My Selection

The Date

At 4:45 I am all ready to go to my date. I have no idea where the movie theater is, though, so I decide to leave right now.
I wander around a little bit downstairs until I look at the clock. 5:03 and I still haven't found the movie theater.
"Umm... 'Scuse me, sir." I say to the guard. "But do you know where the movie theater is?" He doesn't even look my way, just points to where I came from. "Umm... Thanks?" I say, still not sure where to go.
I go down the line, asking guards occasionally. They never lead me there. Just point.
Finally, one guard points to the door to the movie theater. I quickly look up at the clock above the door before pushing my way through the door. It's 5:13. I'm thirteen minutes late.
I step through and hear Rhode say, "what took ya so long?"
"I... Kinda got lost." I explain, embarrassed.
"Well that's fine. I already picked out a movie. I know it's gentlemanly for me to let you pick, but I think you'll like this one." He says, showing me the movie. "Frozen." He smiles.
"You actually have that movie?" I ask, grabbing it out of his hands.
"Well yeah. I have a sister." Then a pause. "And it's actually pretty good."
"I know. I've seen it so many times."
"Oh," he starts. "We can watch a different movie if you want. We have lots of movies. You can choose." He says flustered.
"No no no. I like this one." I say and he pops the movie into the movie player.
"I already made popcorn." He says, holding up some popcorn. "And I got some candy." He says, holding pointing to about ten boxes of candy. "And there are drinks over there. I already have mine." He says.
I walk over to the drink machine while he messes with the television to get the movie started.
So many buttons. I don't know how to work this machine. This is all unknown to me.
After seven minutes of trying to get it to work, I finally got the drink of my choice and I walk back to my seat.
"You're so slow." He jokes.
"I have no idea how to work anything in here! I have no idea where anything is at in this palace!" I defend myself.
"Shh. You're too loud. The movie is starting." He says, putting a hand over my mouth.
I push away his hand and eat some popcorn.
We watch the movie until the song Love is an Open Door comes on. He gets up and starts singing and acting it out. I just laugh and sit there. While singing (quite good, actually) he motions for me to get up and sing with him.
I reluctantly get up and start singing. I'm not the best singer, but I'm not bad, either.
After we are done singing the last 'Love is an Open Door' we start laughing. Mostly at my bad voice, but also from how ridiculous it all is. We don't bother going back to the chairs. We just sit down right there on the floor, like I did as a kid. And I can't seem to stop smiling from cheek to cheek.
When the movie is done, Rhode turn to me. "Okay, so I want to learn more about you. All I know is that you have a horrible singing voice." He teases.
"What am I supposed to talk about then?" I ask, coming up with nothing.
"How about your brother. Umben, right?" He asks.
I catch his mistake. "I thought you didn't know anything about me..." I say.
He freezes. "Okay. Maybe I looked at the Selection forms." He says. I stare blankly at him. "Okay! I read the forms! I have two questions: 1. Are you actually good at story telling like Your brother wrote? And 2. What were you looking at in the picture?"
"Okay. So I guess I'm okay at story telling. My brother just really looks up to me. And then in the picture, I was looking at my brother jumping up and down, trying to look at me taking my picture."
He laughs. "I need to meet this brother of yours. He sounds hilarious."
I freeze. He wants to meet my brother. No. I shake it off. He was just joking.
"Absolutely. He really funny. And my sister is so smart."
We talk for a while about our families. Or it seems like only a while.
He smiles and looks at something beyond me. His eyes widen.
"Wha-" I start, looking behind me. Then I notice the time: 10:15!
"I missed my meeting! It was at 9:00!" Rhode exclaims.
"Oh, I'm so sorry. I'll go up to my room and you go to your meeting." I say, turning.
He catches my arm. "Nonsense. I'll take you back to your room. I'm already an hour and fifteen minutes late. It's probably over by now."
"Okay."
We walk back up to my room. At the door he turns to me. "I hope your maids aren't to worried. I know that you and the rest of the girls are supposed to be in their rooms by 9:45."
"I think it'll be fine. They're really nice."
There's a little bit of an awkward silence.
"Well... Goodnight?" I say, but it comes out more like a question.
"Night, Caspian." He says, turning away. Then he stops, almost as if he's decided something, and turns back. He kisses me lightly. "Wouldn't wanna leave you hanging." He says with a wink and walks away again. This time, not turning back.
Merry Christmas! Or whatever you celebrate! Happy holidays!