Chapter 2
“How many? “ I asked Emma who was putting down our snacks for movie night.
“Two. Plus one.”
I grinned. We always did plus one. Just in case we really want to watch another movie after we’ve seen our original picks. It’s one of our little traditions.
Movie night at Emma’s is a bit different from movie nights at other places. Her parents fully support her movie obsession and actually turned one of the basement rooms into an entertainment room. I’m talking about a beamer, hundreds of DVDs and BluRays lined up against the wall, a high class Dolby surround system, a mini fridge and – that’s the best – eight huge red home theater chairs. Really comfy. Way better than the ones in the Cineplex.
Emma’s parents claim that the entertainment room is mainly for their own pleasure. I guess they don’t want anyone to think that they spoil Emma, her being their only child and all that. But who are they kidding. Emma practically lives down there. I can only recall two times I’ve actually seen her mom and dad watching a movie in this very room.
Then again, they both are quite busy. Richard, her father, is a doctor and works odd hours. And Margaret, her mom, is working in a bank. I don’t know what she is doing exactly, but I do know that she has an important position and works overtime a lot.
I turned my back to the movie shelves, took a few steps to the left, put my hand behind my back and pulled out the first movie. Hey, it’s mystery movie night, and that’s how it’s done.
Pro: The movie picking process is very easy and short. No discussions allowed.
Con: You have to watch what was picked. Even if you end up pulling out the display adjustment test DVD. Yeah, it happened before.
And our first lucky winner tonight: “Hook.”
My best friend looked at me and smiled. “Nice, haven’t seen that one for a while. Steven Spielberg. Oh, we have to look out for the cameos. It’s full of them! Phil Collins, George Lucas – “
I interrupted her, reading out the name of our second movie: “10 things I hate about you.”
Score! I love that movie.
“And our plus one…, “I walked all the way over to the other end of the room, randomly pulling out another DVD, “…is The Bucket List."
“Well done, Miss Adams, well done”, Emma complimented me.
I curtsied and handed over the movies. “Thank you, Miss Scott. I really appreciate it. You know, I couldn’t have done it without the support of my many, many, maaany fans out there. I love you! I love you!” I blew kisses in the air. “And I also want to thank – “
Emma laughed. “Cut it out, Sarah. Let’s get it started, shall we?”
I grinned back at her and plumped into my favorite chair, grabbing the popcorn bowl. “We shall.”
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-- About two and a half hours later --
“Okay, favorite actor? – I myself pick Arthur Malet this time," Emma let me know, grabbing a handful of pretzels.
“And who’s that?”
“Mmbmmlms…,“ she replied.
I waited.
Crunch. Crunch.
She finally swallowed and this time I could make out her answer: “Tootles.”
“Ah, yeah. I like Tootles. But I’m rooting for Dustin Hoffman”, I told her.
Emma smiled at me. “Yup, I know. You always go for the bad guys.”
True.
“Favorite scene?” We grinned at each other and yelled at the same time: “The food fight!”
Emma actually started to jump up and down on her seat a little. She does that a lot when she gets excited. Her ponytail with her long black hair whipped from side to side.
“I have to say, it is epic. To me, it’s the ultimate food fight scene in a movie, ever! We should watch it again, what do you say?” Her dark green eyes sparkled with joy.
Oh no. If we do an encore, she will only come up with more scenes we have to have a look at again and then we will end up watching the same movie twice. Just in a very messed up order. No can do.
Quick, distraction…
“Hey, Em, how come there are so many food fights featured in movies anyway? I mean, it’s such a cliché, isn’t it? We’ve never had a food fight in our school as far as I know. Actually, I’ve never heard of anyone who has been in a real food fight. Have you?”
“Hm. No, I haven’t,“ she replied thoughtfully. “But you’re right. I mean, there’s a food fight in almost every teen movie. Usually in the school cafeteria, or sometimes at a camp. Yet I’ve never heard of a real food fight happening.”
She bit her lower lip and tapped her fingers against her armrest.
“Although, there’s no food fight in 10 things I hate about you, is there? Then again, they have this paintball fight which maybe could be seen as some kind of substitute for it…”, she kept on contemplating and most likely analyzing all movies she has ever watched in regards of the portrayal of food fights.
Uh oh. Movie analysis mode. Talk about a distraction gone bad.
I took an audible breath. “Yeah, I guess it’s one of those things we’re missing out on and end up being in therapy for. The lack of food fights. I should ask my mom about it. – By the way, we had the talk earlier today and it went surprisingly well.”
Emma looked at me stunned. “It did?”
I nodded.
“Wait, which one? The party harder, the drugs or the senior year-talk?”
“Senior year.”
“And it went well? Really?!” My friend couldn’t quite believe it. After all, she knows my mom. “What did she say?”
“Well, basically it was all about prom and how I should do it right so I won’t need therapy later because I denied myself a true and very important high school experience. No regrets and all that.”
I grabbed the last few pretzels.
“That was it?”
“Yep, “I replied happily. “You know, maybe I should add ‘start a food fight’ onto the list right next to ‘do prom right’ for the full teenage experience,” I joked.
I munched on my snacks. Hm. Actually, a food fight does sound like a lot of fun. Maybe my mom is onto something. Not only about prom. I mean, it is my last year of high school. My last chance to do the things you can only do in high school.
“Sarah?”
What else did I miss besides a food fight? Well, I’m just an ordinary B student. Not part of the popular crowd, the nerds or any other social clique you can think of. I guess I’m one of those girls people just tolerate and never pay attention to. In a few years, when my name is mentioned, only my friends will remember me, and others will be like: ‘Who? Oh, yeah, I think she was that chick in my history class…'
Maybe I should mingle with some other people than only my friends. Expand my horizon.
But still, I’ve done all the things the typical high school student does, haven’t I? Okay, maybe not all the things. I never joined one of those clubs, except the school newspaper. And I’ve never had detention. Hey, that’s a good thing, isn’t it? Or will I regret not having had detention one day in the future? Maybe I should try and get some this year, see what it’s all about. I’ve never skipped school, either. That’s definitely something I should do.
“Earth to Sarah! You’re spacing out,” Emma said and waved her hand in front of my face.
Okay, decision made. I turned my head around and smiled at her.
“You know what we should do? A bucket list for senior year.”
Em just stared at me for a few seconds. But then she fully understood what I was talking about. She grinned and started jumping up and down on her seat again. “That’s why you’re my best friend!” She hugged me. “You’ve got the best ideas!”
I laughed and hugged her back.
Emma jumped up, “I’m getting a notepad and a pen. If we do this, we do it right. ‘Food fight’ is going to be the first item on our list!”
She almost tripped over her own feet while running out of the room.
And that’s why Emma is my best friend in the whole wide world. I chuckled. She’s really hyper when she’s excited.
“And ‘try out for cheerleading’ is going to be the second one”, she said with glee while jumping up the stairs.
Crap.
I hate it when my ideas backfire at me.
I truly, truly hate it.
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Just wondering: Has anyone of you been in a food fight?