Hell. That's what it was, pure hell. And Katie was the fucking devil, Murphy was sure of it.
Connor had let her pick the movie, Murphy just knew it. It was actually Connor's turn to pick and there's no fucking way he'd pick this worthless movie, this chick flick, this pile of bile. Connor was just trying to appease her so she wouldn't ruin Friday night completely, like she usually did. But at least Connor sat in the middle, that way Murphy didn't have to even look at her stupid face for the next two hours.
Two hours of fucking hell. And the movie hadn't even started yet.
Popcorn...Murphy would need popcorn to get through this movie.
"Connor..." he whispered quietly.
But all he saw was the back of his twin's head, Connor was busy listening to Satan talk about whatever bullshit she usually talked about, probably something stupid and meaningless, probably gossip of some sort.
"Connor..." he tried again, a little louder this time. Katie glanced at him over Connor's shoulder, a smirk on her face as she became even more animated, her screechy voice a little screechier. She just had to take all of Connor's attention, every last bit. There was hardly anything left for Murphy. And the few times Connor paid him any attention at all, that's when Katie started her theatrics. Like now.
"Conn!" Still, Connor didn't look.
"Apparently, your brother has something urgent to tell you, Connor." Then she smiled that smile that Murphy hated with all his heart, her icy smile laced with arsenic.
Connor turned angry eyes on Murphy, "What the fuck do ya want now, Murph?"
"I'm...I'm going for popcorn. Do you want any?"
"You interrupted us to ask if I wanted any fucking popcorn? What the fuck's wrong with you?"
"Nothin'. I just thought maybe you might want some."
"Well I don't. Now go away." Then Connor turned back to the devil, forgetting all about his twin once again. Murphy sat for a moment longer before sighing & slowly getting up, Katie watching his every move as he slowly walked away.
The lobby was crowded, too many people to suit Murphy, but he would have liked to have had one more there, as long as it was Connor. He stood in line for popcorn, glancing around & seeing some girls from school who were giggling & smiling at him. He grinned & waved, hoping they wouldn't come over but of course, his luck was for shit and one broke away, heading his way.
"Hi, Murphy," a sickly sweet voice cooed.
"Hi." He would have used her name but he had no fucking idea what it was. And he really didn't care, either. He only recognized her from history class, she sat one row over & back a couple seats.
"What are ya doing here?" she again cooed, her voice full of honey.
"Seeing a movie."
He practically jumped at her loud giggle & she reached out & touched his arm, "You're so funny." She kept her hand on his arm, stroking it with her nails and he resisted the urge to pull it away. He was surprised it actually felt kind of nice, kind of tickled even.
"Thanks." He wished she'd leave, he really didn't want to waste his time talking to this girl, even if she was giving him goosebumps.
"What movie are ya seeing?"
He pointed to the marquee above the entry way he had come from & the girl giggled. "Really? Doesn't seem like your kind of movie."
"S'not. Wasn't my choice."
"Oh. You're not alone, then?"
He shook his head, "Nah...I'm with Conn." He swallowed hard & added, "And Katie." He practically choked on her name.
She nodded, a grin now on her face and she leaned a little closer to him. "Oh. Third wheel, huh?"
Murphy shrugged. "I guess."
"Sir? Sir...you're next."
"I guess I'm next," he mumbled & moved to the counter, ordering a small popcorn with extra butter. He knew she was still behind him, he could feel her eyes on him. He glanced over his shoulder at her, "Did you want anything?"
"No, but thank you. You're so sweet, Murphy."
He nodded & turned back to the counter, reaching into his pocket & pulling out his money, paying for his popcorn. He moved to the side & sprinkled salt over the top & when he turned back around, she had rejoined her friends, still giggling & smiling at him.
He guessed he'd just go back & join Connor in hell but as he began to walk past her, she reached out & touched his arm gently, stopping him.
"You still have about 10 minutes before the movie starts."
He shrugged, she was right about that.
"You could stay & talk a bit longer. If you wanted."
He really didn't want to try to make small talk, especially with a group of giggly girls, but the alternative wasn't much better. At least out here, he didn't feel so alone. At least out here, he wasn't being ignored. At least out here, he wouldn't have to watch Connor be with someone else while he slowly died inside.
