Stories from an Empty Room

All The Little Big Things

Her eyes were red and so was her nose, she's covering her mouth and shaking as the scenes kept going. She looks adorable.
When the protagonist died, she bursts into tears.
"Why does she have to die?!" Yza shouted "She didn't have to die! Io should've just helped her!"
"Shhh, everyone's still watching..."
"I don't car-" I covered her mouth and sat her back down before security came. She was struggling to get my hand off at first.
"I'll write you your ending, okay? Let's finish the movie first."
She calmed down, and I let go. She's still frowning with her arms crossed, but she's not causing a revolution at least.

I kept glancing at her as the last few minutes of the movie plays, she doesn't seem to change expressions at all.
The credits roll and she pulled on my hoodie.
"Promise me you'll write a better ending than this." She exclaimed.
"I promise.." I answered "..But don't you think that the movie's ending was already good?"
"They killed Jack! Nothing about death is good, August!"
"Yes, good point, but death is also closure. Eh?"
I tried playing with her with finger guns but she's still too invested in the story.
"Why do people have to die.." she muttered "..can't they just live forever?"
She's wiping her teary, red eyes with the cuffs of her sweater that's two sizes too big for her.
"Would you want to stay here forever?" I asked "Don't you think that'll be boring?"
"It won't. People will always keep on finding new none boring stuff to do." She replied.
She's hopeful, isn't she?
"Let's go, I'll take you home."

Her house wasn't too far away from the theater, but she was tired so we decided to take a taxi from here.
She was quiet the whole ride, momentarily looking out the window to see where we are and then going back to her own world.

"So.." I tried to break the awkward tension "..you're moving away, right?"
"Oh yeah. I forgot about that..."
"Next month, right?"
"Mhm..."
"You okay?"
"No, I'm gonna miss a lot of things when we go away."
"It's just another city, Yza. I can still call you, Micah and I could always drive to you on weekends, if you want."
"Don't call me."
"Wha-"
"Write me letters."
Do post offices exist still?
"Okay?"
"Or email me. Be creative, don't just text or call me." then she smiled.
"Okay?"
"Let's write stories and stuff to each other."
"Oh, sure."

We got out of the taxi because she said she wanted to walk. I don't really get her sometimes.
She pulled her beanie down to cover her face from the cold and started dancing in circles.
"Are you... okay?" I asked.
She intentionally fell on arms all of a sudden, I nearly fell down with her.
She took her beanie off and she was smiling, as if the sun gave her cotton candy weather.
"Yza?"
"I love you, August."
"I love you too?"
"Are you unsure?!" her eyes beamed through me.
"I love you, Yza."
She stood back up and gave me a little kiss on the cheek.
"Are you okay?" I asked again.
"Goodnight!"

She waved goodbye, then went inside her house. I saw her silhouette dancing along with Sunday Moon's City Lights.

"Goodnight..."