Falling Embers (Abandoned)

Chapter Nine

She got down the stairs with minutes to spare. In the remaining time she had to herself she sent all of her correspondents a message explaining that she would be unattainable for the rest of the evening and that she would catch up with them tomorrow. Just as the last text was sending a white Dodge Caravan pulled up to the curb and Justin hopped out. He caught sight of her just as she was sliding her phone into her purse and he smiled, waving as she left the sanction of the stair case to meet him outside. He was wearing black slacks with red converse peering boldly out from underneath the cuffs and a black button down top worn open over a blood red muscle shirt. He looked as if he had touched up his makeup as well for his eyeliner was no longer smeared as it had been when last they had seen each other and his mascara viewed to be renewed. November giggled as he approached and he flashed her favorite smile in return.

“What’s so funny?” He asked, hugging her tightly.

“We match.” She laughed. He pulled back and looked her over, grinning.

“Ah, but it looks so much better on you. You look ravishing.”

“I would not be so quick to judge, I find you positively fetching tonight.” She responded dotingly.

“Why thank you, shall we?” he beamed, offering her his arm.

“We shall.” She smiled, taking it happily. He led her to the van and she arched an eyebrow at him.

“It’s the family car. Spencer is the only one of us who has his own car because his parents pay the insurance. If the rest of us want a car to ourselves, we have to pay for it.” He explained, opening the passenger door for her.

“I see, I see.” She nodded, taking her seat gracefully. The rest of the night passed in a blissful haze. He had taken her to an expensive restaurant she had never heard of and insisted that she order what she wanted rather than the cheapest thing on the menu as was her inclination. After a wonderful dinner full of ceaseless flowing conversation and light hearted jokes he drove them to the Tinsel Town Theater, buying her ticket and refusing to let her pay for the snacks. When she argued that he had already spent too much on dinner he had laughed and retorted that it was his job. They ended up purchasing a medium popcorn and a large cherry coke to share before heading towards their viewing room. They had entered just as the previews started and found two empty seats near the middle rows, Ember claiming the aisle seat and Justin settling down beside her. He interwove his fingers with hers but other than that let her watch the movie unhindered, flinching slightly every now and then when a particularly gruesome scene played upon the screen. She remained stoic throughout the entire movie, sighing discontentedly when the hero fell prey to the killer and the ending credits began to roll. Justin blinked rapidly as the lights came back up and glanced over at her uncertainly. She flashed him a brilliant smile and stood, sipping on the last of their coke as he clamored to his feet as well, grasping the empty popcorn bag.

“So what did you think?” he asked as she led the way out.

“It was one of the best re-makes as far as Friday the 13th goes, but I still have yet to view one that actually strikes fear in me and has an unpredictable ending.” She replied truthfully, tossing the empty cup in the trash bin beside the door.

“That honestly didn’t scare you? I’m going to have nightmares!” he laughed.

“Horror movies in general never scare me; in fact I find most of them to be quite comical. My biggest fear is losing those that I love most.” She wondered vaguely why she was revealing so much of herself to a boy she had only known for a few days when she realized that she felt like she had known Justin for much longer than that. In the space of three days she had sensed she knew Justin as though they had been friends for years. It was strange, frightening and exhilarating all at once.