"Go get the tickets, chimpanzee." Hannah pushes Keith over towards the ticket counter.
"Yeah yeah, I'm the slave of this group, aren't I?" He grumbles as he shuffles towards the counter. "And here I thought I was the Ladies' Man." I hear him mutter under his breath and stifle a giggle.
"He's cute, isn't he?" I say and turn towards Hannah to find her looking at me weirdly. "What?"
She nods. " Yeah, he's cute." She says and tilts her head to the side as if examining me.
I groan. "What is it?"
She blinks at me innocently. "What is what?"
I give her a 'I know that you know what I'm talking about' look which makes her roll her eyes. She crosses her arms and rests her whole body weight on one leg. "Okay, I'll be straight to you - Do you find Keith cute?"
I frown in confusion. "Yeah?"
"I mean, cute - cute?" She asks again.
"Hannah, Keith's cute - wait - oh my word. Hannah, no!" My eyes widen in realization to what she was insinuating.
She shrugs, "I'm just asking. You're way too happy when he's around."
I roll my eyes. "Yeah, because he's a clown?" I say matter of factly.
Before Hannah could respond with her witty answer, Keith returns. "Here." He grins as he waves the tickets in front of us.
I turn to him, matching his grin. "And popcorn and drinks?"
Keith's grin falls. "Yeah, forgot that I was the slave." He grumbles and hands me the tickets as he saunters back to get the snacks.
I turn to Hannah to see her giving me 'the look'. I roll my eyes. "Hannah, honey, I've known Keith all my life. He became my best friend before we even met. That's why we have this close knitted friendship. Sure I used to have a crush on him and he had a crush on me. That was middle school, we're over it. Keith is strictly best friendzoned. And so am I."
Hannah gives me one final hard look and I math her gaze. Finally, she sighs and shrugs. "If you say so."
I sigh loudly. " Thank you!"
"Aww, poor Hannah. Trying to set me up with Clara?" I look up to see Keith grinning cheekily, holding our movie snacks just a few feet away.
I narrow my eyes at him. "How much did you hear?"
"I'd say everything but I'm not sure." He shrugs and hands me the drinks' tray. Then, he turns to Hannah. "Although C already made it clear, I'll just confirm it - we're friend - no wait, best friend zoned. Pre-puberty crush is dead within our hearts. And if you try to set me up with her, it will end up the same way we did." He says winking at her.
Hannah rolls her eyes. "Sure. Got it, commander."
"Now that this is clear, can we go in? I won't miss on The Lion King because of you both." I groan and start walking without waiting for them. I hear them follow me and a chorus of 'impatient queen' and grin cheekily.
Inside the theater, we find our seats. Since all the good seats are already taken, we three had to settle for three corner seats a little in the back. Apparently, this was the only row empty with a few seats. Hannah takes the innermost corner seat while Keith sat in the middle with all the food. I sit on his left right in front of a cute guy who has been checking me out since I was standing outside the theater with Hannah.
"We missed the trailers and previews." Keith whines.
I could practically feel Hannah shrugging in the dark theater. "Should've hurries with the tickets and food."
Keith glares at her and then leans towards me. "Why are we friends we her again?"
I laugh and shove Keith back in his seat. "Beats me."
Hannah snorts from beside Keith. "You both love me so stop with the pretense."
Keith and I roll our eyes but don't argue because we know that's true. The movie starts and we all hush to silence. I am enjoying myself and am totally engrossed into the movie while munching on my popcorn along with occasional sips and I totally don't notice another group of people coming to sit in the last few empty seats beside me.
"Oh, kill me now!" I voice, all too familiar, grumbles beside me.
"I definitely would, if you don't keep your mouth shut and let me enjoy the movie." Another gruffy male voice speaks from the row behind our seats.
"Fuck me." The same familiar voice mutters under his breath but loud enough for me to hear.
I say a silent pray in my mind hoping it's not the same person (questionable) I think he is. I then, in slow motion like in the movies, lift my head to my left only to find a set of familiar green eyes looking into my grey ones with the same grimace that my face holds.
"I'll take up on the offer of killing you." I say the first thing that comes in my mind, slow enough for no one else but Stefan to hear.
He narrows his eyes into slit and glares at me. "Not if I kill myself first."
The same voice from behind us snorts. "I'm faster, boy."
We both turn around to look at a big burly man, probably in his thirties munching on his popcorn disgustingly. He takes a quick glance at the both of us and gives a deathly glare making us both turn back towards the screen.
Keith glances towards me and his eyes go beyond my seat which makes him almost drop his popcorn bucket but I, just like Batman, save the poor food. "They followed us here too?!" He says, way too loudly for half of the theater to hear.
Several people glance our way, making me slump down in my seat.
"Boy, this is the last time I'm telling y'all to keep quite and let me enjoy my movie." The man from behind us threatens.
"Sorry." Keith mumbles, looking embarrassed and then turns towards Stefan to glare at him.
Hannah leans forward to see what we both are so engrossed in, sees Stefan and his friends, snorts and goes back to watching the movie.
There he is - Stefan King and his friends, Emily, Ethan and Drew sitting in the same order. The twins are glaring at me and Keith as well - well, Emily is glaring at me while Ethan and Keith are having a stare down - and Drew is engrossed in the movie, just like Hannah. I, on the other hand, am glaring at Stefan who is returning the favor happily.
He suddenly turns towards Emily who gives him a flirtatious smile. "Emily, change seats with me." He says.
Emily scrunches her nose. "I like you a lot Chase, but not enough to actually sit beside her." She then gives me one last glare and turns towards the screen, pretending to be indulged in the movie.
