You're a Ghost, So Why Can I See You?

“Peyton!” Ethan greeted me as I walked up to the car. He surprised me when he tossed his arms around me and gave me a bear tight hug, and I hoped Ian wasn’t near to see it. “I’m so glad you decided to come!”

I gave a weak smile and nodded. “Yeah.”

Ethan grinned at me and motioned for me to get in the backseat, which I did. He soon followed and the shut the door. And off we went, what joy.

“Hey, Peyton!” Marie smiled at me from the front passenger seat. “I’m happy you came. You’ll have a great time, promise!” She poked the driver’s shoulder. “Say hi.”

I looked into the rearview mirror and saw two brown eyes smiling at me. “Hi, Peyt.”

I smiled. “Hey, Adam.” Adam was a really good guy. I liked him. He just radiated honesty and sincerity. A rare breed of male, that’s what he was.

“So!” Ethan said loudly, grabbing my attention. “I tried to catch you at the game last night during half-time, and I had you spotted, but then you suddenly disappeared… Did you hear me calling your name?”

Yes. “No, I guess not.” I was a terrible liar, as mentioned before, but luckily for me, Ethan was too busy sulking to notice my lie. In the front of the car, however, Marie and Adam had raised eyebrows at me and exchanged a quick glance.

“So, where are we going?” I asked, trying to break up whatever was running through their minds.

“Movies,” Adam said, looking at me in the mirror. “Original, huh?”

I shrugged. “The movies are great, unoriginal or not. What are we watching?”

Marie turned around in her seat, her seat belt off. “Well, the guys wanna see Transformers two, but I wanted to see The Proposal. They say that they refuse to watch it because it’s a ‘chick flick’.”

“It is!” Ethan protested.

Marie rolled her eyes. “It doesn’t matter what you think, Ethan. We’re watching “The Proposal”, and that’s that.”

“But that’s not fair!” he whined. After no one said anything to him, he crossed his arms and slumped in the seat.

I felt like puking. I had to be stuck with himfor hours, which was great, just fucking great. I should have called or something and canceled. I could be back home right now spending time with Ian. No one was home so there would be no need to sneak around or whisper, the house was empty. God damn it, I should have stayed.

“We’re here,” Adam announced suddenly, interrupting my thoughts.

I sighed and reluctantly opened the door and slid out. Adam smiled understandingly at me. “Yay,” I muttered silently.

“Transformers!” Ethan complained as we walked towards the ticket booth.

“No way!” Marie argued back.

I groaned and shook my head. This was going to be a long and headachy day. “Is there anything else on that we all agree on?” The looks I received from Marie and Ethan told me to shut my mouth.

“Four for The Proposal,” Adam told the ticket lady.

“Oh, I’m so sorry,” she said with a grim face. “We’re having some problems with the projector so I’m afraid that movie isn’t showing right now… I have no idea when it will be fixed either. I’m really sorry.”

My face perked up a little bit. What was that she just said? The Proposal wasn’t playing? YES! The truth was, I wanted to watch Transformers, too. I wanted to see robots trying to take over the world, the romance, the action, the excitement! I didn’t want to watch a sappy comedy romance. Those movies are great and all, but I wasn’t in the mood for it right at this moment. Why, you ask? Well, because it would make me think of Ian, and how reality with him is better than watching a romance movie. That probably could have been worded a lot better, but you catch my drift.

“Okay then,” Adam said with a slight smile on his face at hearing this news. “Four for Transformers.”

Ethan handed Adam twelve bucks, enough for him and me, then Adam paid for himself and Marie. What gentlemen.

“I can’t believe this!” Marie hissed at me as we all started walking towards the Transformers door. “Can you just believe it? The projector doesn’t work? What kind of crap is that?!”

I rolled my eyes at her. Marie wasn’t bad, like I’ve said before, but she could be a little over the top at some times. “It’s not that bad, Marie, it happens.”

She narrowed her eyes at me. “You wanted to watch Transformers, didn’t you?” she accused. “Traitor!”

I laughed and shrugged lightly. “I don’t want to watch a sappy romance…”

Adam opened the doors for us and we walked in. “Gee, Marie,” I whispered. “Adam is such a gentleman…”

A smile instantly appeared on her face and her eyes went soft. “I know.”

The four of us stopped at the bottom of the theater and looked up and around for a good pair of seats. I always liked sitting in the middle row, and on the very end seat or in the slab dab middle. Sitting in the middle made me feel cozy and comfy, while sitting at the end made me feel really open and awake. Plus, if someone had a gun or something, I wouldn’t have to force my way through a crowd of people cause I’d already be at the end.

“I call the end!” I announced a little too loudly, causing people to shush me even the movie wasn’t even on yet.

I happily plopped myself down in the end seat while Ethan sat next to me, then Adam on his right, and then Marie. We didn’t get food or anything because as everyone knows, movie theater food is a huge rip off. Well, unless you go on Tuesdays when you can get popcorn and pop for only a buck each. Movie theater popcorn is the bomb!

Suddenly, all the lights went dim and the actual previews began. I had a huge smile on my face just because I was so excited to see this movie.

“Nervous?” Ethan asked quietly.

I frowned and looked over at him. “What?”

He smirked. “This is our first date, so I understand if you’re nervous, but don’t be. I really like you, Peyton.”

I blinked. Oh. That’s what he was getting at. “Uh, okay,” I said giving him a fake half smile. A second later, I felt an arm slip around my shoulders and a cold chill fill the room. I stiffened and my heart started pounding.

“Just relax,” Ethan cooed in my ear.

I frowned again and reached back behind me, lifting up Ethan’s arm and pushing it towards him. “Sorry, Ethan… I’m just not really interested.”

He smiled and shrugged. “It’s okay, I can wait. You want to watch the movie and won’t be able to concentrate with me so close to you. I understand completely.”

I mentally sighed/groaned.

“What an idiot,” a voice said next to me.

I turned my head away from Ethan and met a pair of gorgeous brown eyes staring at me. “Ian,” I whispered, half surprised.

A smile spread across his face. “I hope you don’t mind that I came… I just… I really want to see this movie too. You don’t mind, do you?”

I couldn’t help myself from grinning. Warmth and happiness instantly filled inside me. I was so happy he was here! “No,” I whispered. “Not at all.”