"Theater twelve. Last door on your right! Enjoy your movie!"
My over enthusiastic directions earned me a deadpan expression from the woman before me, but the cute little girl trailing behind her flashed me a gap toothed smile that made the every word worth it. Once they were down the dimly lit hallway, opposite of a poster for the newest Marvel movie to be released early next year, I spun on my heel and headed for Mikey behind the concession stand. He was in the midst of changing out the old, stale popcorn in the machine, the back of head gleaming with beads of sweat.
"I would do anything to be on concession tonight." I grumbled, leaning over the counter and propping my head on my hand. "It's so dead. At least if I was over here with you I'd be able to make myself useful.
Mikey laughed, tuning to face me. The brim of his Camelot Cinemas hat hit the edge of the tub of old popcorn he was holding between his hands and, if it weren't for Mikey's ninja reflexes, would have ended up a giant mess on the multicolored tile under his black dress shoes.
At least it would have given him something to do.
"Stop distracting me." He said with a glare, but the playfulness in his voice was a reassurance he wasn't really upset. "Dave put you at the ticket stand today because he figured everyone would rather see a beautiful girl than me."
I snickered at the comment. "Yeah, okay. Because a girl in an oversized red shirt and ugly khakis is so attractive, Mike."
He shrugged a shoulder as he dropped the bucket of popcorn into the trash can just outside the concession stand. "I think you look beautiful in everything you wear, Rory."
"You have to say that, you're my best friend."
"I say that from on objective standpoint, my love. A peek into the mind of the disgusting male species." He winked as he stretched his arms across the glass showcase full of candy. "If I were into chicks, you'd totally be my first choice, Aurora. You're naturally beautiful, witty, funny, and totally beast at every video game."
I fanned myself. "Oh, Michael. You're making me blush."
"Cute." He rolled his eyes. "I'm serious, Rory. It's probably why Onyx is suddenly so interested in you. Because he can't accept such a beautiful girl doesn't like him."
"If that were the case, Mike, he's had seventeen yeas to say something to me. We literally sit at the same table every weekend for hours. Not once did he ever utter a single word."
Not that I was complaining about it. I'd actually been relieved that Onyx had never taken an interest in me. I would have also been one hundred percent okay to never speak his name aloud again, but Mike didn't seem to get the hint the way Angie did. After our conversation a couple days ago, she hadn't mentioned a word about him, and I liked it that way.
"Oh no." Mike breathed, his lips remaining parted as he stared in absolute horror over my shoulder. "Hide me."
I quirked a brow as he ducked behind the concession stand in front of me. Deciding I should probably greet whoever had walked in, I turned and immediately wanted to take a nose dive over the counter and join my best friend.
Onyx had walked in, a couple guys, a pretty brunette, and the cheerleader from Algebra II at his tail. My eyes grazed right passed the blond boy and fell on what had caused my extroverted best friend to retreat into himself. Levi Hampton, pitcher and member of the student council, stood to Onyx's right. He'd been the first openly gay player who had also done a ton of advocating for LGBTQ rights on every planning committee for the last four years. He'd always been just out of Mike's reach, and early Sophomore year, Levi had accidently friendzoned the hell out of him.
Resisting the urge to facepalm myself, I leaned back into the counter as the boys approached, Levi being the first to notice me.
"Hey, Rory." he did this weird two finger salute, but the mention of my nickname caught Onyx's attention. His head whipped to me, and I swear he all but fell to the floor laughing when he saw what I was wearing.
"Levi, hey." I waved. "What movie are you guys here to see?"
A smile shot across the handsome baseball players face and I suddenly understood why my best friend had fallen victim to his charm. Unlike Onyx, his attitude and looks, were much more subtle. He was lean with just the right amount of muscle, a green shirt bringing out the different shades of green that whirled around in his kind eyes.
"Dunno." It was the cheerleader from Algebra II, stepping forward so I was sure to see her brown eyes sizing me up. "We just thought we'd get out for the night."
I straightened, averting my eyes from her beside Onyx and to Levi again. "There's a new horror out. Eyes That Kill. It's pretty good."
"I could go for a horror movie." Levi said with a grin. The two guys at his flanks nodded, as did the quiet brunette. It was Onyx and Cheerleader that didn't respond right away. "Oh, I meant to ask you, Rory, have you seen Mikey?"
