Knickers

The Dora Movie

"What do you want?" Dom asks me, gazing up at the stars with a whimsy that makes me jealous. The hood of his car is still warm from our drive here, the crackling engine adding a satisfying layer of white noise. "From life, I mean."
"That's a loaded question. Everything, I guess," I tell him, propping myself up onto my forearm so I can lean over him. He holds out his burning cigarette, pinched between two fingers, and holds it still as I take my drag. "Why are we sharing this cigarette when we have a whole pack?"
"It's kinda like an indirect kiss, innit?" he says. "I feel the need to make up for lost time."
"What lost time?" I say, tracing the seam of his waistline with my fingernail. "If anything, this was rushed."
"I dunno, every time we stopped talking it felt like a million years." He shrugs, sticking the cigarette between his lips so he can fold his hands beneath his head. "Dunno what it is, Marley, but I felt a connection right quick."
"You stop," I scold him, swiping the cigarette before it can dribble ash onto his face. "You're cheesy."
"I'm serious," he says. "I always said my fans— the Black Hearts Club, they're called."
"I know."
"They helped me find my place in the world," he continues. "Maybe you weren't a fan, but in a way they did lead me to you, didn't they?"
"You mean because of Warped Tour?" I ask.
"Yeah. Never thought I could be even more sentimental about Warped, but here I am, reminiscing about the time you tackled me while trying to make off with my underwear."
I snort. "Have I apologized for that yet?"
He turns his head toward me, rolling partially onto his side and gracing me with that little half smile he does, the one that makes me wobbly all over. "I love you. You know that?"
"I know that," I say, inching closer to him so I can reach out and brush away his unruly hair. "Thanks for sticking around, Dominic."
His face scrunches. "Dominic? I'm Mr. Blud, remember?"
"So you're the one who's been texting me dirty pics?"
He smirks. "All me, baby. You like?"
I take the last drag from the cigarette and put it out on the windshield, propping the butt against the wipers. "Yeah, I'm getting them framed."
He tosses his head back and laughs, undoing my meticulous effort of tucking his hair into place. He snatches me by the waist and yanks me against him, crashing our chests together and squeezing me until my spine pops. I nestle my head into his neck and breathe him in, wondering if this is how love is supposed to be or if I've just won the lottery.
"So what do you want?" he repeats, leaving kisses along the side of my face. "Really, Marley, just in case I can give it to you."
"I want what you have," I tell him. "I want to find where I belong. I think I'll write a book, really pour my heart out, and try to attract readers who get me. You know?"
He nods once, nuzzling his nose against my temple. "I know very, very well."
"You think I'll find it?"
"I know you'll find it."
He cups my face then, tilting my head up to meet my gaze. When he kisses me it feels like an agreement, or maybe a promise, that he's had some premonition where all my wildest dreams come true. I hope he's beside me when they do, and if they don't I hope that whatever god exists is merciful enough to let me keep him anyway.
The kiss goes on. Fingers tangle with hair, legs mingle and intertwine, chests rise and fall. Everything is at ease, and all seems possible. I murmur out that I love him, and he smiles against my lips and pulls me closer.
Then, a wad of paper hits me in the cheek. We separate, finding ourselves abruptly accompanied by Maya and Layla, standing almost on top of each other and gripping each other by the hips.
"You're making out in a movie theater parking lot," Maya says scoldingly. "I expected this behavior from Marley, but I thought you were classier than her, Dom."
"Why on Earth would you think that?" he asks.
Layla laughs, poking Maya in the cheek.
Maya fights off her grin. "You lovebirds ready?"
"Ready Freddie," Dom says, sliding off the hood and bowing to me, offering up his hand. "My liege."
"Thank you, sire," I say, and allow him to help me off the car.
"What are we seeing?" Layla asks.
"The Dora Movie," Dom says, holding up four tickets to Dora and the Lost City of Gold.
Maya groans, throwing her head backward in a dramatic display of protest. "You're fucking kidding me."
"Oh, you two actually wanted to watch a movie?" I ask, plucking two tickets from the bunch and waving them in Maya's face. "Dom and I were just going to make out. We figured you two would do the same."
Maya narrows her eyes at me, pointedly ignoring the tickets before her.
"You can probably exchange them," Dom says casually, shrugging. "You know, for a movie you actually want to see, and not make out in the theater. Or you could come watch Dora with us and get handsy."
Maya huffs and snatches the tickets from me. "Fine. Let's just go."
All but Maya laugh until we enter the theater.