Unshed Tears

We pulled up to the movies on friday night. The small mob outside the theater rushed to meet us, everyone yelling at the same time. After getting tickets and lots of popcorn and soda, we found the right theater and nice empty row up top. I wiggled in to my seat between Jake and Jace, a popcorn bucket propped on my jean clad legs.

“Eek! I can’t wait,” Susie squealed.

Amy nodded in agreement, and Kat gave her a high-five over Kathleen.

I snatched up a piece of popcorn and tossed it down at them. This was the reason for three extra large refillable buckets of extra buttery popcorn.The next time the theater door swung open, three blonde figures filled the room with high pitched giggles.They looked up at us, and began climbing the stairs.Jena stopped beside Kat, at the end of our row. They walked over our feet to the other end, managing to pierce my foot under a sharp pair of stilettos.

“Hey Jake. Hi Jace,” Jena said in what I’m sure was supposed to be a seductive voice. She snuggled up close to Jace in the seat to his right.

Smirking, Kate stopped right in front of me. “Why don’t you move to a different seat,” she sneered.

“No,” I said.

Flipping her hair, Kate tried to glare. “What’s your problem May?”

“Right now, it’s just you,” I said as I tapped my fingers on the armrest I was sharing with Jake. I felt cool finger slide over mine, pressing down so I would stop.

“Why don’t you go sit with your friend,” he pointed to Jena with the hand not holding down mine, “down there.”

Pouting, she whined, “But I want to sit with you.”

Just then Jena stopped talking to Jace and snapped her over priced manicured fingers. The two standing blondes glided over my feet and took their places just as the lights dimmed.

The old screen flickered with life. I slouched down, one hand resting on the side of the popcorn to hold it up on my legs as I used the seat in front of me as a leg rest. Realization sunk in and I smiled. Jake’s hand was still on top of mine; his fingers just curled around the edge of my palm.

Half way through the movie, I reached in for some buttery goodness, and my hand brushed someone else’s. Since I now hand my fingers intertwined with Jake’s and the hand in the bucket was hot not cool, there was no one else it could be.

The credits rolled, and I looked up at Jake. “Now may not be the best time, but, May-“ Jake was cut off as popcorn rained down on us.

I smiled at him. Plucking the half empty bucket from my lap. We took handfuls and tossed them limply down the row. Jena screamed as some one got her. It threw everyone into a new fit of laughter as we staggered like drunks out into the lobby.

“Good movie,” I said, still leaning into Jake.

Susie was bouncing up and down, her light eyes darting between Jake and I in a knowing way,

“I loved that scene when,” Amy went off into her own world, talking mostly to herself.

Jena bumped between Jace and I as Kate pushed me away from Jake. “We should be going,” their leader said. She ran her fingers down Jace’s arm. “Bye.”

“Bye,” Kate said and wiggled her fingers at Jake. Jena gave an awkward wink and then the three of them walked away, twitching their butts.

We moved out of the lobby into the cool evening air. For a while we just talked, blocking the doors, but eventually we decided to walk up and down, looking into the few shops that lined the block. Jake stuck by my side, his arm bumping into mine as we walked. Jace moved up front and was joking around with Amy and Kathleen while Susie chatted off Kathy’s ear.

“Let’s go in there!” Amy suddenly shouted.

We had wandered up next to a formal wear shop. The girls rushed in happy to try things on, while the boys and I lingered by the front door. A powerful aroma of flowers swelled up to us as we stepped in. Kathy, Amy and Kathleen were already lost in the rows of shinny dresses, but Susie lingered towards the front. She waved me over and pulled out a vibrant blue dress. Before I could run, she was dragging my by the arm towards the changing room in the back. Behind us, I could hear the guys getting a good laugh out of it. With a smile, Susie closed the door.

“Come on May!” Jace shouted.

I glared at the thing before me. “Oh shut up.” It wasn’t a bad looking dress, and she had gotten the right size. The smooth blue material had a green tent to it around the hem. It was strapless and would hang to just above my knees.

Kicking off my shoes I was grateful I decided to shave my legs. I shimmied off my jeans and tossed my shirt on top of the pile. The dress came up easily. Slowly I opened the door, peeking my head out, my hazel eyes slinking between the group outside. All of them pounced on me as soon as my head poked out.

“Come on. Come on,” Susie said as she danced back and forth.

I took a step out. I was met with praise from the girls and silence from the boys.

“This is new. Jace Anderson is being quiet,” I joked as I reentered the dressing room.

Quickly, I changed back into my clothes, putting the dress back on the hanger. I came back out and slid the dress on to a rack before joining Amy. Looking around I saw Jake and Jace up front, searching through the suits.

“Are you going to the dance?” Amy asked.

I shrugged, spilling dark hair into my face. “I doubt it.”

“Awe! Why not? A group of us are going, as friends,” she said.

“I don’t know.” We gathered back outside, and I looped my arm with Amy. “What time is it?”

“Just past ten,” Jake said. He slid his phone back into his jean pocket, and I couldn’t help but fallow the action. Looking up at his pale face, I smirked to myself.

“Well, we have to go. See you guys around,” I said and let go of Amy.