THE CUT

most people don't really come for the movie

5

I arrive at the Country Club, the parking lot filled to the masses with cars for their weekly outdoor movie showing. There's one every Friday night in the Summer, and most people in Figure 8 go. A lot of the couples in the back make out in their cars. Sometimes, a couple of guys get into a drunken tussle.

Most people don't really come for the movie. I came on a date once back in high school. It was the only date we went on, and that had been fine with me. I knew we wouldn't be watching the movie the moment he parked the car at the back of the lot. As we started making out, I told him it was hot and was about to roll the window down when he said not to. He wanted to "see how steamy we can make it." It fogged up until we could only see colors flashing from outside. And then he wanted to have sex, but that was too far for me, so I said no. And before the movie was over, he had driven me back home.

This time, I don't have anyone to go with. I've avoided Sarah because how could I not tell her about that kiss when I see her? I'm not sure I'm ready for that. Plus, I love doing things on my own, like taking myself to a movie in a pretty summer dress and my old, grass-stained tennis shoes. I've explained to Sarah the confidence that comes along with venturing out by myself, but she never gets it. She thinks I'm telling her to distance herself from the Pogues.

I've brought my picnic blanket and laid it down in the grass. I walk over to the snack stand to buy a small popcorn and a Coke when I spot Kiara in front of me, with her wild hair and colorful bracelets.

"Hey," I say.

"I didn't think you would come to this."

Her eyebrow twitches. "Anyone can go."

"No, I just... Are you here with anyone?"

"Yeah. JJ and Pope. Sarah's off with John B, but I'm sure you already knew that."

Sarah and John B hanging out together. No, I didn't know that. If Ward finds out, he'll be pissed. He'll probably fire John B if anything is going on between them.

"I saw you the other day," I say.

"Oh, yeah?"

"You were in the back of John B's death trap. JJ shouted out the window at me."

Kiara's nose wrinkles. She wears her emotions all over her face—she always has. "I wasn't. And JJ was just being an ass."

She starts to walk away.

"Why are you here if you're a Pogue now?"

She stops. She turns, and she comes right up to me with acid in her voice. "Because the whole Pogue and Kook thing is fucking stupid. You're not better than them because you have more money. How can you be friends with Sarah and still think that?"

"You only like being a Pogue because you have something to fall back on if it goes wrong." 

Kiara steams. Her brown eyes are like flecks of gold. "That is not true."

"Anyways," I say, "I didn't do anything to warrant JJ to shout at me like that."

"What do you want me to do about it?"

"Just tell him that if he's going to be traipsing around Figure 8, he better mind his manners."

I leave her with that.

I open my Coke and take a sip as I head back to my blanket. Now that the movie is just about to begin, and the sun has completely set, I have to tiptoe around people.

"Kook!"

I look up into the limited dark to see JJ stomping his way over people's limbs in my direction. His blonde hair falls over his forehead in an annoyingly perfect way. I tense up as he gets closer, preparing for a scene to break loose, for his fight with Rafe to carry onto me.