"I guess that'd be okay," he mumbled in response.
"Oh, oh good. Um...these are my friends, Mags & Bryn."
He nodded at them, they were all actually quite pretty, for girls, anyway. "I'm Murphy."
Mags giggled, "Yeah, we know who you are."
"Huh? What do ya mean? How do you know me?"
"Oh...we don't. Charlotte's mentioned your name a few times to us, that's all." Charlotte, the girl he'd been talking to, that was her name. And she'd talked about him? Why?
He looked at Charlotte who had turned a bright red. "I wasn't talking about you, not like you think," she began to stammer. "I just, we were, we were talking about twins and I mentioned you & your brother. How you were twins. That's all."
Bryn mumbled, "Yeah. Twins. That's all."
Murphy nodded as Charlotte shot her friends a look. "I really wasn't talking about you, Murphy."
He grinned, "S'okay, I don't mind. As long as you didn't say anything bad, especially about Connor."
She shook her head, "I would never say anything bad about you. Or your brother. Not ever."
"Then it's okay. I'm not mad."
"Good," she sighed loudly & gathered her courage, quickly glancing at her friends before turning her attention back to the boy in front of her. "You know, you could come with me."
"And where exactly do ya want to take me?"
Charlotte's eyes lit up & she smiled broadly as her friends gawked. "Ummm...I...ah..."
Murphy noticed how nervous she was, how she was at a loss for words, how red she was. He liked being the object of someone's desire, even if it was just Charlotte, and he was enjoying the effect he had on her. He wondered if he looked like she did when Connor was around.
Connor...shit. He wondered if Connor missed him at all right now. Or if he even noticed he hadn't yet returned.
"Murphy? Did you hear me?"
"Yeah." He lied.
"Well?"
"Umm..." He had no idea what she had said to him, how he should respond. Her friends were staring at him all wide-eyed, waiting for a response of some kind. "I guess so."
"Oh...good. Umm...well the movie starts in a few minutes so if you want to tell Connor where you'll be, we'll go get seats & you can meet us inside." She motioned to a marquee across the lobby. "It's that one, in there. Just look for me, okay?"
He glanced at the marquee, smiling. The action movie he was dying to see, no fucking way. He nodded at Charlotte & she watched him as he hurried in to talk to his brother, her eyes on his tight little ass.
Mags & Bryn giggled as they quickly led Charlotte away, telling her she'd owe them for making them see this movie just so she could be with this guy. "He'd better be worth it."
Charlotte had spent the better part of the past few weeks watching Murphy in history class, staring at the back of his head, studying his every move, she knew how he fidgeted, she knew how he doodled, she knew his nervous habits. Oh yeah, she thought he was definitely worth it. What she hadn't noticed during all those hours of watching him however, was that Murphy was staring just as intently. But at someone else.
"Connor. Hey, Connor." Murphy leaned forward & tapped Connor on the shoulder, pulling his brother from the mouth of the devil. Connor sighed & ran his hand through his hair, turning to look at his twin. Katie glared at Murphy as Connor mumbled, "You have shit timing, Murphy."
"Sorry. I just wanted to let you know that I'll meet you in the lobby after the movie, okay?"
Connor looked confused, his brow furrowed as he turned further in his seat to get a better look at his brother. "What are you talking about? And where the fuck have you been?"
Murphy held the popcorn out. "Getting popcorn. I told you."
"How long does it take to get fucking popcorn?"
"There was a line."
Katie mumbled, "Must have been a hell of a line."
Murphy ignored her, mumbling back, "S'not like anyone even noticed, what with all the face sucking going on."
"Hey...I noticed, Murph. Me...I noticed," Connor stated adamantly, poking himself in the chest.
Murphy just stood there, chewing his lip, his eyes looking like a puppy, wide & full of hurt. He knew Connor hadn't noticed he didn't return, he wasn't stupid, he knew.
Connor watched him, evaluated him with those eyes of his, those all seeing, see right through Murphy's bullshit, eyes. Murphy shifted under his scrutiny.
"I have to go. I'll meet you in the lobby afterward. Okay?" And Murphy waited for Connor to say it was all right. If Connor said no, he'd stay, they both knew he would, there was no doubt about that.
