No One Else (Weezer)

Chapter 1 - My Girl's got a Big Mouth

get it because... that's the first line of no one else by weezer....

"I can help whoever's next!" I shout into the crowd. Today is a particularly busy day at the theater. I have been selling overpriced tickets for the same three movies to about a thousand different people. All day. I like my job, most of the time. I come in, I get to watch any movie I want, and then I sell popcorn and snacks to the masses who want to watch that same movie. I find it so hard not to spoil it for them.

Today, however, has to be one of the best days at my minimum wage job. I wipe butter on my apron, as I have 35 times today already. "That would be me, I think." I sigh and look up at my next customer.

Standing in front of me is the most adorable man I have seen in a very long time. He smiles warmly at me through his rough stubble. He has his hands in the pockets of his denim jacket, which is about the same color as his Carhartt hat. God, he's tall. Or maybe he's just wearing really tall shoes. I glance down. Yep. Doc Martens. A little voice in my head tells me I have been staring for a little too long.

"Yes! Hi! What can I help you with?" I say. I can't tell if I'm yelling or whispering. Everything is fuzzy. "Hi! I would like one ticket to see the new Spiderman movie." He says, pushing up his glasses. Spiderman. Huh. "Just you?" I ask, typing in his ticket order. Why did I ask him that? He chuckles. "Yup, just me. I asked my friends, but none of them are huge nerds like me." "I didn't mean it like that! It just seems like a with-friends type of movie!" I am so. Freaking. Awkward. "Also, Spiderman is cool. Can I get you anything else?"

He shifts on his feet before responding, as if he's thinking. "Yeah! Um, a small popcorn and a Mountain Dew please." Ugh. Mountain Dew. "Of course!" I ring him up, hand him his ticket, and give him a cup for his cancer soda. "Enjoy your Spiderman movie!" He smiles as he walks off, and the smile lingers a little longer than it should. I can't shake the feeling that he was important.

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The next week, I'm back in the same spot. I just finished the remake of the Disney movie "Jungle Book", and I head behind the counter and put on my apron and my hat. Why do they keep remaking Disney movies? As I'm booting up the computer for the day, I hear a familiar voice.

"You again!" I jump, nearly slipping into the candy display behind me. I look up to see who almost cost me a whole shelf of Nerds Clusters. Standing at my counter is the guy from last week that I was basically drooling over.

"Hey, lone movie guy! Nice to see you!" Smooth, y/n, smooth. "Are you going to see another one by yourself?" He laughs. I made him laugh. "No, actually, my ghost friends are on their way to watch Jungle Book with me." "No way! I just watched that today! I won't spoil it." I ring up his ticket.

"Do you always get to watch the movies before everyone else?" He asks. He seems genuine, like he wants to keep the conversation going. "Mhm! It's one of the few perks of working here—" I smirk— "Sometimes I tell rude customers when the main characters die. Like when Avengers Endgame came out, and this guy threw his popcorn at me, I yelled 'Ironman dies!' and he was super angry."

I can't stop myself from laughing at my own mischief. He laughs with me. "That's pretty dope, actually. Maybe I'll start coming more often so I can see that happen." Yes, please. You can come in every day if you want. "Go right ahead! More money for me!" I giggle. The voice in my head suddenly reminds me that I don't even know his name. Why am I freaking out over him? He's a stranger.

"Well, my ghost friends just got here, so I'm gonna go catch the movie. See ya around, Spoiler Alert." Oh my god. He just gave me a nickname. Spoiler Alert. I don't care that it's not cute or endearing. Handsome movie man just gave me a nickname. "Enjoy Jungle Book! I hope your ghost friends like it!"

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The next morning, I look back through the ticket transactions to find out mystery man's name. Fun fact, very few people go and see movies by themselves in the middle of the day. As I reach the time stamp around when he came in, I stop my search and scan the ticket purchases. The only transaction for one ticket to Jungle Book reads: "Spencer Agnew". That has to be him. He just looks like a Spencer.

"Hey, Y/n! Get over here! We're about to watch Barbie!" My coworker, DJ, jingles his keys to Theater 4 impatiently.

Awesome. My awesome coworkers want me to watch this awesome movie with them while I'm trying to ponder on mystery man's name. This is awesome.

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I wipe tears from my eyes as I boot up the computer like I always do. Barbie is the most empowering movie I have seen in a while, and I recommend everyone watch it. (no seriously. watch it.) Just as I turn around to turn on the popcorn machine, I hear his voice again:

"What's up Spoiler Alert?" Spencer half-shouts at me. I smile before turning around to meet his eyes. "Lone movie guy!" Why is my nickname so much cooler than his? "What movie are you watching alone today?"

"Actually, um, I'm not here to watch anything. I don't have enough time for that." He looks over his shoulder, as if someone was behind him, waiting. "Since you watch all the movies before me, I was wondering if you could just summarize Barbie before I have to go." With this, he smiles.

Oh. My. God. He wants me to summarize the movie instead of actually watching it? A little weird, but still pretty cute. Wait. He doesn't even know my name. He also doesn't know that I know his name. Why am I so giddy over him?

"Oh, uh, sure! So basically-" "Wait," he interrupts me, but I forgive him. "your name is Y/n, right?" Yup.

"How did you know?" I smile. "It says Y/n on your name tag." Oh. "Right," I giggle.

"and you are..." I try to ask as innocently as possible, even though I stalker-searched the computer for his name, and I already know the answer.

"Spencer," he licks his lips. "I'm Spencer. Y/n is a nice name." I try to stop myself from blushing. Back to the task at hand: Barbie. "Okay, so the movie..."

I describe the movie to him the best I can, while also trying not to cry. I did just watch it. I hope it's a pretty good description, judging by the way he's looking at me. Why is he looking at me like that? He's staring at me like he enjoys hearing me talk. Everyone I have ever encountered somehow finds a way to point out that I talk a LOT. It's become an insecurity of mine.

"Sorry, am I talking too much? You seem like you have somewhere to go." I straighten myself, and realize that we have been leaning over the counter at each other. There is a line forming behind him. He straightens up too. "No, no, not at all! It was a good description. Now I don't have to spend time actually watching it!" He laughs. "I do have to go though. Thank you," He gives me a wave, and turns around to walk out.

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A few weeks go by, and most of them are boring, except the days when Spencer comes by. He asks me about all the different movies I get to watch. Sometimes, we just talk about life. He laughs at my jokes, I laugh at his. We just seem to click.

I learn that he edits Youtube videos for a gaming channel. I didn't catch which one, though. No way to find him there, I guess. I also learn that he has two cats, and that his apartment isn't far from mine and my roomate Courtney's.

Spencer doesn't even buy movie tickets anymore, he just comes in to hear me explain them and then he leaves. My coworkers have started asking about him, and I don't mind talking about him that much. I hope he comes in every day next week.

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HI EVERYONE! this is just the first chapter of a very long story idea i have. i know it seems like it's going slow, but i promise you the next chapter will pick up. (but not toooo much, this is a slow burn after all). let me know if you guys want me to keep posting <3 if you do, i'll try and post the next chapters about a week apart!!