Paper fan
Achi mite hoi! (Look over there!)
Chapter 3
The only horror movie that was playing was something called 'Howlers IV.' I don't know anything about this movie except that it's horror. Something about howling alien zombie somethings. This would work. Chiaki had a nack for impressing girls and so I would follow his advice.
"Maron." I tried to catch her before she left the school. Good, I got her attention this time. "Maron, would you, I mean. I'd like to, um."
"What is it?" blue eyes blinked at me. I felt my back touch the wall of the entrance gate. I was backing up? Coward! I cursed myself. Just ask her.
"Would you..." my face was hot my heart was racing. What if she said no? What if she hates horror movies? What if she says yes?! What if she just hates this horror movie? "Would you come with me to...to..."
"I'm sorry, Iincho-kun." she smiled and waved her hand. "I have to be some where. I'll see you tomorrow okay." she ran off before I could object.
"But I...have tickets...to a movie." I mumbled to myself. "I was wondering if you wanted to go with me." As long as I said it out loud, I didn't feel so discouraged.
She was too busy for me. I'm really not a part of her life at all am I? Maybe a small part. Yeah right, adorible classmate. What am I doing? I canceled all my obligations, ruined my schedule and it was all for nothing.
I won't do this again. It was unrealistic and irrisponsible to be so selfishly distracted. After all, Maron had her own obligations, her own life. I think if my grandpa saw me right now, he'd be disappointed. I wanted to throw away the tickets and forget this day even happened.
"Hey! 'Howlers IV!'" Chiaki surprised me. He must have seen the tickets in my hand. "Man, I've seen all of those and that's the newest one out isn't it! Maron will be screaming over that one. Where is she anyway?" he looked around, "You waiting for her?"
"No." I confessed. "She had something else to do."
"But you did ask her right?" Gold eyes confronted.
"Well, I tried but..." Anything I said right now sounded like another excuse. I think Chiaki noticed the hesitation and nervousness in my voice.
"Oh, You didn't even..." he shook his head. I didn't want to look at him. I let him down. I took his advice and didn't even follow through. I'm such a failure. The blue haired teen sighed.
"You bought the tickets though right?" Chiaki didn't sound disappointed. I blinked.
"Yeah." I wondered where this question was heading. Was he trying to renew his faith in me?
"No sense in wasting them." Chiaki grabbed my wrist. "Lets go."
"Huh?" he pulled me at first, then we walked side by side together. "Are you sure this is okay?"
"What do you mean?" Chiaki half looked at me.
"Well," I cluched my bag closer to my chest. "I bought the tickets to go on a date and now..."
"You mean like we're on a date?"
"Yeah," Wait. What did he say? "I mean, no! I mean..." If I could cram anymore of my foot in my mouth, I'd choke. What was I talking about in the first place? What a weird question. How is he expected to react?
"What's the matter, I'm not good enough for you?" He winked at me. He winked at me?
"Uh," Oh, I get it. This had to be a joke, maybe it would be fun to play along for a change. "I don't know." I'll just say the first thing that comes to mind. "You say you're an experienced dater. I bet you'd take anyone out to a movie."
"This is your treat remember." he teased. Okay. How to reply? This is fun!
"So You're not even going to by me snacks?" Yeah, good one Iincho. "I'm already being taken advantage of."
"No. I'll wait for a dark theater for that." That was probably meant as a joke but it just came out wrong, becuase I didn't know how to respond and he wasn't saying anything else. My face felt really hot and I glanced at him once, but he was looking away so I couldn't read his expression. This felt awkward. Maybe this wasn't such a good idea.
"I'll get you snacks." Chiaki finally broke the silence, as we stood in line for the movie.
"You..." He didn't seem uncomfortable. I think I was over reacting. I give up too easily on too many things.
"I'll get you snacks." he smiled. My face was still hot. Was he trying to apologize for any misunderstandings?
"Okay." I didn't know what else to say. I looked down at my bag and fiddled with the handle. There had to be something more intelegent to do than this, but I couldn't think of anything. And for some reason my face didn't cool down until we got to the snack bar.
We got a large tub of popcorn. Chiaki liked the extra buttery kind so I chose that. We got two sodas and some pocki, my favorite. The theater was packed. We had to wade through a sea of bodies to find the only two seats next to each other in the far back. I couldn't see everything on the screen but that was okay. I didn't much like horror movies in the first place.
"I had no idea this movie was so popular." I said looking at all the people.
"Shh!" someone two rows in front of us hissed.
"I'm sorry." I whispered. The theater was dark when the previews started.
"This movie is the continuation of a cult classic." Chiaki told me over the explosive action sceens of the previews.
"Occult?" Is he talking about the black candle, pentagram, dark robed kind of cults?
