Tonight was going to be magical.
Anne repeated this line over in her head as she walked through the doors of the building, warmth wrapped around her shivering body like a blanket. The salty scent of popcorn filled her senses, making her mouth water and her taste buds long for the taste. Red lights shone bright above her, illuminating the sign that read 'Parkwood Cinemas'.
She glanced around the cinemas and immediately spotted the boy. He was stood near the ticket booth, staring down at something in his hand. She briskly walked towards him, breathing a sigh of relief when she realised it was just his phone. However, this relief didn't last long. In his other hand, pinched between his index finger and thumb, were two movie tickets.
She inhaled deeply before taking the last few steps forward. Anne was now stood directly in front of the boy. He didn't look up, seemingly distracted by something on his phone. She lightly coughed, catching his attention as he snapped his head up to look at her. Their eyes locked gazes but Anne was instantly disappointed to find that she didn't feel sparks ignite inside of her like she had hoped. She tried to mask her disappointment with a smile.
"Hi Carter," she murmured. She had attempted to sound happy but her voice came out deflated. Carter didn't seem to notice.
"Hey Anne." Carter grinned, flashing his pearly white teeth.
Their greetings were followed by a silence. Carter went back to typing something on his phone and Anne took this as an opportunity to scan the room. She noted that the cinema was oddly empty for a Friday night. The few employees working leaned against the counters, all wearing bored expressions on their faces. They all stared down at their phones, looking as if they wished to be anywhere else.
Anne turned back to Carter and, in an attempt to start a conversation, asked him about the movie. "So, what movie did you buy tickets for?"
"It's a surprise," Carter winked. Anne didn't have a chance to complain because, at that moment, Carter grabbed her hand. She was surprised. No boy had ever grabbed her hand before. She had thought it would illicit tingles on her skin, like in the books she had read, but again there was nothing.
Carter dragged Anne in the direction of the snack bar where they both stood waiting in line. Carter had gone back to typing on his phone, leaving Anne alone with her thoughts. Her mind began to wander to the last time she had visited the cinemas.
It had been a few months ago, August, but it was not something she wanted to remember. She had experienced many feelings that night. They were feelings she never wanted to experience again, feelings she wasn't supposed to feel. She had tried so hard to bury them deep down and she knew if she thought about them for too long they would explode out of her like confetti.
Anne pushed the thoughts out of her mind and noticed they were now at the front of the line. A few people behind them groaned in annoyance, making Anne hurriedly scurry over to the counter. Carter swaggered towards the counter, not seeming to care about the other customers.
He slouched against the counter and listed off an assortment of sweets and drinks to the cashier before reaching into his jacket to fish out his wallet. While fumbling around with his card, he suddenly seemed to remember about Anne.
"Do you want anything?" He drawled out. Anne opened her mouth to answer him but he jerked his head towards the cashier.
She faced the cashier and replied, "I'll just have a water, thanks." The cashier smiled at her and brought over their items. They grabbed their food and drink, making their way over to the ticket collector. He checked their tickets and let them through, directing them towards cinema 5.
Once inside, they found some seats towards the back and got comfortable. Within minutes the movie was starting and Anne wasn't surprised to find that there were only a few other people in the cinema with them. She also wasn't surprised when the title of a recent horror movie loomed onto the screen, accompanied by a loud thudding sound.
Anne hated horror movies. She had specifically told Carter that horror movies were a no, but of course he hadn't listened.
Anne spent the next thirty minutes of the movie with her eyes squeezed tightly shut. She knew it had been a bad decision to come, but she wasn't leaving without fulfilling the promise she had made to herself earlier in the evening.
She decided it was now or never.
Anne turned her head to glance at Carter. His eyes were focused on the screen and he seemed absorbed in the movie. Gently, she tapped his shoulder. This resulted in Carter turning towards her. Slowly, she inched towards him and gingerly brushed her lips against his.
Carter smirked against her mouth as he pushed their lips violently together, his tongue invading her mouth. She tasted the bile at the back of her throat, her stomach churned unpleasantly, and she knew this was wrong. She forcefully shoved him away and stood up, tears blurring her vision. Through the blur she could make out Carter's angry face, she turned and dashed out of the cinema. Carter did not follow.
She hurried outside into the cold night, the chilly air was like a slap to the face. Breathing in deeply, she tried to calm down but the tears kept pouring. Leaning back against the brick wall, she slid to the ground and buried her wet face in her arms. She sat like that for a few minutes, allowing the tears to drip down her face.
The whole night had been a disappointment. She knew it wasn't Carter's fault, he may not be the nicest guy in the world but an abundance of other girls had been out with him and described it as magical. Why hadn't she felt those same magical sensations the other girl had described? Anne felt as if she was broken.
She could only recall one instance in which she had experienced those magical sensations. Her last visit to the cinemas in August. Before she could finish her thoughts, a door opened to the right of her and she glanced up. In front of her stood the girl from the snack bar.
Their eyes met and Anne felt the sudden spark ignite within her. She had been longing for this spark the whole night. It was the same spark she had felt back in August. But this time, she wasn't going to deny it.
"Have we met before?" The girl inquired, not breaking eye contact.
"Yes, we have. Back in August." Anne replied, a small smile making its way to her lips. "I'm Anne." Standing up, she offered her hand to the other girl.
The girl beamed at her and took her hand, "Nice to meet you, Anne. I'm Violet."
Tonight was going to be magical.
