𝐂𝐇𝐄𝐑𝐑𝐘 𝐋𝐎𝐎𝐊𝐄𝐃 𝐀𝐑𝐎𝐔𝐍𝐃.
leia searched the aisles.
"maybe you're overthinking this. could we fast forward to the part where you pick a movie?" kitty asked. "oh! fast forward! that is clever! i should send that in to leno."
"it's really important i don't pick something everyone will think is dorky." leia explained.
"well, you couldn't pick something dorky if you tried! come on, what's your favorite movie?" kitty reassured, following leia down the aisles.
"uhm, i guess free willy." leia shrugged.
"free willy? that sounds like a porno." cherry stared. "oh, we should rent a p0rno! everyone will enjoy that."
leia groaned.
"don't worry about it. whatever you pick is cool." cherry reassured.
"i'm gonna go get help." leia said.
the pair headed towards an employee, who had their back to them.
"is that jay?" cherry questioned, with a disgusted look on her face.
"oh, it is!" leia grinned.
she walked up behind him.
"stick 'em up!" leia shouted.
"ah! take my money! take everything! my boss never locks her car! her license plate says movieslut! i know, i don't want to say it, i'm just letting you know. please." jay begged, horrified, with his hands to.
"jay, it's just me, i was joking." leia said.
jay turned around, quickly.
cherry was laughing, holding her phone up. she finished recording her video.
"oh, yeah. i knew that." jay cleared his throat.
"movieslut sounds so hot." cherry said, shoving her phone into her pocket.
leia shrugged, with no idea what to say.
jay was still horrified.
"oh, i was joking too. good one." jay nodded.
"who would rob you? you look broke." cherry said.
"i am, but i could spoil you with my love."
"that's worth nothing. i could get that from any other useless man."
leia could feel the tension in the air.
she shifted from foot to foot, staring forward ate the wall behind jay.
jay and cherry glared at each-other.
"i didn't know you worked here." leia changed the subject.
"well, gotta provide for the wife somehow." jay grinned at cherry.
"i'm not your wife. i'm gonna file a restraining order against you." cherry pulled a box of candy off the wall behind him.
"right.. uhm, so i'm trying to find a cool movie for movie night, and not that i'm super worried about it or anything, but what's that one movie?" leia asked. "you know, with all the guys and the place and.. the guys?"
"uh, clerks?" jay assumed
"clerks, yes!"
"get out! i love clerks. kevin smith, right?
"oh yeah! he was so sexy in that."
"okay.. cool. uh, well, let's see if i have it."
jay walked over the computer.
he searched for the movie in the log, and frowned.
"it's out. some guy has had it for six weeks!" jay stared at the computer screen.
a man approached the counter.
"yo, jay, i need your help in the bathroom. it's a a joe versus the volcano situation." jays manager called out to him.
"yeah, please leave, jay." cherry motioned him away. "go deal with your shit."
"later, girl." jay grinned.
"hurry up and leave before i shove you in the toilet." cherry threatened.
jay walked away, with a laugh.
as soon as he was far enough away, leia pulled the computer towards herself.
she checked something, and the pair returned to kitty.
"come on, grandma. we gotta go." leia motioned to the door.
"hold on. pastor dave, it's kitty! i haven't seen you since the potluck!" kitty entered the adults only section.
cherry closed her eyes.
she wanted to close her eyes and ears.
kitty quickly exited the adults only room, staring straight ahead with an empty look in her eye.
"that was very unholy." the woman said, horrified.
cherry laughed.
«───── « ⋅ʚ♡ɞ⋅ » ─────»
leia pushed open the back door.
"are you sure it's okay that we're just showing up at somebody's house to get a movie?" kitty questioned.
"i'm out of options here, grandma!" leia frowned.
"what if we get murdered? who's gonna turn off the crockpot?" kitty said, nervously.
"leia, whatever movie you pick will be fine!" cherry reassured, with a groan.
leia rang the doorbell.
kitty sighed.
a man opened the door, smoke pouring out of the house and into the air.
"aw, man. halloween snuck up on me again!" the man said, and began to search his pockets. "hey, listen, i don't have any candy, man, but i do have some matches and a parking ticket from my 1975."
"leo, hi. don't you recognize me?" kitty asked.
"i do, yeah, you're dressed like kitty, the lady with the house and the hair. killer costume, man." leo complimented.
"did you rent the movie clerks and not return it?" leia asked.
"are you guys cops?" leo asked.
"leo, focus." kitty instructed.
"hey, if you cops are looking for leo focus, you got the wrong guy, man." leo said.
cherry tried not to laugh.
"please, leo. this is important." leia begged.
"you know what i've been watching a ton of lately? the real world." leo said. "because think about it! if that's the real world, what's all this?"
"this might be a dead end." kitty whispered to the pair of girls.
"wait. leo, it is halloween! and you know what i really want instead of candy? the movie clerks." leia said.
"crazy! i got a copy! i'll get it for you!" leo walked off.
the group stood in silence.
leia glanced around at the inside of the house.
"i love him so much." cherry said, with a grin.
"how do you know this guy?" leia questioned.
"oh, he just- he's.. it's the usual! you know, he's an older man who used to hangout with your dad and his friends when they were teenagers." kitty explained.
