Hi, everyone! I hope every person had an amazing Thanksgiving yesterday, and I also hope everyone got to enjoy the gracious foods that come along with giving thanks. I hope all of you enjoy this part!683Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzGHOgY7kgT
Delcan led the way to the theatre box, and I followed behind him, starting with my left foot since he had started with his right. In the large theatre box stood a man and woman, both of them talking to each other with a straight face. Clearly, this was not a job of interest for them. Delcan slammed his hand on the little space for where the employee could place their tickets, and the girl with cornrows looked up. “Hi,” she said, looking Delcan up and down. “Do you need tickets for a movie?” she asked.
I turned my head away, making sure she wouldn’t see my face. In the back of my head, I knew Delcan was smirking. “I mean, I could always sit here and listen to the movie through the walls…” he trailed off. “But that’s not fun, is it?”
The girl hesitated. “I’m guessing gentle giant is with you?”
Delcan pulled a twenty out of his pocket and placed it on the counter. “Aren’t you quick to assume things.” The girl recoiled, her nose scrunched up as she handed Delcan two tickets. “Enjoy your movie.”
The second Delcan had nodded to her, I went up to the counter. “I am so sorry,” I said. “Have a good day.” She looked me up and down for a few seconds before sighing and then turning back around. I ignore her behavior, turning to go through the tented doors and into the theatre, searching for where my secret date went.
I found Delcan in the line to get food, fidgeting with the tickets in his hands. “Hey,” I said. “I didn’t know where you went.”
“Sorry,” he muttered, his voice strained. I ignored him and turned to look around. The walls had golden pillar designs on them and portraits of famous black actors I’d watched Dad scowl in movies from. Most of them I recognized, but some I felt bothered by the fact that I didn’t know their names. Soon after watching for a while, I noticed the Hispanic and white actors that were also on the walls. Some of them were put up there for movies that I hadn’t watched, although I had heard of the names before from commercials or from the news. Graffiti shaped in flowers and popcorn was splattered on the wall, and I hadn’t even noticed how long I had been staring until I felt someone tug on my wrist.
Quickly, I took my wrist behind my back when I realized it was Delcan. “No touching,” I reminded him. He looked at me for a few seconds before rolling his eyes and turning back around. The cashier at the front gave Decan a friendly smile, his blonde hair falling down to his shoulders. “Hey, what can I get you?”683Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGz6xh2Ci8f
“Medium popcorn with a Coke and Sprite,” Delcan said. The guy - probably no older than twenty - nodded before he scurried to get the supplies. I was surprised Delcan had remembered the type of soda I liked. He’d only asked me randomly when we started hanging out, and I felt bad for not reminding myself he wasn’t allowed to consume caffeine for a bit longer. When the guy - his name is Darrell - returned, Delcan turned to look at me before he gave a smile to Darrell. “Actually, would you mind changing the sprite to a Dr. Pepper?”
The guy hesitated for a moment, then he smiled. “Sure!”683Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKtsyqSmphX
I rested my arm against the wall that blocked the customers from the workers, watching Delcan as he began to smile. “Way too happy,” he said, not making eye contact even though I knew he was talking to me. I smiled too, hiding my face whenever Derrell came back. “Have a great evening, sir!”
“You too,” Delcan said calmly, placing a twenty on the table. Darrell seemed like he was about to ask about the change Delcan would have over (I had checked the price of popcorn and drinks while we were waiting, and it was much less expensive than the theatre I always went to. $7.00 for a medium popcorn and it was $5.00 for soda), but Delcan was already walking off. I trailed behind him, again making sure my steps weren’t in sync with his. The guy took Delcan’s tickets and told us to enjoy the movie, not looking up from his old iPhone while speaking.
I followed Delcan down the dimly lit hallway, looking around at the unusual bare walls except for the design of the golden pillars. Delcan looked over to me, and he handed the Coca-Cola to me. “I thought you weren’t supposed to have caffeine,” I said, taking the drink.
Delcan shrugged. “No parents,” he said. “No stupid rules to follow.”683Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWRzVUmEBt7
“I’m sure rules are always set for a reason,” I told him. I didn’t want to be the reason something bad happened to Delcan on our date.
“Rules are set in life because people worry too much about what will happen if we don’t have balance.” Delcan tilted his head up to look at the black ceiling. “And rules are made by people who are consumed with fear. I love my parents, but my doctor said it was fine to take caffeinated drinks. Don’t worry about me.”
I opened up the bottle of coke, hoping that maybe the caffeine would get to my head and I wouldn’t be allowing Delcan to go against his parents. “What about high levels of salt and butter?” I asked. “Does that work okay on you?”
Delcan hit my arm, almost making me choke on my soda. I coughed, annoyed that he had started to chuckle. “Let me do what I want,” he said. I looked at him as he took a sip of Dr. Pepper, licking the contents from his lips. This cute, seductive jerk, I thought to myself. “And then I’ll let you do whatever you want?”683Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHNEs5H1Dzz
I looked around for some time, making sure there were no cameras. Delcan noticed what I was doing, and he laughed. “Whenever you want, there’s a free invitation to push me up against a wall and kiss me. But the cameras are hidden in the walls, and this popcorn costs money.” I felt my ears get red, not responding when he led me to the last room in the hallway. “Hope you enjoy the movie,” he giggled.
Delcan’s giggling. “I don’t even know what we’re watching,” I whispered.
“That’s what’s fun about it,” he whispered back, keeping his body close to mine. I moved away a bit, noticing an elderly couple go into a movie together. “You’ve gotta live a bit more dangerous to have good memories. What good is ‘I got all A’s and only studied in high school?’ It’s a lot more fun to brag about dating the offspring of someone your dad hates.”
I slightly pushed past him, making my way into the movie. “Don’t turn this into some Shakespeare ⟴,” I whispered.
Delcan didn’t miss a beat before he responded to me. “No way,” he responded. “I need a much more dramatic tragedy than that.”
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