Zander's Megaplex ©TannyBearInventions

Chapter One: A New Journey

    "Did you hear about Zander's Megaplex? We should check it out when school lets out.. Might be fun, who knows!" Kai smiles at me crookedly from across the cafeteria table. I scrunch my nose and breathe out, "Zander's like-" Yeonjun cuts me off from my left, "Zander's? Like the pizzeria that closed down not that long ago?" He takes the sentence from my mouth. I sigh and continue listening as the two discuss Zander's. "Beomgyu, you're coming with us right? We can invite the other two as well if you want!" Kai says, continuing to look at me with his annoyingly bright smile. "No, I'm just going to listen to you both talk non stop and not be involved.." My voice comes out deeper then i meant, "Oh ok, I mean if you really don't want to come Beomgyu that's fine.." Yeonjun stares at me with a raised, challenging brow. "Of course I'm coming, you guys are so dumb." I snip back before grabbing my lunch tray and stand, moving to the nearest trash can. "Now I've got to head to class. Text the others and let them know ok Kai?" He had already started nodding halfway through my sentence, obviously not listening, so I left the cafeteria.
        I open the doors to the school's grand canyon, already analyzing the students walking the large hallway before me. A short girl with brown hair passes by me, her hair swooshing peacefully against her back. I admire it for a few more seconds before turning to walk away- HMPH- I try to gain my balance as I walk directly into a solid object. "Were you just eyeing up my girlfriend?" Looking up, I make eye contact with the school Quarterback and cringe. His blond locks fall in front of his muddy brown eyes as he grips my collar, "Do you hear me? Can you even hear?" I'm too stunned to speak as he uses my collar to shake me around, "Put him down." I know that voice! My eyes move to the figure next to me with relief. Soobin stands, straight backed, glaring at the jock. "I said put him down. Now." The jock narrows his eyes, releasing me, before turning towards Soobin. "You're lucky I know who your parents are. So I'm not going to hurt you, but your buddy looks at my girlfriend again and he's dead meat. Got it?" The QB barks out before speaking to his small clique behind him, "Lets go." He shoves past me and continues down the hall.
       "Beomgyu, I told you not everyone understands that you are just observing. You can't stare at people like that, especially girls." Soobin wraps his arm around my shoulder and starts walking us forward towards our next class. Sighing I nod, "Im sorry Soobin, I just liked the way her hair was swaying! I didn't mean anything gross at all.." Soobin looks at me with a small smile, "I know Gyu, just try not to do that again, ok?" I nod and push on his side to get him to turn down the next set of doors, "My class is over here" We continue down the hallway until we reach my classroom door, "I got Kai's text in the groupchat before I saved your butt back there, check your phone to see where we are meeting up after school. Later loser!" Soobin says, flicking my forehead and jogging off. I rub my forehead as I walk into my classroom, maybe today won't be so bad. If the group meets up after school, at least i'll have them to hang out with for a little instead of being home. I sit down in my assigned seat and zone out, not paying any attention to the lecture. Hopefully the day goes by fast.
     "Beomgyu. Choi Beomgyu!" WHAM! There's a loud slam and I jolt up, drool sliding on the corner of my mouth, I must have dozed off. I peer up at the person in front of me and notice the empty classroom behind them. A textbook stills in their hands as they hover, "Ohhh hey teach!" I try to joke with Mr.Gaven as he glares at me. "Beomgyu, I expected better from you. Falling asleep during my lecture on science? Really?" He sighs before returning towards his desk. "The final bell rang 10 minutes ago, go home Beomgyu." I launch forward out of my seat and bolt out the door. Clicking the power button on my phone I noticed the messages I never read. I skim through the convo until I see Rudy's BBQ, it must be our meet up location. I run down the hallway and out the school's side doors, the cold breeze hitting my face as soon as I push them open. I'm already 10 minutes behind them if what Mr. Gaven said is true. I take a deep breath and start running again, heading towards Rudy's.
       It takes me about 8 minutes to get there as it was just a street down from the school. When I jog up to the front of Rudy's, I immediately notice the group of four boys standing in the parking lot. "Hey- Hey guys!" I call out a little winded from the run, my chest heaving. "Beomgyu!" Taehyuns face lights up, his light pink hair bouncing in front of his eyes, I still don't know how it is allowed at school. Smiling, I quirk an eyebrow at him, "Thought you didn't have time for us anymore with all the working out you've been doing instead of gaming." Taehyun laughs and shakes his head, "I always have time for you losers." Soobin appears in my line of sight, he's chatting and laughing with Yeonjun. "Ok, I think we should head out. It's Friday night, we can stay a little longer since there's no school tomorrow." Kai says coming out from somewhere behind Taehyun. There's a collective murmur of a "ok" and we all turn to Soobin. "Why are you guys looking at me- I'm not the leader of you." He says making Yeonjun hold back a laugh while Taehyun bursts into laughter, "You're the selective leader Bin, we trust you!" I say and motion for us to start walking. "Lead the way Soobin!"