"ugh, i don't wanna be old." cherry said, out of nowhere.
"me neither." leia frowned.
before she could start ranting about how she hadn't lived life, leo returned.
"are you guys the cops looking for a movie?" leo asked
"yes, we are." kitty nodded.
"happy halloween, man."
"thank you!"
«───── « ⋅ʚ♡ɞ⋅ » ─────»
cherry took a seat on the couch.
"welcome to movie night!" leia said. "it's gonna be pretty major, so to kick things off right i got everyone their own box of raisin bran!"
everyone gave her a confused look, as she tossed boxes to them.
cherry held up the little purple box. "this shit is so nasty."
"everybody loves it, remember? no? did that not happen?" leia said, awkwardly.
"oh, you know who loves raisin bran? my cousin who did brett favres-" nikki began.
"do not." ozzie cut her off.
"so, what are we watching?" gwen asked.
"uh, my favorite movie, clerks, starring kevin smith. i'll take a slice of that." leia said, putting the disc into the tv.
"okay.." gwen and jay spoke, awkwardly.
"come sit down." cherry motioned to the door next to her.
"if you say so." jay scooted closer to her.
cherry rolled her eyes.
leia started the movie, sitting in between the pair.
"hey, mtv. i'm leo, man. i'm 74 years young, and i's be perfect for the real world, man." leo said, in his audition tape.
"what is this?" jay questioned.
"i don't know, it was supposed to be clerks." leia explained.
"this is so much better." cherry laughed, with a stupid smile on her face.
"i've fallen off three roller coasters, man. well, four do you count the fourth one." leo shared.
cherry eyes were focused on the screen. "i kinda want him."
"oh, him but not me?" jay complained.
"never you." cherry gagged.
leia shut off the tv.
"uhm, forget that! does anyone have any funny stories to share?" leia asked.
nate began to make weird noises, and clutch his throat.
"oh, good, nate!" leia grinned.
"no, he's choking on the raisins bran! it's too dry!" nikki said.
"oh, shit!" cherry said, and pulled a bottle of water out of her purse.
she tossed it to him.
nate twisted it open, and began to drink as fast as possible.
"i'm good." nate said, setting the bottle down. "it went down."
jay began to choke, making the same noises.
"jays choking, too!" gwen realized
"i don't care. let him." valentine cherry
"no, you gotta clear it out like this!" nate said, and started coughing.
jay coughed.
"leia, you should be an event planner! this is so fun." nikki grinned.
"i'm sorry! i really wanted this to be a perfect night. forget it!" leia stormed out of the basement.
cherry and gwen instantly followed her out.
leia was leaning against a car, staring at the night sky and thinking about how horrible the day had been.
"yo, drama queen. what was up with that?" gwen asked, joining her.
"you good?" cherry questioned, with a concerned look on her face.
"i'm a fraud! i've never even seen clerks. my favorite movie is.. free willy." leia revealed. "it's about a boy, and his whale."
"free willy is such a funny name." cherry laughed, then coughed awkwardly to interrupt the silence.
"so?" gwen asked.
"so then he tries to get willy back into the ocean?" leia shrugged.
"no, i mean, why did you melt down in there?" gwen asked.
"it's just.. i feel like an imposter in this group. you guys are all so close and cool, and i'm just me." leia frowned.
"if you're ever doubting yourself, just remember, you have a killer basement!" gwen grinned.
"you're cool, babe. don't worry about it." cherry comforted her. "everyone likes you!"
"you know how boring it is around here? last week. we threw a stick in the creek and tried to hit it with other sticks. nate called it stick stick." gwen frowned.
"it's not just about your basement, dummy. if you're stressing about me, we're good. and if you're worried about fitting in with everyone else, you found the people who don't fit in. and i am their queen." she comforted.
"i've never had a friend like you." leia smiled.
"i know." gwen smiled backs
"now kiss!" cherry said, blowing a bubble gum bubble.
"guys! we just another bag inside this bag! bag bag. i just came up with that!" nate rushed out onto the driveway.
"marijuana!" cherry cheered, taking the brown bag.
the group returned to the basement.
leia hesitantly played free willy on the television, and everyone enjoyed it.
there was a comfortable silence in the room.
it'd only been a few days since cherry had met them, and she had instantly bonded with most of them.
jay rolled a joint, and the group took turns passing it around.
"the stuff in that bag bag was good good." gwen said. watching the end credits on the screen.
"not as good as free willy! i love it." nate pointed at the tv.
"check yourself. this is just e.t. with a whale." ozzie reminded.
"i wish there was a man with a free willy in here. i'm kinda bored." cherry said, resting against the couch.
"i volunteer!" jay said, instantly.
"ew, no thank you. i know you got dick cheese." cherry scoffed.
"i do not! i'm clean!"
"prove it."
"if you insist."
"no, ew! i didn't mean it like that, you fucking freak."
jay laughed.
leia stared at the screen.
"i know it's not clerks, but it's kinda cute, right?" leia turned to face jay.
"it's like.. i'm the boy and willy's the rubber band. i get it now." jay said, with a frown on his face.
"rubber band? you are dumb as shit." cherry said, and her eyes widened. "oh my fucking god.. do you mean condom? did you get a girl pregnant?"
"no. unless you're willing."
"i really hope you get run over."