An Unexpected Girl

chapter thirty-six

Iris didn't think going to the movies was an ideal first date when getting to know someone. But she kept her mouth shut because Niki was trying, and that's all that really mattered. Niki was taking her out on a date. No matter how many times Iris thought about it, she was still in disbelief.

Sure, she had slept with Niki before, but Niki expressing she was actually interested in her outside of sex was a whole different ball game.

Iris quickly got ready, trying to appear as pretty as possible. She thought back to just a few nights ago when she had gotten dressed up with the intention that she was going to have an amazing night. Of course, the night turned out not to be as amazing as Iris hoped, but this would be different. It would just be Niki and her, and nothing would get in the way of that.

Niki picked Iris up in her car. It was a dark brown color, and Iris thought to herself that it suited Niki well.

The drive to the movie theatre was a quick one. Iris spent the entire car ride trying to keep her nerves at bay. She was excited. She was going on a date with Niki. Things were looking up.

Niki had also taken the time to dress up. She was wearing dress pants and a simple black shirt, with her locs packed up in a bun at the top of her head. She looked smart and extremely attractive, and Iris felt her heart swoon whenever she looked over at her.

The bruises on Niki's face were still apparent, and Iris felt guilty whenever she looked at them. Although Iris knew it wasn't her fault, she couldn't stop herself from feeling partly responsible.

"Here we are," Niki announced once they arrived at the movie theatre.

Both girls got out of the car and made their way into the building side-by-side. Iris desperately hoped Niki would take her hand and hold it in hers, but she didn't.

Niki's hands remained in the pocket of her dress pants whilst Iris' were cradled around herself to protect herself from the chilly weather.

Iris pushed the thought out of her mind. This was only their first date, after all. Holding hands would be too forward. Iris mentally scolded herself for getting ahead of herself.

Niki had picked out the movie that they were watching. It was a movie that Iris was unfamiliar with, but regardless, she was just happy to be there with Niki.

"So, what's the movie you chose?" Iris asked once they were seated in the movie theatre watching the pre-runs. Niki had picked out their seats, too, and had selected seats at the very back of the movie theatre. Iris was sitting right next to the wall on her right, with Niki to the left of her.

Niki shrugged. "I just picked one at random, to be honest, but I guess we'll see."

Iris nodded, even more curious about the movie they were about to watch. The pre-runs ran for another ten minutes while people filed into the theatre.

"So, um, how has your week been so far?" Iris asked, trying to make conversation.

"It's been okay," Niki simply said, "minus the part where I'm constantly being stared at because of how fucked up my face is right now."

"Why did you hit her?" Iris blurted out before she could stop herself. This question had been on her mind for some time. She couldn't help feeling that they could have avoided this whole thing if Niki didn't start a fight.

Niki shrugged nonchalantly.

"Felt like it. Plus, she deserved it. She's lucky I was drunk. Otherwise, she'd be the one with all these bruises on her face."

Iris knew that Niki being drunk had nothing to do with the outcome of the fight. She knew that Adi would have beaten the shit out of her, sober or not.

Iris couldn't understand why Niki would say that Adi 'deserved' to be hit. As far as she was concerned, this was not the case. But Iris didn't say any of this. Instead, she sat back in her seat as the opening credits of the movie finally rolled up on the big screen.