occasions he was counted on for free movie passes and concessions. He appreciated my taste for masculine movies as well as slasher films.

I grunted as I pulled out my ticket stub and showed him the title.

He laughed. "You lose a bet or something?"

I groaned, "Feels like it. I'm on a date."

His expression was confused for a moment till he realized that I was not happy to be on said date. "Tough break, kiddo." He laughed as he began grabbing a bucket of popcorn. "You want the usual?"

"Yes. And add a water to that."

Chase slid the bucket over to me and I began nibbling on the butter drench popcorn. "How's Secluded?"

Chase threw his head back in feigned rapture. "Awesome! You're missing one hell of a movie in there. Do you two want to sneak over?" he offered.

It was debatable, but I resigned from any idea to escape. "Nah. I don't want to be rude." But I wasn't ready to join Erik yet. "Can I leave my stuff here while I go to the restroom?"

Chase waved me off and I left the lobby to hide out in a restroom stall for a few minutes to buy me some sanity. When I was mentally prepared to retrieve my concessions and rejoin Erik, I walked back over to Chase who was busy with a customer.

"You gonna be okay, kiddo?" he asked as he handed a beverage over to the guy at the other end of the counter. I dropped my elbows down on the counter and huffed in response. "Then go to one of the other movies, Jules." Chase walked back over to the other guy to hand him his popcorn.

"I don't want to be rude."

"How is Battle over the Pacific?" I toyed with the idea of sneaking off, trying to forget about who and what was waiting for me in the Forget Me Not screening.