Talks and Texts [ #1]

12 | movie halls and art brochures

12 | movie halls and art brochures

"So, you're going to go home by what time?" Jacob asked, trying to put a nonchalance in his voice.

She raised an eyebrow, "You can go home. I know you're getting bored and there is literally nothing here that excited your 'aesthetic sensibilities'."

"I remember Aishwarya's lecture." His lips twitched. "And no, it's okay, I can stick around for a bit."

"No, seriously, you can go. I have to go to the library in half an hour, anyway."

"To study?" He scoffed.

"No, I am a nerd, true, but even I have my limits." She laughed. "It's where I work in the evenings. I could use the money however little it is."

He opened his mouth as if to ask something and then, thinking the better of it shut up.

"What?" she asked.

"Nothing."

"O-kay, what about you? Got something up?"

He looked ahead steadily. "Nothing."

She stopped with a frown.

He kept on walking. "There is nothing for me to do at home or anywhere else if that's what you're asking. Don't look so upset. I'll probably just play some restaurant game on my phone."

She fell into step with him, for once not paying attention to the displays. "We have an opening at the library if you want to kill time and earn some money while at it?"

"Is that pity I hear in your voice?" He shook his head, nearly grinning. "I would die surrounded by all the books."

She sighed. "Is there something you enjoy?"

"Sleeping," he deadpanned.

She laughed but before she could say anything her eyes caught sight of something. "Oh, look! They even have a fifteen minute movie on art through the ages." She pointed to a poster outside a ticket window near the exit of the museum.

He gave her a bored look. "I suppose you want to see it now. As if we haven't already wasted our time enough."

Jessica looked past the swinging door beside the ticket window. It seemed quite dark inside. Rubbing her arms, she shook her head.

He stopped walking, surprised. "Why?"

"No reason," she replied in an irritated voice.

"Woah!" He looked from her towards the swinging door and then back at her. Realization dawned across his face suddenly. "Wait, no way. You're scared of the dark?"

"No." She shook her head vehemently. "I am not scared but I'm not going in there. It's so dark we'll hardly be able to see the movie. Besides, you're right, we should get going. Let's go."

"Come on, this is for our assignment. We can't afford to not see," he took on Jessica's serious tone.

"Very funny, Jacob, very funny."

He grabbed her hand and lightly pulled her towards the ticket window. Of course, she screamed, kicked and tried her best to yank her hand free.

He stopped immediately and stared at her, "You are not scared of taking part in the boys' rugby team and you're scared of the dark?"

"You saw my rugby trial too?" She groaned, embarrassed. "So you must know that I failed at the rugby team big time. Please, Jacob, let me go!"

"Trust me on this, okay? It's not that dark. Movie halls are one of the best places in the world. You can't miss out on them." He smiled and it was just that he hardly ever really smiled that it felt like something close to a small miracle. A warm abandon spread through his features, lighting up his face, making him look younger and so happy, and she forgot about trying to kick him on the shins and running away. She just plain stopped and stared.

"What?" he asked, frowning self-consciously.

"You smiled," she stated.

He frowned deeper, looking confused, and then his eyes widened. He looked at his hand holding hers and quickly dropped it, turning away.

"Oi, where are you going?" she shouted after him.

He just raised a hand in farewell and left her standing there, still without a topic for their AA assignment. "Jacob!"

She turned back, glancing with heightening irritation at the clock. She still had fifteen minutes. Well, maybe a last round around the place? Soon she was smiling as she passed beautiful pieces and she never realized that it wasn't just art but the feeling that something had changed in the last few minutes. There was a kind of an airy feeling of something inexplicably good so that by the time she was stepping out of the exit, she felt no qualms about not having a starting point for the assignment yet.

The receptionist called out to her and she was forced to walk back. "Yes?"

"We are having a few screenings over the next week. Have a look at the brochures and see if something interests you?" The middle-aged man encouraged by showing her some brochures. "We hardly ever get youngsters who appreciate art."

She knew there was not a chance that she would attend the screenings but decided to pick one up as a souvenir anyway. "Picasso, van Gogh or Vermeer? Um, let's see. I'll take the van Gogh one, I suppose."

"Your boyfriend picked out that one too." He laughed with good humour. "Come back next week then."

"He's not-" She laughed nervously.

"Art has always been a wonderful matchmaker," he said, eyes twinkling.

***

And may you, dear reader, be matchmade by art too.

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