“Friday Fright Night, I was right,” Claire said gleefully, reading the brightly lit sign on the overhang of the theater as she and Nick walked across the parking lot. “And look, they’re showing King Kong!” she laughed.
“Wow... haven’t seen that since I was a kid.”
“Yeah, it’s been awhile,” said Claire. “Well, there’s an 8:00 showing, and it’s like five till, so we better hurry.” She started to increase her pace and then stopped, apparently realizing who she was talking to and what had happened in the last parking lot they’d walked through. “On second thought,” she said with a sheepish grin, “let’s take our time.”
Nick snickered to hide his embarrassment while she matched her stride with his and walked alongside him to the door of the theater. Once again, she held it for him, but this time, he paid, buying two tickets for the 8:00 showing at the old-fashioned ticket booth.
The theater itself was almost completely empty, with the exception of an older man sitting all alone in the front row. He did not even turn around when Nick and Claire entered, and they quickly chose a couple of seats in the back, glad for the solitude.
“This place is cool,” Nick said, running his finger over the faded crimson velvet of his seat, drawing little designs in the material.
“I know. Some of my girlfriends and I came to see Gone With the Wind here once; it was so cool.”
“Chick flick,” muttered Nick, wrinkling his nose.
“No. Classic,” Claire corrected firmly.
Nick smirked. “Whatever.”
The lights in the theater began to dim, and the giant white screen went black and started to crackle as the film rolled. Nick was suddenly taken back to his youth, to late nights spent lying on the floor in front of the TV with his sister, watching black-and-white horror movie marathons into the wee hours of the morning.
As the movie progressed, he snickered, yet at the same time marveled at the primitive special effects, remembering how much more lifelike they had seemed to him as a little kid and understanding how impressive they must have been to the moviegoers of the nineteen thirties, people who had once sat in this very same theater when it was brand new. It was really quite a powerful experience, and he was glad Claire had suggested it.
Halfway through the movie, he stole a glance at her. Her eyes fixed on the screen, her lips slightly parted, she did not even notice. Her hand loosely gripped the armrest, and, smiling, he reached out and laid his hand ever so lightly on top of hers. At his touch, she flinched, turning to look at him in surprise. Flashing her an embarrassed smile, he quickly pulled his hand back and rested it on his lap, tugging nervously at his pants as he tried to focus on the movie again. But his attention was torn away again when he felt her hand snake over and grab his, blindly maneuvering it so that their fingers entwined. He looked over at her again, but her eyes were back on the movie, and she did not return the gaze. Studying her silhouette in the darkness, he noticed how her lips turned up to form just a slight smile. Smiling himself, he settled back in his seat to watch the rest of the movie, his thumb running absently over her soft skin as the mighty Kong roared through the jungle onscreen.
Near the end of the film, as the massive gorilla took his famous last stand atop the Empire State Building, clutching his beloved, Nick felt Claire’s hand tighten around his. Smiling to himself, he squeezed back, and as the movie ended, glanced over at her again. He was startled to see tears glistening on her cheeks, illuminated by the light of the flickering screen.
“Are you crying?” he whispered through the darkness.
Sniffling, she turned to face him, a sheepish smile on her face. “It’s sad,” she said simply.
“Why, cause he died?”
“Yeah... and because he loved her. He wasn’t trying to hurt her... he was in love with her,” she whimpered, smiling tearfully.
Nick choked back a laugh. “He’s a gorilla!” he whispered loudly. “It’s a movie!” Dissolving into hushed snickers, he marveled at how strange the opposite sex could be. How she could turn King Kong into some kind of tragic love story was beyond him.
“You’re laughing at me,” she said, playfully pushing his shoulder. “Quit it.”
“So stop being such a girl, sheesh!”
“I am a girl,” she said with a smirk. “Or maybe you didn’t realize.”
Nick’s attention turned from the man in front row, who was now walking out of the theater, back to Claire. The credits of the movie were still showing, and the screen provided just enough light in the dark, empty theater for him to see her face. She was smiling, her eyes still sparkling with moisture, and all of a sudden, he felt his heart begin to pound with yearning.
Taking his hand out of hers, he gently reached out and touched her cheek, lightly brushing her tears away. Her hand rose to take hold of his, and slowly, she guided it down her face, to her lips. She pressed her lips to his fingers, kissing them tenderly and then slowly lowered them. But his heart was racing now, and his tingling fingers longed to touch her again. They went to her shoulder and crept around, his arm encircling her, gradually pulling her closer to him as he leaned forward, his head tipping to the side, his lips drifting toward hers as if there was a magnetic field between them, steadily drawing them nearer.
“I am a girl. Or maybe you didn’t realize.”
Oh, I’ve realized, Nick thought as their lips connected. You’re definitely a girl. And then... Shit, he cursed mentally as the kiss intensified, I hope I don’t have pizza breath. But if he did, she didn’t seem to mind, her hands drifting up and around his neck as she kissed back. Entranced by what he had not experienced in a long time, he opened his mouth slightly and captured her bottom lip between his. He lightly ran his tongue across it, until her tongue found his and lured it into the sweet trove of her mouth.
What am I doing? a voice in the back of his mind questioned. This is Claire! We’re just... just friends...
But he was only kidding himself. Hugging her closer, he continued to kiss her in a way that made it apparent they were not “just friends.” And he didn’t want to pull back, didn’t want to let go. His mind was telling him he was going too far, but it felt so right. It was not a lustful, passionate kiss, like the many he had shared with Leah. No, this kiss was different, unlike any other he had experienced. Just like Claire was unlike any girl he had been with.
Finally, they pulled apart, both breathless, staring at each other with wide eyes. The movie screen was blank now, and the lights were slowly coming up. Nick exhaled a shuddering breath.
“I... I guess we should go now.”
“Yeah,” Claire murmured, slowly standing up. The seat of her chair swung up, and she reached out her hands to Nick, helping him out of his seat. Silently, they left the theater and went out to his car.
The ride home was awkward, devoid of the free-flowing banter that had filled the car earlier, on the way to the restaurant. Staring out the passenger side window while Claire drove, Nick watched the lights of the city and let his mind wander. By the time they got back to his house, his brain felt like gelatin, and he was more than ready to call it a night. He was drained, physically and emotionally, and knew he had some thinking to do.
“I had a great time tonight,” Claire said softly, as they stood outside his front door, bathed in the soft glow radiating from his porch lights.
“Me too.” Leaning heavily on his crutches, Nick shifted his weight awkwardly, not sure what else to say or do.
“Well, um... I should get going. I’ll see you later.”
“Yeah... see ya.”
Claire hesitated a moment, then leaned in, rose to her tip toes, and kissed his cheek. “Good night,” she whispered, smiling coyly.
“Night,” he echoed faintly, as she turned and walked down the steps. She gave him a little wave and then went to her car. As she drove away, flashing her lights once as a final goodbye, he went inside, unable to conceal the smile on his face.
“Heya, Nicky,” AJ called loudly when Nick entered the living room. “How was your night? Didja have fun with Claire?”
Avoiding his eyes, Nick shrugged. “Oh,” he said casually, faking a yawn to hide his smirk, “I guess you could say that.”
***
