The Monster That Stole My Reflection

Chapter 3: Double Date

Jim's POV

Claire and I had organised a double date with Toby and Darcy. I needed something normal to happen in my life. Something to take my mind off of being a troll at night. It's been a week since I first transformed, and it has been happening every night since.

Toby and Claire still don't know about this. And I'm still on the fence about telling them. What if they think I'm a monster? What if they don't see me the same way?!

Anyway, for the most part I've been training with Draal to help me adjust with the new body I would enhabbit at night. It's still a work in progress.

School has been mostly uneventful as Steve is leaving me alone out of fear. Which could probably be worse than if he were still bullying me. I tried to talk to him but he keeps blowing me off and pretty much running away from me.

We decided to have dinner and go see the new Gun Robot movie. I'm cutting it pretty close with it being just about sundown for when the movie would finish. Being nervous was an understatement, I hadn't realised how nervous I was until I got to Claire's house. I climbed off of my vespa, took my helmet off and walked up to the front door. I rang the doorbell. I heard the door handle jiggle and turn as someone was opening the door. Claire's dad opened the door, slightly frowning as he saw me stand at his front door then receding as to be hospitable.

"Hello, Jim. It's good to see you are feeling better from that disease you had. Claire should be down soon." He let me into the house, and we stood in the living room. Feeling awkward with the interaction.

"Yes, much better. Thank you," I gave an awkward smile. I heard Claire practically running down the stairs. Claire looked beautiful as always. She wore a grey leather jacket with her Papa Skull t-shirt on with black jeans.

"Alright dad, we better get going." Claire smiled at me as she led me to the door.

"Don't forget, the curfew is 8pm. No later than that." Claire's dad reminded her.

"Yes Papa, I'll be back before curfew don't worry." She reassured him, I waved goodbye as we walked towards my vespa. Claire's dad glared at me as we climbed onto the vehicle and placed the helmets onto our heads. We then started to head in the direction of the city centre and the restaurant we would be eating at.

Once we arrived at the restaurant, Claire and I climbed off the vespa and took the helmets off and placed them on the handle bars. I could feel my nervousness rising as we stood outside the restaurant. Claire could tell I was nervous and she gave me a warm smile and wrapped her arm around mine. We then walked inside the restaurant and saw Darcy and Toby already at a table waiting for us.

Once we had dinner, we walked to the cinema and then towards the snacks bar and got some popcorn and tickets. There were too many bodies in the room. All of their voices were leaking into my ears, all the smells of the snacks, drinks and people making me feel uncomfortable.

After we got our snacks and tickets we walked over to the screening room. Gliding through the gaps between groups of people to get through. The smells and noises weren't as powerful as it would be as a troll but to a human it would be a bit overwhelming. And overwhelming it was. With everyone talking at the same time and all the over noises, it was too much.

Why couldn't I have one normal evening with my friends? Instead of dealing with this Troll stuff?! I asked myself.

I tried to push them at the back of my mind and focus on Claire's voice. She was talking with Toby and Darcy about theories on what would happen in the movie. I smiled as I could hear the genuine joy from her voice. We sat in our seats waiting for the ads to finish and for the movie to begin. Crunching of popcorn and slurping of drinks filtered through my ears.