I heard a strange sound leave my best friend's mouth from the other side of the counter and coughed to cover it up. "Not today. He was supposed to work this shift with me but he said his mom needed help with his brother at home. I can pass a message along if you want."
Levi noticeably deflated and I felt my lips twitch a little. "Um, do you think you could ask him to hit me up? I wanted to talk to him about some nerd shit you're probably not interested in."
I totally was interested in nerd crap, but I wasn't going to ruin my best friend's opportunity by being nosy.
"Of course. Here. Let me get your guys' tickets and you can head in."
Once I'd gotten the tickets printed out for all of them, I felt myself slump against the counter in relief at the fact Onyx hadn't muttered a single thing to me. It was as if we were back to our old ways. He acted like I didn't exist, I cursed his very existence in silence.
· *
Turns out I just might have jinxed myself. Levi, Onyx and their entourage were the last viewers of the night and finally headed out of the movie as Mikey and I were cleaning up. My best friend just happened to have went to the bathroom to check the stalls when Levi waved goodbye with a reminder. Unfortunately, Onyx broke himself from the group and shoved his hands into the pockets of his jeans, blue eyes on me.
"Can I help you?" I asked, leaning into the mop in my hand. "In case you hadn't noticed, we're trying to close up."
He frowned. "Let me drive you home."
I stared at the boy before me for a few seconds before laughter overtook my body. I had to grasp the counter behind me to keep from tripping over my own feet. Whether it was from nervous energy or because what he said was comical, I wasn't sure.
"It wasn't that funny." He said with a wave of his hand.
"It really was." I answered once I'd recollected myself. "You really should head out, Hayes. We're about to lock up."
His eyes shot toward the hallway as Mike's footsteps echoed through the silent room. As soon as his eyes fell on Onyx, pink tinted at his cheeks. He must have thought they'd left and probably knew as soon as Onyx stepped foot outside those doors he'd send a text to Levi letting him know Mike had been here the entire time.
"Come on, Aurora." I still didn't like the way my name sounded falling off Onyx's tongue, but at least he wasn't spitting it as hatefully as he had in the hallway Monday. "I'm sure Mike wouldn't mind."
"Wouldn't mind what?" my oblivious friend questioned.
Onyx smiled but it didn't meet his eyes. "I offered Aurora a ride home but she rudely turned it down."
Mike's eyes shot to me, widening a fraction. I hoped the look on my face was enough for him to understand there'd be consequences this time if he didn't keep his mouth shut.
"I was going to drop her off." I could feel the but coming before he even continued. "But I mean, if you're already heading that way, it'd save me a ton on gas."
Ugh, and he had to use the gas card. I already hated asking Mike for rides as it was, as he lived a good half hour from me, but he'd insisted on being my chauffer until Mom finally helped me get a car.
"Go ahead." Mike added after a second, avoiding my eyes. "I can lock up on my own."
I opened my mouth to protest, but slammed it back shut when I realized it would benefit Mike. He already did so much for me, the least I could do was bite my tongue and try and keep my composure for twenty minutes.
Once I hugged Mike goodbye with a dark look, I dragged myself out the door behind Onyx, contemplating the idea of making a run for it. It wasn't until I ultimately decided that if anything happened to me, everyone knew where he lived and Mike had seen me leave with him. The idea of throwing myself into the back seat crossed my mind, but I decided to be mature and climb into the passenger seat, though I kept my body angled in the opposite direction.
My eyes immediately fell on the pack of Marlboros in the cupholder, a green lighter the color of Angie's Kia, resting against it. Then, as if the ride couldn't get more miserable, heavy metal startled blasting through the speakers.
"Really?" I groaned, laying my head against the headrest. "You've got to be kidding me. I'm not listening to this the entire way home."
He snickered, but obliged and pressed a button on the radio so a ballad sounded through the car. He reached for the cigarette's, but my narrowed eyes stopped him from grabbing one from the pack. "What?"
"You know those are death sticks right?"
"I don't care." He shrugged, but he retracted his hand so it rested on his lap. "You sure are a judgmental person."
I sighed. "I'm really not."
"You have a list with forty-nine reasons that says otherwise."
This was going to be the longest twenty minutes of my life.