Who Are You \\ Laucy

Chapter 12

"Girl, nice of you to finally join us," Robin said as me and Emery climbed into the backseat of his blue sedan. Dean was on the passenger side, his lanky legs filled the space in front of him, and his broad shoulders extended just beyond the width of the seat. Sending us a quick smile, he returned to scrolling through his phone, which was practically swimming in the palms of his enormous hands.

"I've been busy," I responded, shutting the door softly behind me. The hiccup of the rubber seal indicated that I should've closed the door with a little more vigor. Before I could react, Emery was leaning over me to slam the door. Heat radiated off of her body abundantly, clashing with the cool air that escaped from the vents.

"So you say," the rearview mirror displayed a smug grin like he knew something I didn't. "I'm real excited that you're here, we was starting to get a little sick of Emery."

Suddenly, she was back in her seat, smacking his arm with too much force to be considered playful. Dean let out a snort, focusing his undivided attention on the two. There was an eagerness on his face as if he were expecting a fight.

"We only go to this theater cause Robin thinks the guy who works the register is cute," Emery blurted, obviously trying to change the subject.

"Nuh uh. The seats are super comfy, and they have discounts for students." He took his left hand to his opposite shoulder to massage the area of impact. "And in case you forgot, we're students."

"Yeah, whatever, just drive."

The engine revved to life, and we were pulling out of the parking garage quickly. The car's interior lights automatically shut off, reducing my friends to partial shadows, the brightness from the garage's ceiling seeped in just enough to make out their expressions. The cars and yellow columns zipped by in a colorful blur as the vehicle lurched forward. We passed the vacant spaces that were lined with faded white paint, which served as little contrast against the shiny concrete of the floor.

"Robi's just cheap," Dean spoke up as he mindlessly fiddled with the radio, switching it back and forth from alternative to top 40s. "He's never paid full price for anything his entire life. You should see his collection of coupon books."

"Lo, you'll have to see for yourself. I think the guy is really cute," Emery nudged me, urging me to listen to her and not them.

Settling on classic rock, Dean turned around with an unreadable face. His dirty blond hair was cut short on the sides, tufts of the top stuck out at odd angles as if he had just rolled out of bed. He placed his hollowed out cheekbones against the headrest. "Not really, you think everyone is cute."

"Shut up, no one asked you. You're straight anyway," she huffed. I exchanged glances with him, his raised eyebrows indicating that these petty arguments were not an uncommon occurrence. Deciding to stay out of this conflict, I leaned back against my seat, resting a propped up arm against the window's smooth, frigid surface.

"To be fair, me and Robi dated in high school."

"And it didn't work out because you're straight. I rest my case."

They continued to bicker until we arrived at a modern building comprised of platforms and concrete pillars. Illuminated movie posters were positioned along the granite wall adjacent to the entrance, whose presence was advertised by the red neon lettering that hung above it.

The interior was bleached, one you'd find in a doctor's office. Shuddering, a chill enveloped my body, causing small ridges of goosebumps to form on my arms. Emery was unbothered by the crisp air, contentedly viewing the posters that littered the white walls with splashes of color. The bustle of moviegoers turned the otherwise bleak environment into an inviting social center.