Heartbeat

Movies

I get to the doctors, dwelling it all.

I lay down when they give me a pill, and before I know it I'm sleeping.

Dreaming of Ethan. Dreaming. Dreaming.

Ethan's pale face is dimly lit by the fire, showing reflected shadows.

It's just us. Nobody else and nothing wrong.

He puts his arm around me and pulls me closer. Closer.

Closer.

"Hey, sleepy head. How ya doing?"

My dream is interrupted by my mom hovering over me.

I wonder what she would think if she knows what I was just dreaming of.

After resting a little more, my mom and I leave, thanking the doctors for their duty.

I wait all day long.

Wait with nervousness and excitement.

Finally, I begin to get ready for the movies.

I wear my patterned skirt and my sleeved top, with boots. I like to enjoy the holiday spirit.

I blow dry my hair and make a flip at the end. It looks fuller than usual. Just what I want.

Staring at my hair makes me think of getting bangs. I will think about it.

I make my makeup match the colors of my clothes, and make sure to perfect it.

Done.

After smiling at myself in the mirror, I grab my purse and go.

I just got my drivers license, so I can drive there. It's good to be free!

When I get to the mall, I text Ethan to let him know I am waiting.

Hey I'm here r u?

Will be in 1 min :)

The smily face makes me happy. It makes me smile.

I wait a while, then I see him.

Walking through the door is

Ethan.

Coming here to see me.

He looks up and smiles at me.

"Hey!"

"Hi," I say, knowing I sound shy.

"The movie starts in fifteen minutes. We can get our tickets then get food and drinks. Popcorn?"

"Yeah. Sounds good right now."

We wait in line for the tickets awkwardly, then finally get into the concessions.

"What do you want?"

Does he want to pay for me?

"Um... I'll have a soda and popcorn. But it's okay... I can pay for it."

"No I got it!"

He starts to pull out his wallet.

"No really it's fine. I have money. Now put away that wallet," I giggle.

"Not until I pay for at leased one thing you want," he grins.

I roll my eyes, then after looking at his sympathetic look, I give in.

"Fine, fine. But I can buy the more expensive one."

Ethan narrows his eyes at me.

"Okay! Geez. You can pay for the more expensive one!"

The cashier lady looks like she is about to go to bed. She has a sweatshirt and sweatpants on, her pants a navy blue and her shirt black, too big for her huge body, with white hairs all over it. Her hair is in a messy bun with frizzes all over her big head.

"Wha' do ya want?"

Ethan quickly jumps in.

"We would like a large popcorn, a Mountain Dew, and a soda."

"Y'all's total is fifteen," she says with an ugly look, showing her double chin.

In the corner of my eye, I catch someone.

Nicole.

Beside her is someone else familiar.

Tyler.

What? Why didn't Nicole tell me she was... Dating... Tyler?

I watch them with a sneer until I get interrupted by Ethan.

"Come on! Our movie is this way!"

Before walking, I decide to nag on him.

"Hold it! Stop in your tracks. We made a deal- I would pay for the less expensive idem. And... What did you do? You paid for it," I have a proud face with my chin up high.

"Woah! I've seriously never met a girl that argues over wanting to pay."

Hearing that makes me feel 'welcomed', I guess.

I can't stop thinking about Nicole and Tyler, though.

What if they have the same movie as us?

What if they see us?

When we get in the room, Ethan motions me to the far back. We sit at the very top.

"What is this movie about again?"

It's embarrassing to ask, but I forgot.

"Oh, it's about a girl who gets mad over her mom running away, but keeps herself together with help from her-," he pauses.

"Boyfriend."

There was an awkward silence.

"Oh, cool," I say, trying to sound casual.

Ethan has never asked me about dating... This is our first "date", but I'm not sure what he thinks it is.

We get settled, start eating our popcorn, and begin to watch the commercials.

The movie begins, and we are intensely watching it the whole time.

I whisper to myself, "It's freezing..."

Ethan glances over.

"Have my jacket."

He lays his warm, cotton jacket over my legs, and instantly the goose bumps fade away.

"Thank you," I say.

The rest of the movie went on, getting better every minute. The one scene of the kiss was a little uncomfortable to sit through with Ethan next to me, but it was fine.

At the end, I talk first.

"That was really good!"

We start to get up.

"Yeah! I loved when she went looking for her mom, them found her dad," he says, his hazel eyes wide.

"I know, right," I say, but my voice fades away when I feel a tap on my right shoulder as we are walking down the stairs.

Standing there is Tyler, with his arms folded. He is giving me a questionable look, with Nicole behind him.