✌ Two

A week or two after I settled in at Theatre, I arrived to find no one behind the ticket counter. That was a first. Of course, the place was always dead, but it was hard to imagine even its own staff had abandoned it on such a random Thursday night. The marquee sign was lit up, too, so it must have been open. Where was the ticket boy?

My hand was poised right above the call bell when I suddenly heard a voice call out from somewhere below, "Left foot, green!"

There was the sound of bodies shuffling around, skin slipping against plastic, and then a pained "Oof!" as something slammed hard into the ground. I rose to my tiptoes, peering in through the glass window to see what all the commotion was about.

Sprawled across the box office floor were the usual employees, wiped out atop a Twister mat that had been crammed into the tiny floor space and covered up half the wall. Somehow the ticket boy's foot had landed in Yixing's mouth. He quickly spat it out and surprisingly gracefully crawled out from beneath the smaller boy's body.

I watched in silence as the two commenced straightening the mat out for another round. Throughout the process, neither of them glanced up at the window for even a second. I realized I wasn't going to get a ticket anytime soon at this rate, so I watched and waited until their bodies were entwined again. And then, with a sigh, I tapped on the call ball, sending both of them tumbling to the ground in surprise.

"Jiminy Cricket!" the ticket boy grumbled and clambered to his feet, all the while rubbing his lower back in pain.

"I'm sorry," I sighed apathetically. "Did I interrupt something?"

"Not really," Yixing cut in, grinning as he patted the ticket boy on the shoulder. "Joonmyun was losing, so really, he should be thanking you for saving him the embarrassment."

"Pleasure," I tutted and pulled the wallet out of my bag. "Can I have one ticket for whatever you're showing tonight?" I asked as I slipped a five-dollar bill through the wicket.

Joonmyun handed me a ticket and a lump of change. "Enjoy the show," I heard him mutter as I walked away. Curious as to what movie Theatre was showing tonight—in all the Twister commotion, I had completely neglected to check out the Now Playing sign—I started to glance down at the ticket. That was when I noticed a figure sauntering along right beside me.

"You're totally gonna dig the movie we're playing tonight," Yixing whistled as he trailed me like a second shadow.

I raised an eyebrow, side-eyeing him questioningly. "Oh, really?"

"Let's just say it should be right up your alley." He grinned, and I found it hard to tear my eyes off of the tiny crater in his right cheek. "You know, since Gremlins was too scary, and Airplane! was too funny, considering you cackled through the whole thing like a rabid hyena—"

I froze in place and stared at him in horror, to which he casually spun around on his heels to face me. "What do you mean I laughed like a hyena? How would you know?" I huffed indignantly, trying ridiculously hard not to let myself get flustered. But, really, my grody cackle of a laugh was, like, my biggest insecurity. I had to be super cautious about how I laughed in front of other people. How dare he just stand there and make fun of it!

"Well," he sighed, "you weren't exactly discreet. Joonmyun and I could hear you howling from the snack bar. We had a bet going that you would keel over and die at any minute—"

"Not even," I groaned and brushed past him, slamming my wallet down on the concession stand counter in exasperation. "Small Diet Coke, please." I rolled my eyes as I sarcastically stressed the last word.

Yixing gracefully hopped over the counter and whipped an empty cup off of the small stack, chuckling nauseatingly to himself as he did so. I readied myself to attempt some kind of snippy remark about his off-putting attitude as an employee of Theatre when I heard the entrance bell chime.

And saw, out of the corner of my eye, the unmistakable outline of Jessica walking into the lobby, hooked at the arm to her apparent boy toy of the week, some beefcake who looked way too old to be in high school.

I don't think it would have been humanly possible for anyone on the face of the planet, not even Carl Lewis, to jump over the snack bar faster than I did. In one daring, physics-defying move, I leapt onto the countertop and dove to the other side, practically crashing face first into a popcorn machine in my hurry to get out of sight. I didn't dare move. I curled up in a ball, motionless on the floor. It was littered with stale popcorn, but I hardly cared.

Because if Jessica saw me at this rundown dump of a movie theater without a hot date, it would be the end of our friendship as I knew it. I would never hear the end of this ever again.

"Hi," Jessica's shrill voice piped up from somewhere above, "so, like, I would like a Diet Coke and a small, fat-free popcorn—"

"I'm sorry," Yixing interrupted in a surprisingly practiced voice. He nudged me in the side with his shoe but said nothing to give me away. "We're actually closed for the night."