Connor felt himself soften, he hated the way Murphy was looking at him, with a mixture of something Connor hadn't quite figured out yet, something that was bubbling just below Murph's skin. "Murph. Stay, okay? I want you to stay, we want you to stay. Right, Katie?"
"Oh, absolutely. Stay, Murphy." Connor didn't seem to notice the tone in her voice, but Murphy did. And he chose to ignore it, like always.
"But….she's saving me a seat."
Connor lit up, "She? Who's she?"
Murphy shrugged, "No one. Just...let's just meet up later, okay? I really have to go."
Connor smirked, winking as he said, "Well don't keep the girl waiting, Murph. You go get her and I'll see you in the lobby after the movie."
Murphy knew Connor misunderstood, it was so obvious & written all over his face. Murphy wasn't excited to be with Charlotte, he just really wanted to see the other movie. The bonus was, he wouldn't have to watch Connor make out with the witch for the next two hours, he'd watch shit blow up instead.
Murphy hesitated, he didn't want to leave Connor, not really. But Connor motioned with his hand, "Go! What are you doing? She's waiting for you!"
With a quick nod, Murphy left his brother behind & went to find Charlotte. He entered the darkened room of the theater, thinking this might work out better than he thought, he'd never find her in the dark & then he could just enjoy the movie without having to sit with anyone. But as he walked a little further inside, his eyes adjusted & he saw her waiting for him just past the doorway, shifting nervously on her feet. She lit up with a smile the size of all outdoors when she spotted him.
"Oh, hey...Sorry it took me so long," he mumbled, trying to be polite, after all, she seemed like a nice enough person. And she had saved him from two hours of hell, that had to count for something. "I figured you'd be sitting with your friends."
"I was...but I was afraid you wouldn't be able to find me. So anyway, come on." She took ahold of his hand & led him down the aisle, practically dragging him to where her friends were sitting. He smiled at them & they giggled back as he took his seat on the end with Charlotte on his right.
He was pleasantly surprised Charlotte didn't try to chit-chat at all during the movie, all she did was grab him a few times when something blew up, which he found to be kind of funny. He offered her popcorn a few times, which she politely refused with a whisper of 'no thank you' in his ear. So he ate his popcorn, watched a whole bunch of shit explode & let Charlotte grab his arm. Overall, not a terrible experience, all things considered.
When the movie ended, they filed out behind Charlotte's friends who suddenly disappeared into the crowd. Murphy saw Connor waiting for him in the lobby, pacing, and he turned toward Charlotte to say a polite goodbye. "Well...thanks for asking me to watch the movie with you & your friends. I had fun."
She had a strange little smile on her face & she kept her eyes locked on his. "Me too. I'm glad you sat with me. I hope I didn't bruise your arm."
Murphy grinned, flexing his bicep in the air with a flourish. "Nah, I'm tougher than I look."
Charlotte giggled & her hand went to his arm, squeezing his muscle. "I can tell."
He suddenly dropped his arm & motioned over his shoulder, "There's my brother over there, I better get going."
Charlotte nodded, "I'd love to meet him."
Murphy glanced at Connor & then back at Charlotte, his hand running through his hair. "Ummm...maybe some other time, okay?"
"Okay, maybe next time."
He nodded & mumbled another 'thanks' and slowly walked away while she watched him.
"Geez, Murph, I was wondering where you were," Connor mumbled when Murphy finally joined him. Connor caught sight of Charlotte watching his twin & he smirked, motioning at the same time. "Is that the girl you were with? The one staring at you?"
Murphy nodded, staring at Connor as he checked out Charlotte. "She's cute, Murph. 'Course no one will ever be good enough for you. No one but me, that is."
Murphy's eyes lit up, what was Connor saying? There's only one person Murphy wanted, only one. But he couldn't have him, not in the way he wanted, not being brothers and all. But still...what Connor just said...Murphy felt a spark of hope deep in his heart, a surge of electricity that went through to his soul. Did he mean it the way it sounded? Is it possible?
Then Connor looked at him, square in the eyes and smiled one of his special smiles meant only for Murphy & the world faded away into a labyrinth of colors, time seemed to slow down. Before Murphy could even breathe and ask what he had meant, Connor wrapped his arm around his shoulders & pulled him out the door where Katie was waiting.
