Jack
My feet are killing me.I haven’t worked behind a counter like this since I was in my twenties and I hated it then, but now I’ll chalk it up to being older and crankier. I helped my sister and nephew out today and I wasn’t about to be a dick and complain.
I sent a text to Everly a few minutes ago to see if she was still downtown to meet for a bite to eat or a drink. I’m not about to admit it to anyone, but one kiss from that woman, and I’m way too eager to be alone with her again. She’s the kind of person that pulls you into her world and the warmth of it makes you never want to leave.But I am leaving, so don’t get too addicted.
“Uncle Jack, you want to catch one of the movies playing at the film festival? Tonight is horror night and I could go for a slasher and popcorn for dinner. What do ya say?”
How do I say anything other than hell yes to this kid?
“Definitely. Where’d your mother disappear to? Think she’ll want to come too?”
“I...I’m not sure. She’s not in the back?” Benny looks thrown off by my question.
After he locks the front door behind the last of the customers, I turn up the music. A little Bishop Briggs to close the place down.
“I haven’t seen her since she was talking with Giselle and Everly earlier. I figured she would have told you if she was going to take off.”
“Yeah, you’re right. Sorry, I was trying to multitask. She said she had to take care of a few things and must have just headed up to the apartment when she was done.”
As he’s telling me this, I notice how uncomfortable he looks. Never meeting my eye as if he’s lying to me. I’m not going to press it, but my sister better not have ditched us, so we’d have to handle clean-up and closing.Asshole move.
Kathryn did a great job marketing this place, especially around the tourists that are here for the festival. I wanted to tell her that. I’m proud of her. It’s not such a simple thing to start over again, and she’s had to do it many times for various reasons. But this time, it was her choice. Maybe that’ll make it stick and keep her smiling.
“So why is this movie a big deal? I thought you would have never heard of these movies; aren’t they just being featured here for the first time?” My movie festival knowledge is limited.
“Yes, but there’re these subgenres of horror that are instantly hyped and usually gain a cult following really quickly. It hasn’t happened to many mainstream films and a good chunk of the time they’re foreign filmmakers. It’s kind of crappy to say, but if you combine subtitles and slashers, you’ve knocked out like three-quarters of mainstream interest.”
“But not you?”
“Not me. It’s your fault too.”
I laugh at that. “Why would it be my fault?”
“Gremlins. Plain and simple. I should have never watched it when I was eleven. Mom used to curse you out every night for that whole year. I wouldn’t drink water or eat chicken of any kind, and I think I had to sleep in her room.”
“You’re going to need to find some seats up front. This is the last viewing, and I believe you’ve gotten the last tickets,” the very quiet, stoic theater owner says as he rips our passes.
“You weren’t kidding, kid. Look at this place.”
It’s an incredible vibe. The crowd is fairly young, with a few older patrons peppered here and there who look just as eager to be here as the rest. I’ve been to a select few film festivals, but the mood in the room feels more passionate and excited instead of it being about who’s in the audience or just being present to be seen.
Looking around, I recognize some staff from Riggs toward the back. I’m not going to pretend I didn’t look for my brunette after recognizing a few faces. I don’t know why I thought she’d be at something like this. I can’t remember a time when I’d hoped a particular woman was in a place that I was. It’s not something I’m willing to unpack right now, but it makes me eager to see her again.
We fit our way into the aisle and talk about the movie. When Benny is passionate about something, you know it, and he has this gift of piquing my interest when he talks about it too.
“There isn’t going to be a better way to see this. I think the director is here somewhere and they always do some kind of thank you or even a Q and A after the show during these types of festivals. It’s a big deal to see this before it hits anywhere else. I’m glad you wanted to come.”
I nudge his arm and smile at him. “This better be as good as you’re hyping it, by the way.”
I smile at the two guys to the right who just took their seats.
“Oh! Can we swap spots? I know those guys from the shop,” Benny whispers loudly around a mouthful of popcorn.
I nod and we switch places just as the lights go down and the credits begin. It’s not more than ten minutes into the movie, and I look around at the handful of rows in front of me. The shadowed outline of long hair is pulled back into a knot and the most beautiful profile sits just two rows across the aisle, watching the opening scenes. Everly’s head tilts back to look at the large screen as she blindly grabs small handfuls of popcorn out of the tub and eats away.
I take in all of her. The angle of her head emphasizes her mouth, and her neck is highlighted by the lights in front of her as it dips down to her exposed shoulder. She must be wearing something similar to what she had on during our photoshoot. Just the idea of it pulls all attention to my lap. I shift and adjust, as my cock seems to remember the encounter extremely well. Watching this woman, observing her when she doesn’t know I’m looking, has become my own brand of foreplay. I feel my phone buzz in my pocket and pull it out, keeping it low, trying not to distract anyone around me with a bright screen.
Everly:Looks like you found me. Stalker.