The Tourists

Chapter 1

Chapter 1

            “I’m bored.” I whine.

            “Avery, you’re almost seventeen. Shut up!”

            “Fuck yeah, I’m almost seventeen but I’m bored, Coop! Can we please do something fun?” I say pouting.

            “Avery, we’re best friends. I know you’re pulling the puppy dogface right now. It’s not gonna work.” Cooper says.

            “Really? Than why are you looking at your phone instead of me?” A faint blush creeps up Cooper’s neck as silence responds and I smile slightly. “That’s what I thought.” He sighs but continues to text and ignore me. I stand up and face him. “I get it. The person you’re texting is more important than me, your best friend. It’s fine; I guess I’ll just go home. Find someone else to hangout with, or maybe even get some supplies since school starts in two weeks.” I grab my bag and head for the door. My phone buzzes in my pocket and I stop.

Hangout with me, Av?

            I turn around and find Cooper standing in front of me. I give him a teasing smile, “What did you have planned?”

            “I don’t know maybe watching all eight Harry Potter movies with my best friend?” he says giving me the same exact smile.

            “Do you have popcorn and mint chocolate malt balls?” He gives me a look that reads ‘do you even know me?’ and I reply with a yes to his previous question. He grabs my hand and leads me to the couch and tells me to get the first movie started while he prepares the popcorn.

            See, this is why Cooper is my best friend. He doesn’t always ask what you want to do; he makes the plans for us. It’s such a sweet thing to do and eases the pressure of trying to figure out plans. God knows how long it would take us to come up with something. Let’s just say… both of our minds are not the most decisive. He also is as much of a nerd as I am.

            “One popcorn for the lady,” Cooper says handing me my bowl. “And one for me.”

            “Are the malt balls already in it?” He nods and I smile. Popcorn and malt balls together is our thing. One day we were having a movie marathon and I was eating popcorn and he was eating mint chocolate malt balls and then magic happened. As simple as Wingardium Leviosa.

             Five and a half movies later, we’re on Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince. The sixth movie is one of the best, and it was probably my favorite book in the series. Currently on the huge television in front of me is the scene where Dumbledore is being surrounded in the Astronomy Tower. My knees are up to my chest, and my arms wrapped tightly around them. “No, no, no.” I whisper quietly under my breath, anticipating what’s about to happen. What I had been dreading finally happened: Snape killed Dumbledore. As it happens, I find myself screaming ‘no!’ and the familiar stinging sensation brings me to realize I’m crying. I hear the usual chuckle from Cooper ringing.

            “Stop laughing at me.”

            “I’m not!” He says innocently. “I just think it’s funny how you’ve seen this movie almost a billion times and yet you still cry.”

            “You know Dumbledore’s my favorite character!” I argue. I wipe my tears and sigh. “You know what, I’m okay.” I say trying to convince myself. “Wait if we just watched six movies, what time is it?” I glance at my phone. “Holy shit, it’s almost eleven o’clock!”