The Difference

Chapter 18

Ava and I successfully finish our invitations as the boys prepare a bunch of snacks for our plan to sneak into the theater. The boys said Mrs. Marigold should be asleep by now, assuming her last walk-through of the ballroom an hour ago was her way of informing every one they may retreat for the night. They never explained to Ava and I why the theater is off-limits and we don't bother asking. We just hope we won't get caught. Or fired. Or both.

"So, what do you ladies want to watch?" Brad questions.

Ava and I look at each other, pondering.

"I suggest Fast and Furious," Troy chimes in, carrying a tray with cookies, chips, cheese and crackers, soda, and candy. He hands the tray to Brad, noting he had to grab the other tray full of snacks. 

"How much did you guys grab?" Ava chimes in. 

"Everything," Brad answers. "Okay Miss Opinion, he says to Ava, being careful of the tray he's holding. "What do you want to watch?"

I know Ava too well, which is why I laugh when she says she wants to watch a Marvel movie. Brad  nods his approval, also suggesting he would like to watch Spider-Man if anyone else agreed.

Troy comes back with another tray full of popcorn, nachos with cheese, and brownies. I want to ask who he thinks is going to eat all of this food, but I don't want to sound ungrateful. I am getting kind of hungry, now that I think about it.

"What's your vote, baby?" Troy asks me as both Brad and Ava let out a dramatic laugh at his nickname.

"Is this a thing now?" Ava says, pointing between both of us.

"Officially official," Troy answers, looking for Brad's reaction. 

"Nice," Brad says, giving a small smile. "Happy for you two," he says, and we give our thanks. We begin to walk upstairs as I say excitedly, "What if we watch Dirty Dancing?"

The boys groan as Ava defends them. "Rosemary, it's unhealthy how much you love that movie. I think you need a taste of reality. How about Captain America?" She suggests.

"Did you just use reality and Captain America in the same sentence?

"It's better than another romance movie!"

"It's up to you two," Brad intervenes.

Ava looks at me with a stone cold face. 

"Fine, fine, whatever you guys want. I have all the romance I need, anyway."

Troy shoots me an embarrassed smile as Ava and Brad mock us. We approach the theatre and Ava and I look at one another, the shock in our faces. 

"It's so big!" I say, running up the stairs to a few rows from the top. The theatre is about half the size of one you'd see at an actual movie theater, and has reclining seats. Troy takes his seat next to me and Ava and Brad join us. Brad sets up the movie as I snuggle up to Troy.

"Guess what I brought," he says, pulling out a bottle of champagne. "I took it from the bar. I think it's the same one we were drinking when we first met," 

"And she rejected you," Brad chimes in and we all start to laugh. Ava shushes us as the movie starts and Troy and I giggle between sloppy champagne kisses. I try to pay attention to the movie but Troy and I begin to talk as we get more and more tipsy. Most sentences ends with us laughing so hard that Ava yells at us or nudges us. About halfway through the movie we part from the group and go to the top corner of the theatre so we stop distracting the others.

"Grandma would be so mad if she knew we were in here," Troy says randomly.

"Why?"

"She caught Brad in here when we were younger with one of the girls from his class during a birthday party and she forbid us to come here ever since," he says.

"Seriously? But you're grown now."

"That doesn't stop Grandma from interfering though."

I stop and wonder if he's talking about me. At the same, it's hard to fathom what I'm thinking and ask nicely, so I blurt out, "Is she trying to interfere with us?"

He sighs and nods his head. "She doesn't want us together, she has.. other plans for me," he says firmly.

"Oh," the tears start to well up in my eyes, wondering what he's even talking about or how seriously Mrs. Marigold disapproves.

"But I'm going to fight it. I don't want to lose you, Rosemary."

"Fight what?"

Troy lets out a yawn and I am just as tired as I am confused right now. My mind tells me to just let it rest, the alcohol is getting to us and we can talk tomorrow about our future, but my heart says I don't deserve to waste time on guys who don't deserve me. 

"You're so pretty," he mumbles, cozying up to me. I sigh and let sleep take over. I look down as my eyes are closing at Ava and Brad eating some snacks we brought up. Brad looks back at us and say something to Ava. They both smile, leaning in for a kiss. I remember Brad saying Troy is held to a higher standard because he is such a vital part of the family business. I sigh, feeling stupid for getting all worked up at Troy being cryptic. Obviously that's what he meant. I look at Troy, his head on my shoulder, and I play with his hair as we drift off to sleep. 

I wake up a few hours later to the sound of muffled crying. I look over and see Troy with the blanket wrapped around him, sitting halfway down the stairs. Brad and Ava are both gone. I get up as fast as I can, feeling slightly dizzy and walk to his stair, plopping down next to him.

"What's wrong?" I question as he begins to cry even harder. "Troy," I say, making him meet my gaze.

"My dad.." he trails off. 

"What about him?"

Troy gives me a blank look as if he can't find the words. I begin to tear up, hoping he's okay.

"Heart attack," he says, collapsing into my lap. I wrap my arms around him, comforting him, as I begin to cry, too. Nobody saw this coming. "This changes everything," he says, snapping upright angrily. Mrs. Marigold storms in and reaches out a hand for Troy, pulling him to his feet. 

"Where the hell are you taking him?" I stand up, ready to fight for the one person who fought for me.

"This doesn't concern you, dear," she says, sharply.

"What's going to happen?" Troy says between sobs.

"You must take his place."