That Little Box That Beats In Your Chest

By the time Lacey and Alex had finally caught up with Jack, Zack and Rian had already been updated about their after-school plans. Though Lacey was excited at the thought of finally seeing the new Die Hard movie, the possibility of listening to Zack mope about his very recent break-up didn’t sit too well with her.

They had somehow managed to get to the movie theater in one piece, no thanks to Jack driving Rian’s car. He had somehow found the route with the most right turns, because every time Jack would make a turn, Lacey was pitched into Zack’s side.

“Never let Jack drive ever again,” Zack pleaded, jokingly clutching his stomach as he climbed out of the car.

As Jack shoved him away, obviously unfazed by the comment, Lacey thought she caught him winking at her.

He couldn’t have done that on purpose, could he?

Obviously, it was. Every time Lacey tried to get as far away from Zack as possible, somehow Jack would shove just hard enough to send her tumbling into Zack’s (very muscled) arms. While they were lined up for popcorn and Jack made yet another attempt at throwing Lacey into Zack’s arms, Lacey had had it. She grabbed Jack’s ear, and pulled him away from the rest of the boys. She needed to control this before it got out of hand.

“What do you think you’re doing, Jack?!” Lacey whispered, facing away from where she knew the boys were watching them. Jack was nearly vibrating with anticipation.

“I can’t believe I didn’t see it earlier!!! You love Zack!!”

“What? No, I don’t. And keep your voice down!”

“I should have seen it earlier. I mean, matching Halloween costumes? You’ve gotta be blinder than Helen Keller to miss THAT!” Jack was nearly yelling now. Lacey had to stop him before the entire cinema thought she and Zack were the next Romeo and Juliet.

“Jack. Listen to me. If you promise not to tell a soul, not even Alex,” Lacey paused waiting for a nod which was given to her, “then I will admit that sure, Zack is cute. But in no way, no way in hell, am I in any place to be in a relationship, ok? Not ready. I can’t deal with all this drama.”

“You’re no fun,” Jack murmured, pouting.

“Well, love isn’t fun either.” Jack threw her a weird look, and before she could explain what she meant by that, Rian was calling them back to order what they wanted.

-----

They made their way into the dark room, and slowly climbed the stairs to the left of the seats as they tried to find 5 seats together.

“I see three over there, and two over here,” Zack noted, sitting down in one of the two open seats, “who’s watching the movie with me?” Jack very nearly fell over, obviously excited about something.

“Lacey’ll sit with you!” he yells out. And before Lacey can say anything, Alex is shoving her into the seat next to Zack, while Jack runs up to claim the set of three seats, cackling the entire way. Lacey felt her face burn up as she took the seat next to Zack.

“Sorry about your break-up,” Lacey manages to choke out.

“I think I’ll live,” he replies casually, not looking at all like he had just gone through a break-up. Lacey decides it might be best to voice these thoughts.

“You don’t seem too bothered about it.”

“She was an airhead. I don’t really know what I was expecting.”

Lacey was about to ask why he had even bothered ‘dating’ her if he wasn’t into cheerleaders, but the lights dimmed, indicating the movie was about to start. Lacey looked over her shoulder, looking for Jack, and caught his eye, where he then proceeded to shoot a thumbs-up at Lacey, obviously pleased with his matchmaking. She rolled her eyes as she turned back towards the screen.

-----

By the time the movie was over, Lacey was so tense she felt like if someone dropped her down a flight of stairs, she could be the first human slinky. Three times Zack’s thigh brushed hers. Four times she caught him looking at her. But thankfully he didn’t seem to notice her stroking her thigh where it was beginning to heal up, or when she was fiddling with the bracelets at her wrist, wishing her cuts and scars away. It was a thing of habit. The minute the lights went out for a movie, Lacey’s left hand would always find its way to the results of her self-harm.

As the audience filed out enveloped a gentle murmur of comments, Lacey and Zack waited for Rian and the lovebirds to make their way down so they could all walk out together. From the way Jack was flailing his arms, nearly hitting Rian in the nose, Lacey could tell he enjoyed the explosions. Zack chuckled behind her, obviously mirroring her thoughts. Nearly everyone had left the movie theater at this point, so Alex kissed Jack on the tip of his nose in an effort to calm him down. Lacey sighed inwardly at her own relationship status as Jack grabbed Alex’s hand and playfully started to swing their arms back and forth.

They all quietly filed out of the viewing room, and made their way to the parking lot. Rian ran to the car, nearly tripping over his own two feet as he yelled ‘I’M DRIVING!’. Jack, looking a little disappointed, quickly regained his enthusiasm as he rocketed forward, claiming the passenger seat with an exclamation of ‘SHOTGUN!’. Alex, Lacey and Zack meandered to the car, where it was already idling, and clambered in. The Foo Fighter’s ‘Everlong’ was playing on the radio, and Rian nearly screeched as he turned it up. Lacey smiled to herself, thinking about just how much music meant to these four boys.