I can practically feel Stefan glaring at Emily's head before sighing and asking the same thing to Ethan in the slowest whisper he can.
Ethan snorts. "Nah thanks man. Not anywhere near James." He says and I smirk knowing all too well that he's thinking of the same incident from sophomore year where I kicked his ass for flirting with me.
"Drew..." Stefan begins but Drew cuts him off.
"I would but this big man behind your seat is glaring me and I wanna live a little more."
Stefan sighs in defeat at the helpful nature of his friends before turning back to me, giving me a glare and then turning back towards the screen. I do the same and turn down the feeling of his gaze on me again with Simba's sexy voice and the tasty butter popcorn.
Finally, after what feels like a thousand years, the credits roll up and I'm disappointed that I didn't get to enjoy one of my favorite movies ever but I also want to get out of here as soon as possible to it's also a relief.
It's excruciatingly slow process - the coming out of the theater but when Keith, Hannah and I finally make it, we take a deep breath.
"That was the coolest movie ever!" Hannah chirps, jumping on her spot.
Keith and I share a look, knowing we didn't enjoy as much as she did. "You say that for every Disney movie you watch." We say instead.
She shrugs. "It's Disney."
Since that's unarguable statement, I just shrug.
"I'm hungry." Keith whines.
Hannah snickers. "Come here big baby, let's get you fed." She says as she spreads her arms and wraps her around Keith's shoulders and guides him down the street towards Daily Grind, a small cafe and our usual hang out place. I sigh as I follow them.
The bell chimes as we enter the small, dainty cafe and diner and we make our way towards the counter. The guy behind the counter is a cute guy I've and he checks out Hannah shamelessly but since she's still holding Keith, he probably must've thought she's taken which is why he shakes his head and looks away. Then, his eyes catch mine and he gives me a cute grin, making me swoon internally.
"Hi. Welcome to Daily Grind. What can I get for you, gorgeous?" He says in a flirty voice, completely ignoring Keith who has already said his order. This makes Keith pout and Hannah consoles him, trying her hardest not to laugh.
I smile back as best as I could, trying not to blush. "Um, A double cheese burger with no tomatoes and iced coffee please." I say.
"Hm." He hums. "How about I chose your order instead? Double cheese burger is getting older, don't you think?"
Not knowing how to reply, I just shrug. "Okay."
He grins at that. "Cool, so first let me get this clear - You're not vegetarian, right?"
I chuckle shake my head no. "No, I love my chicken wraps. But my friend here," I point towards Hannah, "is. So if you could, can you make it for all of us?"
Before he could reply, though, an annoying voice speaks. "Yeah, and could you hurry up with all the flirting 'cause other people are hungry too."
I turn around to find Stefan and friends behind Hannah and Keith. Stefan is glaring at the counter guy, Ethan is smirking at Hannah who is glaring at him before facing away. Keith is shamelessly checking Emily out who's grossed out by it, totally. Drew, however, is looking at me and is trying to be discreet. This reminds me of the time when he and I used to be friends and before I could go on the road of nostalgia, I turn around.
The counter guy totally ignores Stefan and his glare and smiles warmly at me. "Sure I can. Today's special for you three coming right up."
I smile back. "Thanks." I turn around to go find us seats when he calls me.
"Hey, can I get a name or shall I shout 'gorgeous' instead when your order is ready?"
I turn around and even though the pick up line was quite lame, the guy is cute and I blush slightly. I hear Stefan scoff but I tune him out. "I'm Clara."
The guy gives me a sexy lopsided smile. "Harvey." He introduces and forwards his hand for a handshake which I take happily. Then, I turn around and go sit at a table nearby where Hannah and Keith are already sitting and talking about Heaven knows what.
"What would you like to order, Sir?" Harvey asks and I turn slightly to see he's asking Stefan with a bored look plastered on his face.
Stefan is glaring at him but then he gives him a mocking smile. "Why, no special orders for us?"
Harvey scoffs. "No, sorry Sir. That's for beautiful girls and you're neither."
That comeback makes me giggle and both, Stefan and Harvey turn towards me, Stefan is glaring, as usual but I ignore him and smile back at Harvey who winks at me. Stefan and group then begrudgingly orders and goes to take their seats a few tables down from ours.
"I swear they're following us." Keith says suddenly.
Hannah snorts. "Sure why not. We're Beyoncé, Rihanna and Drake after all." We three burst out at that and indulge in talking about stupid stuff just like all best friends do.
"Here's your order." Harvey's voice comes from behind me and I see him holding a tray filled with our food. He places all our plates on our table, winks at me and turns away.
"You four, " He calls out and Hannah, Keith and I turn to see he's referring to Stefan's group. "Your orders are ready up there at the counter."
Emily's mouth is hung open at the special treatment we were getting and they were not while Stefan just glares at Harvey, if possible, even harder and then stands along with Ethan to go fetch his food.
Hannah snickers beside me. "I'm so thankful for Clara today. I feel like royalty with this special treatment." I roll my eyes and successfully stop the blush from rising when I again catch Harvey's eyes and his cute smile.
When we are all done with our food, Harvey brinks in the check, sliding it towards me which makes Keith pout and Hannah question his manliness. I shake my head and open the booklet, ready to pay when a tissue with Harvey's name and number catches my sight.
I chuckle and take out the tissue and hand the check to Keith. "Oh well, would you look at that? Only this napkin was meant for me."
Hannah and Harvey chuckle at that and Keith mutters something about being the slave of the group but pays anyway. Then, Harvey goes back to working and the three of us head back home.
* * * * *
hi beautiful people!
new chapter, specially for you guys. hope y'all enjoy. vote and leave awesome comments, yeah?
love, ren.