        Soobin sighs and points down Orion Rd, the fields surrounding both sides of the backstreet looking slightly intimidating. "Do we have to go that way?" Yeonjun asks, fiddling with his somehow pristine outfit. Soobin nods, "The main road is too busy we'd definitely get run over. Plus this backroad leads right up to the Megaplex, it's our best route." There's a loud sigh from Yeonjun before we arrive in front of Orion Rd's old and rusting sign. "Here we go guys, our first time going to the fancy megaplex. I hope Zander's is as cool as everyone at school is saying it is." Kai says trying to motivate our group. "You're right. We should be excited this was even built near us!" I say as I start walking down Orion, "Now we should hurry the pace. The faster we get there, the longer we can hang out." Everyone nods and follows behind me, Soobin moving a little faster to resume the leading position. "The corn field is so creepy. The plants are taller than us! I wonder if anyone has ever gotten lost inside them before." Taehyun shivers to himself and looks at Soobin, "Would you look for us if we disappeared one day?" Soobin turns, walking backwards, with a disgusted face. "Of course I would, you four are practically my brothers. We've been through everything together since 5th grade. Just because we are Juniors now doesn't mean I'd love you guys any less." He nods proud of his response and turns to walk normally again. I slow my pace till I'm in the back with Yeonjun who's currently sulking and pulling at his shirt collar. "What's wrong man?" I ask him, playfully pushing his arm with my hand, "The motor in your mouth" He responds straight faced. My jaw drops and he burst out laughing, "Im kidding Gyu, breath." I huff at him and roll my eyes. "You are so mean to me, Yeonjun!" I smile and shove him. "The last one there has to buy the winning sodas!" I scream before breaking out in a sprint, crisp air whistling across my face. "You are a cheat Choi Beomgyu!" Yeonjun hollars behind me as the rest of the group takes off laughing and giggling.
     The smell of the crops and cold air are circling around me as I sprint, guess my mom making me take track was good after all. I make it up the road first, huffing and bending over from exhaustion. It takes a moment before Taehyun's pink hair and Soobin's brown hair both come barreling through the curve of the crops, landing in a ball next to me. "Where.. Are the other..Two?" I say between breaths. Taehyun tries to speak but as soon as he opens his mouth I see Kai's blond hair with the bright green streak zoom around the corner, only to go down from tripping. Yeonjun's puffy ginger hair follows, immediately stepping over Kai's crawling figure, and falls on top of Tae and Bin laughing. Kai whines and gets up, "No fair, I would've won that but my shoes were untied!" He points down at his half-unlaced converse, "See!" Yeonjun snickers and Soobin smiles, "But you still lost and as Gyu said you now owe us four sodas!" Soobin says to Kai as he pushes himself off the ground. Taehyun follows behind Soobin getting up as well, "Wait" Taehyun pauses, "Did you hear that?" The group quiets as we listen for the noise, my ears slowly focus on a child's screaming. "I hear it, it sounds like it's coming from Zanders parking lot up ahead" I tell the group, pointing at the rows of cars on the other side of the road from the corn crops. "Yeah, it sounds like a kid" Kai states before moving in front of the group, "We should check on them!" He motions for us to go and we follow behind him in a slight jog. Soobin takes the lead from Kai moving faster until he suddenly ducks hiding behind the third row of cars we pass. "There" He points, a small girl is being shoved into the backseat of a purple car while she kicks and screams. A woman looms over her in a purple shirt and black slacks, similar to the car. Taehyun jumps out from the car we are hiding behind before we can stop him, "Hey! Stop that! What are you doing to that poor girl?" Yelling at the woman, Taehyun moves closer until he's directly behind her.
        "Mommy! She's not my mommy!" The girl screams as I follow Taehyun to help. "Let her go!" I grab the woman's shoulder, trying to get her to stop ignoring us. The girl is still thrashing wildly as Taehyun reaches to try and grab her the same time the woman turns. Striking purple eyes connect with mine, the color a strong contrast to her pale skin as she snarls at me. Color leaves my body as my heart rate fluctuates, fear controlling me for a moment as she almost glares into my soul. She turns back as Taehyun pulls the little girl out of the car, moving back to bring her away from the woman. Soobin appears moving in front of me as the woman whips around angrily, her eyes closed. "Soobin!" I try to tug him back watching her arm swing out towards him. A solid crack blends with the hums of the world around us as her hand connects with Soobin cheek, sending us stumbling backwards. I hold up Soobin and watch the woman get into her car and pull forward out of the parking space. Yeonjun and Kai follow after the car hollering before it speeds away, the dusty air the remainder of her presence here.
        I let out a sigh of relief before checking on Soobin, a slightly red mark blossoming on his cheek. He rubs at it a little before I stop him, "don't make it worse Soobin." He nods and fixes himself, standing up straight again and grunting. Taehyun clears his throat, motioning his head at the little girl now sniffling and wiping her eyes in his arms. Kai and Yeonjun return from their run and also eye the little girl before Kai speaks, "We can take her inside with us and tell security. They could find her parents! What is your name?" He looks at her with a tilted brow. She whimpers and hesitates, "My mommy said I can't share my name with strangers.." The small trembles in her voice make my heart ache. "It's ok, we are trying to help you. The more you tell us the easier it will be to get you back to your mommy." I say with a soft tone, giving her a small smile. Kai nods and points to each of us including her, "Think of us as family. We are your older brothers just trying to protect you. But to do that we need your name." He says with a smile. The little girl scrunches her nose before answering Kai, "My.. My name is Amber." A small bubble of snot pops from her nostril and Taehyun uses the tip of his Navy blue shirt to wipe it away. "Thank you Amber. I'm glad you trust us to help you, let's go inside and talk to security to help you find your mommy." Yeonjun says, motioning for us to head towards the Megaplex doors. "We've got a couple hours left to hang out if we get her help soon!" Yeonjun adds on as we start moving into a steady pace again towards Zander's tall doors. Amber clings to Taehyun as he carries her, his stride never faulting even with the added weight. I smile and take in the group around me, a bunch of kind and caring souls. That's why we are friends, I think to myself, to help others who can't defend themselves. Soobin huffs as we finally make it to the doors, the tall glass panes glinting in the setting sunlight. "Into the Megaplex guys!" Soobin says with a smile before slowly pushing open the door.