"Clooosed?" she whined, and I could hear her stamp her heels on the fusty carpet. "But we, like, just bought these tickets, like, five minutes ago."

"I'm sorry, ma'am, but we're having technical difficulties with our projector. We'd be more than happy to issue a refund if you'd kindly return to the ticket booth outside." He bowed slightly in apology.

Jessica groaned. "Like, whatever. Come on, Taec. This place . Let's book."

There was the sound of bodies shuffling away and the entrance bell dinging again. Not a moment later, Yixing announced, "It's safe to come out now."

"Thanks. Is she gone?" was all I could mutter as I slowly pulled my head above the counter, double checking that the coast was in fact clear. I swatted a few pieces of popcorn out of my dyed-red hair as Yixing promptly began rolling with laughter at my expense.

"I take it you know that bimbo?" he guffawed.

"That bimbo is my best friend," I tutted.

"So, then, why did you dive-bomb so violently over the snack bar when you saw her coming?"

"Because," I simultaneously sighed and groaned as I dusted my shoulders off, "if she caught me at this grody, decrepit theater, she would never forgive me." He cocked an eyebrow, but before he could even say another word, I cut him off. "Look, I realize you don't know what it's like to be cool and popular, but being Jessica's B-F-F is, like, only the most prestigious position a girl could hold at my school, so don't question me, okay?"

Yixing said nothing but plucked a piece of popcorn out of my hair and eyed it carefully. "You need more butter," he mumbled before tossing it at my nose. It bounced off and tumbled to the floor.

"Excuse me!" I huffed indignantly. "How dare you!"

"Look, Popcorn Head, I'd love to chat, but you're gonna miss your movie," was all he said before shooing me through the swinging door leading back to the lobby side of the bar.

"But my Diet Coke—"

"That stuff gives you cancer. Enjoy the show!"

✌

The Care Bears Adventure in Wonderland.

The Mothering Care Bears Adventure in Wonderland.

That Yixing—he had an agenda. I was sure of it the moment I saw those opening credits. I didn't get it at first—why he was herding me into the theater like cattle—but now it made perfect sense. He was playing with my mind, trying to get into my head. But if he thought he was going to get the better of me by tricking me into watching a children's movie, then he was sorely mistaken, because I was not about to get up and walk out of the theater. Not for anything. I was going to sit right there in that creaky theater chair and watch the whole damned thing if it was the last thing I did.

So, I did.

Well, I tried to.

I made it all the way up to the most heart-wrenching scene, when the princess of Wonderland parted with Alice and the Care Bears, and burst into sobs. As tears spilled down my face, I pulled off my sunglasses to wipe them away. Although my palm was soon covered with runny mascara, I didn't care. It was just so sad.

And that was all I could really remember of the movie. The next thing I knew, I was being shaken away by a repeated jabbing in the shoulder by something dull and hard. I slowly opened my eyes, groggily glancing up for the source of the poking, when I realized I was staring at the hazy silhouette of none other than Mr. Evil Agenda himself.

"Um, miss," he mumbled, and with the handle of a broom, he poked me again, just for good measure. "We're closing—"

Before he could say another word, I let out a bloodcurdling scream, jumped out of my seat, and bounded out of the theater faster than a hot tamale, leaving the sweeping theater boy gawking at me in awe.

He had just seen me without my sunglasses on—my only disguise—and I could never, ever return to Theatre again.

✌ Author's Note

*SCREAMS* I AM SO SORRY THIS TOOK SO LONG. I HAVEN'T ABANDONED YOU, I PROMISE, SO PLEASE DON'T ABANDON THIS FIC YET!

If you read my other fic, you probably already know that I've had "motivational" issues lately, but I'm quickly getting back into the swing of things! (would you believe me though if I said this chapter was half finished a month ago, but I had to suddenly drop it because of stupid @#$%ing personal issues UGH)

Unfortunately, I also have school at the moment, but I plan to pick this fic's pace up during the summer when I have nothing better to do with my time. I know the content is a little dull right now, but it hopefully shouldn't take more than a few more chapters to pick up. So, please hang in there just a little bit longer! ✌ Also, I have to say, I'm really glad that you guys seemed to like Mira so far. I was expecting total hatred. HAHA. You guys are BOMBDIGGITY.