A Chance Meeting | Chris Evans

Chapter 72

A/N: I know that I'm totally messing with the timeline here by including a movie that only came out a few months ago, but I absolutely loved the film and wanted to include it. Becca's reaction to it is the same as mine was. Oh, and if you haven't seen the film yet - spoilers ahead!
*****

Becca followed the others through into the home cinema room, and then stopped with her mouth open.
Oh my God. When he said cinema, he wasn't kidding!
She'd been expecting a large snug or something with a really big tv screen, maybe some comfy chairs. But this was an actual cinema. The screen was enormous and covered the entire wall and there was a row of very plush chairs. It looked like it must have cost a small fortune.
Fucking hell, he's got an actual cinema in his basement. Is this how movie stars live?
She looked from the cinema to the famous faces who'd walked over to the other side of the room, and suddenly felt hugely out of her depth.
What the hell am I doing with these people?
Chris came over to her. 'Hey.' He said. 'You stopped.'
Becca looked at him, then gestured to the room. 'It's just...'
Chris gave a small chuckle. 'A bit much?' He asked.
Becca nodded.
'Well, that's Rob for you.' He said lightly. 'Go big or go home' is kind of his motto.'
'Come on.' He added, taking her hand in his for a moment and giving it a gentle tug before letting go.
Okay, so Chris thinks it's a bit much too. That makes me feel better.
She followed him to the back of the room where Robert had opened a door into a recess which housed a huge fridge full of drinks and the previously discussed popcorn machine.
'Ah, there you are.' Robert said to her. 'I thought you were about to turn tail and run.'
'No.' Becca said, cagily.
I thought about it.
'Good.' He continued. 'So, sweet or salted?' He asked them, gesturing towards the popcorn machine.
'Salted.' Becca and Chris said at the same time, then looked at each other and laughed.
'Cute.' Robert joked. 'You can share.' And he handed over the biggest tub of popcorn that Becca had ever seen.
'Thanks.' Chris said.
'Help yourselves to drinks.' Robert gestured towards the fridge.
'What do you want?' Chris asked, handing the popcorn over to Becca.
'Diet coke, please.' Becca said. 'You know, this is a huge tub of popcorn. It's practically bucket-sized. We're never going to be able to eat all this.'
'What do you mean 'we'?' Chris said, handing Becca the drink and taking back the popcorn. 'This is all mine.' He clutched the tub jokingly to his chest.
Becca laughed. 'Oh please, you'd be sick before you ate half of it.'
'You underestimate me.' Chris joked, putting a handful in his mouth and chewing.
Becca laughed and went to take a handful herself, but Chris grinned and moved the tub out of reach. 'My popcorn.' He joked.
'Didn't your mother teach you to share?' Laughed Becca.
'Yeah, she did.' Chris said, pretending to consider. 'Okay, you can have one piece.' And he picked a single piece of popcorn and held it out.
'Wow. Gee, thanks.' Becca said, taking the popcorn and eating it. 'You're so generous.' She added sarcastically.
'Okay people, take your seats, the movie's starting in ten, nine, eight, seven...' Robert called out to them.
Becca instantly felt uneasy.
Oh no, who am I going to have to sit next to? And try and talk to?
It was too much to hope that she'd be able to sit on the end and just have Chris next to her, but she tried anyway.
'You can't hide away on the end.' Robert said. 'Dorito, swap seats with her.'
Damn.
She couldn't exactly say 'No', so she swapped places with Chris, and ended up sitting between him and Robert.
The seats were huge, and she tucked her legs under herself, unconsciously placing herself as close to the right as she could, closer to Chris.
'Popcorn?' Chris asked, putting the tub on the chair arm between them.
'You are going to share it then?' Becca asked with a smile.
Chris grinned at her. 'Maybe a little bit - you can have one or two pieces.' He joked.
Becca grinned back and took the biggest handful she could, making Chris laugh.
'Thanks.' She said, popping a piece into her mouth.
It was mostly a joke, but having a load of it in her hand also spared her the embarrassment of brushing hands with him if they both reached into the tub at the same time.
Then the title card came up on the screen: Last Christmas.
'Hey, I think I've heard of this.' Becca said, frowning slightly. 'But...is it even out yet?'
'A friend did me a favour.' Robert said, answering her question. 'Enjoy.'
She was going to make some joke about hoping it wasn't a pirate copy, but then the film started and distracted her.
''Oh look, it's London.' She said, smiling at the red double decker buses and the underground stations.
'Remind you of home?' Chris asked.
She nodded, not taking her eyes off the screen.
The film was great, and after a while she found herself doing what she often did and getting completely absorbed in the film and forgetting everything around her.
But after about an hour...
'What?' Becca said abruptly. 'What? He's dead?'
She turned to Chris. 'He's dead?'
'Err...seems like it.' Chris said.
'No! He can't be dead.' She said. 'He's been dead the whole time?'
'I guess so.'
'So is he meant to be a ghost? Or is she having some kind of psychotic break?'
'I don't know.' Chris said.
Becca looked back at the screen where a montage of the two characters together suddenly looked a LOT sadder.
This is not the happily ever after that I was expecting!
She felt her eyes begin to prickle.
Don't cry!
She blinked rapidly, but it was no use - the first tear spilled out and rolled down her cheek, followed by more.
This is why I don't like sad films - I cry like a baby.
And once she'd started, there was no way that she was going to be able to stop.
Just try and be quiet, and maybe no one will notice.
She tried to wipe her face subtly, but the movement drew Chris's attention.
'You okay?' He asked, looking concerned.
'Yeah.' Becca said, forcing a smile. 'It's just sad, you know?'
After that she just gave up fighting them and let the tears and the sniffles come.
Damn, I wish I had a tissue. I'm going to look a right mess by the time this has finished.
'Err...do you want me to stop the movie?' Robert asked her.
'No! I want to know how it ends.' Becca replied.
It ended on a much more cheerful note, but it didn't really help with the crying because the sad tears just got replaced by happy ones.
When the titles rolled and the lights came on, everyone started getting up. Becca followed their lead somewhat self-consciously.
I must look a right mess.
She peeked at Chris.
'You okay?' He asked her.
Becca nodded and gave him a weak smile. 'This is why I don't watch sad films.'
Chris gave a chuckle and pulled her into a hug.
'I can't believe how much you cried.' He said.
Becca stood there stiffly for a couple of seconds, unable to relax and enjoy the hug or reciprocate, feeling super self-conscious in case the others were watching.
She stepped backwards out of the hug. Chris let her go, but with a tiny confused frown on his face.
'I don't want to get your top all wet.' Becca lied.
'That doesn't matter.' Chris said lightly, but his smile seemed a little forced.
He could probably tell that was a lie.
She turned back towards the others, and yes, they were all staring at her.
Great. Now they really think I'm a crazy person.
'Umm...is there a bathroom or something round here that I can use?' She asked Robert.
'Yeah, there's one back in the games room.' Robert said. 'It's near the-'
'I'll show her.' Scarlett interrupted, taking her hand and pulling her towards the door.
'Let's get you sorted out.' She said to Becca.