Guarding

4- Chapter Four

"Curiosity will conquer fear even more than bravery will."

~ James Stephens

Chapter 4

 The cinema is empty since we’ve come pretty early in the day. I’m not really sure what we’re here to watch, but it’s been ages since I stepped foot in this place so coming again might just cheer me up.

The woman behind the glass panel takes our money and hands us three tickets. She’s looking tired; maybe it’s a little too early for her to be here. Our movie starts in twenty minutes, which is great because the popcorn machine is still in the process of popping our kernels. The guy behind the counter seems a little friendlier than the woman who gave us our tickets. He talks to us about the movie we are going to be seeing until the popcorn is done. The smell alone brightens me up.

A large box of popcorn is handed to Aaron and Carolynn and I hold the drinks. We push open the double doors to Screen 8 and like we expected, it’s empty. Our tickets say ROW J SEAT 27, but we ignore it and sit on the premium seats. This is probably one of the advantages to coming early in the morning.

Due to our order of entering, I am sat between Aaron and Carolynn, which is kind of awkward. The movie hasn’t started yet so they are having a little conversation across me while I’m working out how I’m going to ask Carolynn the question that’s been bugging me all night and all morning.

When I have decided how to word it and repeated it umpteenth times in my head, I start to say it, but the commercial introduction music thunders over my voice. Aaron and Carolynn stop talking and they face the huge screen before us. There goes my chance again.

The adverts are a waste of time. We sit through them for twenty-five minutes until the actual movie comes on. All I know about the movie is it’s called Monday and it’s a comedy. Carolynn was really excited about it this morning, but from what I’ve seen on the movie poster outside the cinema, it doesn’t seem very interesting.

About fifteen minutes into the movie, a bunch of giggling girls come in and sit five rows below us. Their popcorn spills onto the floor while they’re trying to get settled and it causes a burst of loud laughter and shrieks. I hear Aaron sigh and he moves a few seats along so that his view of the film is not blocked by the girls. The girls are also blocking my view and I’m just about to move, but I decide against it because I’m not sure what kind of impression it will make on Aaron. Fortunately, they sit back down and the level of giggling minimises. I glance slightly at Aaron but his eyes are transfixed on the screen.

Sometime between the middle and the end of the film, Aaron moves to his original seat and his shoulders bump into mine lightly. He whispers a hushed “Sorry”, I nod and we both go back to watching the film.

****

When the film finishes and the credits start rolling, I dash to the toilet, unable to keep it in any longer. The cinema has become busier during the period of the film and I have to push past a couple of girls to get to a vacant cubicle.

After relieving myself, I return to the main lobby where Aaron and Carolynn are waiting for me.

“Ready?” Carolynn asks. I nod and we walk towards the exit door.

“Jade!” I hear my name being called from behind me. When I turn around, I recognise Maddie in the group of girls that entered the movie late and giggled over their spilt popcorn. She rushes over to me and the others follow her. I take a step forward to receive her hug while Aaron and Carolynn linger awkwardly in the background.

“What are you doing here?” I ask after she releases me from her loose embrace. She smells of her raspberry perfume that her ex-boyfriend gave her. The scent almost chokes me.