"No, cult. It's a new term they use for science fiction or horror movies that aren't necessarily well known but still have a large following of fans." he explained.
"Oh." I still didn't really get it, but it sounded like that space show fan club 'sun hike' or 'moon walk' or something.
"The first Howlers was filmed in somebody's basement and didn't make it to theaters." Chiaki told me over the scream in the preview of different horror movie. The loud shout was making me nervous, wondering what this movie might try to scare my with.
"Really?" That was strange. I'd never heard of an unpopular movie like that getting popular and having sequals. "That's interesting." Maybe this movie would be good after all. I always prefered a story with a good plot line. It must have developed far in advance of the first. "I hope I don't get lost." I said when the movie started.
"SHHH!" that same guy two rows down hushed me.
"I'm sorry." The screen was black at the time, it's not like I was interupting something. I sat further in my seat and munched on popcorn. It was more salty than I expected. I drank my soda pretty fast. A loud hollow slurping sound errupted from my straw while the movie girl was going up the stairs to investigate a strange noise.
"Be quiet." The irritating guy told me furiously.
"Okay. Jeez." It's not like I meant to. I frowned. The movie was starting to build suspense. The girl opened the door to her parent's bed room.
"Ah!" I exclaimed along with just about every other girl in the theater. A cat jumped out of the closet. Oh, man! Chiaki laughed at me a little. I frowned and sank further in my seat. This was definately a bad idea. Humph.
I looked back to the screen. The girl left and another scene started. Government agents covering up something about A4-6 protiens in the alien zombie's blood turning people into zombies. The more they explained the more confused I got. I wondered if the previous movies had mentioned anything like that.
"What's happening?" I tried whispering to Chiaki as quietly as I could, without being too quiet. I wanted him to hear my question after all.
"Sh!" the guy two rows in front again. If I had to apologize one more time...acctually, I'd rather leave.
"Hey take it easy pal." Chiaki told him off. I was about to apologize but... "He's just tryin' to enjoy the movie like anybody else, okay?" The guy shook his head and left me alone.
"Thank you." I said, probably more quiet than he could hear. This was the kind of power Chiaki had over people. A kind of strength that usually didn't require fighting or violence. I admired him for that. I hoped secretly to be like that.
"What is it?" Chiaki leaned close to my ear and whispered the question. His warm breath touched the back of my neck and my stupid face got hot again. What the heck is wrong with me?
My heart began to pound and I forgot my question. I just needed him away from my ear. He waited for a response, that gentle warmth brushing past my ear as his chest rose and fell. I had to tell him something.
His ear was right there. He was probably whispering to be respectful to the rest of the audience. I should follow his example. I turned my chin a little, his cheek was paralell with mine. I could smell his cologne, light but sharp at the same time. It was a subtle invasion of my senses.
"Nandemonai." I whispered by his ear. I wondered if he could possibly be effected like I was. He sat back in his seat to watch the movie. I looked at him for a moment more that I should have. My cheeks were burning. I needed something to drink but my soda was all out.
I swallowed hard, not sure if I should get up to get another drink or wait till after the movie. I swallowed again, not meaning to really. I felt embarrassed and out of place. Like I shouldn't be here, sitting next to Chiaki thinking such strange things about his scent and proximity.
I crunched on some pocky not really expecting my thirst to get any better. I just wanted to do something, besides sit there. I decided to force myself to get a drink by making my mouth so dry I'd have no choice. Yeah. I reached for popcorn and touched Chiaki's hand. I jerked back and let him take a handfull.
"You okay?" Chiaki whispered.
"I..." This was wonderful, I'm freaking out and let it effect me. "I'm just a little thirsty." I told him quietly.
"I'm out too." he shook the ice in his cup. "I'll be right back."
"Ah, but I..." I was going to do that. He weaved through the legs and feet of viewers. I felt a little relieved to get some space. I was thinking of strange things. This way I could take a breath and shake off those silly distractions. I mean, to be feeling my heart pound and my nerves shake for anyone but Maron was... was...
Achi mite hoi! (Look over there!)
Chapter 3
The only horror movie that was playing was something called 'Howlers IV.' I don't know anything about this movie except that it's horror. Something about howling alien zombie somethings. This would work. Chiaki had a nack for impressing girls and so I would follow his advice.
"Maron." I tried to catch her before she left the school. Good, I got her attention this time. "Maron, would you, I mean. I'd like to, um."
"What is it?" blue eyes blinked at me. I felt my back touch the wall of the entrance gate. I was backing up? Coward! I cursed myself. Just ask her.
"Would you..." my face was hot my heart was racing. What if she said no? What if she hates horror movies? What if she says yes?! What if she just hates this horror movie? "Would you come with me to...to..."
