Secret Rulebook of Cheating

Rule #6: Just Because I've Already Ordered...

My pace slowed as I reached the movie theatre in the north part of town. It was a modern building with a glass front and a neon sign with the name flashing in red – Arena Theatre. I pushed through the heavy door and found myself in the vast lobby, my eyes scanning the surrounding. In a moment, I spotted Rob and Dan near the concession stands - Rob was standing in the popcorn line and Dan was waiting nearby, but he wasn’t alone. My eyes widened in surprise as I saw the third person there. When earlier today Dan called and asked if I wanted to go to the movies, he didn’t mention anything about who was also going to be here. And I never suspected anything.

“Sylvia!” I dived in for a hug as soon as I approached. She drew out from under Dan’s arm, which was wrapped around her shoulders, to respond.

“Hey, Nikki!”

“I had no idea you were coming!” I admitted and then narrowed my eyes at Dan. “Your boyfriend decided to keep that information to himself.”

“What surprise would it be if I hadn’t?” Dan defended and bumped my already lifted fist, cutting our usual handshake short.

“Yeah, yeah,” I dismissed and turned back to his girlfriend, firing questions. “Is it just you? How long are you staying?”

“Just the weekend. And yes, it’s just me. Nadia had to work and Mila said something about doing some chem experiment with Sam.”

“Chem experiment?” I repeated. Not that it was too strange for Mila to do school work in July – she was studying to be a veterinarian. But I had a feeling it had more to do with who she was doing it with rather than the necessity of the work being done at this very moment. “Like testing the reaction of swapping spit?” I joked.

Sylvia snickered. “She didn’t give me any details, but who knows. Staying late in the lab together, just the two of them, the only light in the room coming from the Bunsen burner…”

Dan pulled her to his side and pressed a kiss on her cheek. “My hopeless romantic. Give it to you to make the dullest thing sound dreamy.”

Sylvia shrugged innocently, her cheeks covering with a pink nuance. Blushing looked good on her. It fit well with her fair hair and blue-green eyes.

“Let’s hope Sam falls under the spell,” I added. Mila wasn’t as romantic as Sylvia but when she had a crush, she couldn’t function normally until she got the guy. Or got over the guy. Either way she needed to get him out of her system.

“Nikki!” Rob exclaimed, grinning, as he returned from the concession stand.

“Hey, Rob!” My eyes fell on the huge bucket of popcorn that was occupying his hands. “Is that the family size? Are we all sharing?” I reached a hand to help myself, anticipating the exact reaction from him I got.

“Uh-uh, baby.” He jerked the bucket away from my grabby fingers, two or three corns falling on the floor. “You know I love you but go get your own. Rob doesn’t share food.”

We all laughed. Even though you could never tell by his figure Rob loved his food. And we loved to tease him about it.

“You shared some with the tile.” Dan pointed to his feet.

Rob’s eyes snapped to the floor, widening as they took in the view of spilled food. “Be right back. I need to retrieve the losses.”

More laughter followed as he walked back to the girl at the concession stand and we realized he wasn’t kidding.

“Got the tickets!” a voice said from behind and I spun around on reflex.

This was a night of surprises. And while Sylvia’s visit was the kind that called for a hug, this one came with a stomach twist. Jason was standing a couple feet away, flapping tickets back and forth in his hand.