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𝗔 𝗠𝗨𝗥𝗗𝗘𝗥 chapter si
A fluorescent light buzzed ominously, its flickering casting erratic shadows across the dimly lit aisles of the quiet video store. The fluorescent tube hummed with an irritating urgency as the clerk on the ladder struggled to replace the bulb. He twisted the old one out of its socket, the weight of it feeling heavier in his hands than it should have, and set it gently on the shelf beside him. Reaching for a new bulb, he screwed it in with care, but the light continued to flicker stubbornly. With a sigh, he twisted it again, feeling the frustration build within the stillness of the store.
Outside, the calm was about to be disrupted. Lydia Martin's car pulled up to the curb, tires crunching against the gravel. The engine quieted, and as she rolled down her window, the tension of a friendly argument floated through the air. Jackson Whittemore leaned against the car, gesticulating animatedly, his face flushed with enthusiasm. "Hoosiers is not only the best basketball movie ever made, it's the best sports movie, period!" he insisted, a grin breaking through his animated expression.
"No," Lydia responded flatly, a teasing smile dancing on her lips.
"It's got Gene Hackman and Dennis Hopper," Jackson countered, raising his brows for effect.
"Still, no," she shot back, playful defiance threading her voice.
"I swear to God, you'll like it," he insisted, his voice rising slightly in urgency.
"No," Lydia repeated, more resolute this time.
"I'm not watching The Notebook again," he declared, his hands held up in mock surrender as she hit the button to raise the window, a triumphant smile still lingering behind the glass.
But within the store, Celeste was focused on her own mission, her eyes scanning the aisles in search of a familiar title, Love Actually. As she perused the rows of DVDs, she was oblivious to the world outside, lost in her thoughts about what movie to watch. Just as she turned a corner, she heard a voice calling out.
"Can somebody help me find The Notebook?" Jackson's voice echoed through the store, carrying an amusingly desperate tone.
Curiosity piqued, Celeste made her way around the shelf, spotting Jackson standing there with a furrowed brow, peering at the chaotic arrangement of DVDs. "Jackson?" she called, surprise coloring her tone.
