Introduction to Observation in a Cinematic Setting
One thing that Annie Edison had not quite thought about, when it was decided she would be dropping out of Riverside High after her little incident – as her mom would say – at a certain party, was just how much free time she would have on her hands now. At first, she tried to keep up with her studies from the confines of her room, but the constant guilt put on her by her mother quickly became overbearing, and so, she moved her studies to the city library. Unfortunately, some of the city library's patrons were… distracting… to say the least… (She was convinced that certain images would be scarred into her brain forever!) And that was how she'd found herself wondering into the old movie theater near the mall, the one that showed old films for only a dollar.
Today, they were showing The Breakfast Club. She'd always liked that film, daydreaming that she was Claire and both Bender and Andrew were fighting for her affections. Maybe today she'd finally come to a final decision as to who was hotter between Judd Nelson and Emilio Estevez.
Walking into the darkened room with her small, overpriced popcorn and her bottle of water, she was actually surprise to see someone else already sitting in, what was arguably, the best seat in the room; seven rows from the screen and dead center. The ideal seat. The one she had wanted.
With a bit of a frown and a glare at the back of the head of the insolent who had dared take the best seat, she made her way to the eighth row from the screen and right in the middle. But, of course, that incredibly rude individual had the audacity to be tall as well. Annie picked up her water bottle with a grown, and was about to move to the ninth row back when she saw the popcorn spilled all over the floor, if she was to thread through it, her Mary Janes would reek of fake butter for weeks. Row ten it was then, and off to the right side too, so she wouldn't have to stare at the back of the head of her new sworn enemy for the entire film.
She was barely done sitting down when the lights started to dim as the trailers for upcoming films began to play. After a final glare at the only other person in the room, the brunette turned her attention to the screen, trying to focus on what was happening in front of her, rather than her seething, slightly irrational, anger. As Simple Minds began to play, she felt herself relax.
Her relaxation only lasted for a matter of instants though. As soon as Anthony Michael Hall began his voiceover, she caught a glimpse of movement out of the corner of her left eye. From this new angle, she could see the tall man's profile, all light up by the screen and was he… mouthing out the words?
He was!
And word for word too, it seemed!
How many times would it take for someone to learn that monologue? Maybe, she thought, he was a in a High School production of the film, and this was his way of rehearsing? Although, even from where she sat, the lanky young man seemed like he would be too old for High School. Plus, she would have likely seen him if he went to Riverside. So, community theater, maybe?
Maybe not, actually, since he seemed to know the lines for every single character, reciting them along with the actors on the screen. Worried she might get caught staring, Annie turned her attention back to the film, only stealing glances every once in a while. He was a little odd looking, kind of bird-like a way, although it might have been from the way his head tilted to one side as he watched. Or maybe it was due to his long nose… It wasn't a bad nose though, just long. His skin looked quite nice too, and incredibly smooth-looking which Annie couldn't help but envy as her hand brushed over some pimples on her chin. As she sat there, wondering if his hair was as soft at it looked, she wondered what would happen if she was to get up and move closer to him, maybe even next to him? And what would he do if she started to recite Claire's lines? Maybe this could be the start of something special. Some crazy romantic love story like in the many romance novels she kept hidden under her bed. Wouldn't it be an incredible story to tell her grandkids someday?
By this point, she'd all but given up on the film. He was much more interesting to her right now. She watched intently as he began to move for the first time since the beginning of the film, mimicking Bender's movements as he told the rest of the group about his home life. And as Judd Nelson shouted the famous "No Dad! What about you?!" Annie was almost certain she'd caught a hint of his voice. It sounded nice too.
As Bender climbed to the top of the stairs on the screen, the tall stranger smiled a little. He looked happy. No. Not just happy, it was more than that. He just looked content, almost serene. Those were words she knew, but not really feelings she had a lot of experience with. None at all, honestly. She'd always been so driven that it had led her to never stop and smell the roses as they say. Before dropping, she would never have allowed herself to go out and catch a film, like she was now. She would have stayed at home, in her room, cramming as much information into her brain as she could, or she'd been out and about, filling her schedule with as many extracurricular activities as possible, in hope to impress some school. And that path had led her here, a High School dropout with an untreated Adderall addiction. That simple thought was enough to bring tears to her eyes. She wanted to be like that boy, calm and serene, and instead, she was just a mess.
She peeled her eyes away from the lanky youth who she now envied for more than just his lovely skin, trying to stop herself from having a complete emotional breakdown. Maybe after the film she could ask him what his secret for serenity was?
Mere moments after that thought crossed her mind, light flooded the theater. She looked behind her to figure out what was happening, noting in passing that he didn't seem to even notice, until suddenly a booming voice resonated all around. A man was walking down the middle aisle, shouting in a language she didn't know, he glared at her when their eyes met and she turned her head around right away. The boy in front didn't look serene anymore, or content, or even happy. His face was blank and she felt a pang of sadness go through her. He stood up slowly, his head drooping down a little, as if resigned that he would be missing the rest of the movie. He kept looking back at screen as he walked, and Annie's eyes followed him until the large doors closed behind him.
She turned back toward screen but the film couldn't hold her interest anymore. Maybe if she hurried she could catch up with them and she could ask him what it was about Breakfast Club that made him look so content. Quickly, she picked up her backpack, forgetting her popcorn and water bottle behind, as she ran up the aisle toward the back of the theater.
It took a second for her eyes to adjust to the bright lights of the lobby, but when she did, she spotted them disappearing through one of the doors. Picking up the pace to try and catch up, she nearly ran into a mother and her toddler. After a quick apology, she was outside and the two of them were stepping on a city bus at the end of the block. Even through she sprinted as best as she could, it was too late. With a trail of smoke, the bus left without her. Of course, her one chance at peace and happiness had slipped through her fingers. Just like everything else in her short life. Trying to catch her breath and to keep the tears that were now filling her eyes from spilling over, Annie stared at the back of the bus; the advertisement plastered on it was for a drug recovery facility.
…maybe she'd never know the tall man's secret to serenity, but maybe rehab to help her find her own.