Obsidian Eyes

9.

i sat in the drivers seat, and as the wind filters through my hair and I speed through the country roads, I knew it was the right decision.

The radio was on loud, Scott, jubilee and Kurt dancing to the tunes in the backseat together.
Jean sat in the passenger seat. Her red hair flying behind her like flames, and  a reluctant smile painted in her face.

She looks over to me, laughing as I wink back at her.
She blushes,  and I take that as a sign in my favor.

"eyes on the road" she smirks back.

"Yes maam" I tell her, looking back to the roads. I glance in the mirror to see the three in the back still swaying to the music.

We reach the mall after another ten minutes and I slow to a park.
We all climb out of the car,  and I smile to see Kurt taking it all in with in grin.
"so, what do we do?" jean speaks up, hands in the pockets of her white jacket.

I glance to to the buildings ahead of us until a block covered in posters and teeming with kids catches my eye. I raise an eyebrow.

"How about a movie?"
_____

"I'm just saying,  'The Empire' is still the best. It's the most complex, most sophisticated, wasn't afraid to have a dark ending"
jubilee goes on, before grabbing the last remnants of popcorn from the striped box smelling of butter she held.

Scott nods.
"yeah,  but come on. If it wasn't for the first one you wouldn't have any of the rest of the movies" he argues.

Jean shakes her head, corners of her mouth turned up.
"well, at least we can all argree the third one is always the worst"

"you're all insane" I state,  "they're all fucking great" I raise my hands in a what can I say way.

The four of them laugh lightly, jubilee shaking her head as she giggles.
"when you put it so poetically..." she laughs, chucking the empty popcorn box.

We walk along the mall,  I glare harshly at the people we pass staring unabashedly at Kurt, who in turn smiles at them.
This guy has confidence. The judging eyes of these strangers don't seem to phase him. He even smiles as they pass.

"arcade?" Scott speaks up, spotting the neon lights and sounds of teenagers with rattling pockets.

I feel around in my own pockets,  feeling the odd coins that sat there.
"I got some quarters"

I lean against the side of a bright red arcade game that jean is playing with content determination.
I glance at the yellow one behind me where jubilee and Kurt are playing together, yelling as they fail another level.

A bang reaches my ears and I snap back to jean,  who seems to have just kicked the game with her foot.

"ouch" I comment, looking from her grimacing face to the screen. GAME OVER.  it's reads in red flashing letters.
"why don't you have a go?" she asks, eyebrow raised in question.

I laugh,  "oh no. i dont think ill be too good at it, and thats not a question i need answered" I explain,  knowing how my other attempts at similar games had gone in the past.

She laughes,  "okay, I believe you" she says before sliding another quarter in for another try.

"so where are you  from?" she asks me suddenly, eyes on the game.

I watch the game as well as I reply.
"Originally? Brooklyn. Recently? Ohio. What about you?"

She nods along. "Brooklyn huh? I'm from New York, we were practically neighbours" she jokes.