"I'm sorry, Iincho-kun." she smiled and waved her hand. "I have to be some where. I'll see you tomorrow okay." she ran off before I could object.
"But I...have tickets...to a movie." I mumbled to myself. "I was wondering if you wanted to go with me." As long as I said it out loud, I didn't feel so discouraged.
She was too busy for me. I'm really not a part of her life at all am I? Maybe a small part. Yeah right, adorible classmate. What am I doing? I canceled all my obligations, ruined my schedule and it was all for nothing.
I won't do this again. It was unrealistic and irrisponsible to be so selfishly distracted. After all, Maron had her own obligations, her own life. I think if my grandpa saw me right now, he'd be disappointed. I wanted to throw away the tickets and forget this day even happened.
"Hey! 'Howlers IV!'" Chiaki surprised me. He must have seen the tickets in my hand. "Man, I've seen all of those and that's the newest one out isn't it! Maron will be screaming over that one. Where is she anyway?" he looked around, "You waiting for her?"
"No." I confessed. "She had something else to do."
"But you did ask her right?" Gold eyes confronted.
"Well, I tried but..." Anything I said right now sounded like another excuse. I think Chiaki noticed the hesitation and nervousness in my voice.
"Oh, You didn't even..." he shook his head. I didn't want to look at him. I let him down. I took his advice and didn't even follow through. I'm such a failure. The blue haired teen sighed.
"You bought the tickets though right?" Chiaki didn't sound disappointed. I blinked.
"Yeah." I wondered where this question was heading. Was he trying to renew his faith in me?
"No sense in wasting them." Chiaki grabbed my wrist. "Lets go."
"Huh?" he pulled me at first, then we walked side by side together. "Are you sure this is okay?"
"What do you mean?" Chiaki half looked at me.
"Well," I cluched my bag closer to my chest. "I bought the tickets to go on a date and now..."
"You mean like we're on a date?"
"Yeah," Wait. What did he say? "I mean, no! I mean..." If I could cram anymore of my foot in my mouth, I'd choke. What was I talking about in the first place? What a weird question. How is he expected to react?
"What's the matter, I'm not good enough for you?" He winked at me. He winked at me?
"Uh," Oh, I get it. This had to be a joke, maybe it would be fun to play along for a change. "I don't know." I'll just say the first thing that comes to mind. "You say you're an experienced dater. I bet you'd take anyone out to a movie."
"This is your treat remember." he teased. Okay. How to reply? This is fun!
"So You're not even going to by me snacks?" Yeah, good one Iincho. "I'm already being taken advantage of."
"No. I'll wait for a dark theater for that." That was probably meant as a joke but it just came out wrong, becuase I didn't know how to respond and he wasn't saying anything else. My face felt really hot and I glanced at him once, but he was looking away so I couldn't read his expression. This felt awkward. Maybe this wasn't such a good idea.
"I'll get you snacks." Chiaki finally broke the silence, as we stood in line for the movie.
"You..." He didn't seem uncomfortable. I think I was over reacting. I give up too easily on too many things.
"I'll get you snacks." he smiled. My face was still hot. Was he trying to apologize for any misunderstandings?
"Okay." I didn't know what else to say. I looked down at my bag and fiddled with the handle. There had to be something more intelegent to do than this, but I couldn't think of anything. And for some reason my face didn't cool down until we got to the snack bar.
We got a large tub of popcorn. Chiaki liked the extra buttery kind so I chose that. We got two sodas and some pocki, my favorite. The theater was packed. We had to wade through a sea of bodies to find the only two seats next to each other in the far back. I couldn't see everything on the screen but that was okay. I didn't much like horror movies in the first place.
"I had no idea this movie was so popular." I said looking at all the people.
"Shh!" someone two rows in front of us hissed.
"I'm sorry." I whispered. The theater was dark when the previews started.
"This movie is the continuation of a cult classic." Chiaki told me over the explosive action sceens of the previews.
"Occult?" Is he talking about the black candle, pentagram, dark robed kind of cults?
"No, cult. It's a new term they use for science fiction or horror movies that aren't necessarily well known but still have a large following of fans." he explained.
"Oh." I still didn't really get it, but it sounded like that space show fan club 'sun hike' or 'moon walk' or something.
"The first Howlers was filmed in somebody's basement and didn't make it to theaters." Chiaki told me over the scream in the preview of different horror movie. The loud shout was making me nervous, wondering what this movie might try to scare my with.
"Really?" That was strange. I'd never heard of an unpopular movie like that getting popular and having sequals. "That's interesting." Maybe this movie would be good after all. I always prefered a story with a good plot line. It must have developed far in advance of the first. "I hope I don't get lost." I said when the movie started.
"SHHH!" that same guy two rows down hushed me.
"I'm sorry." The screen was black at the time, it's not like I was interupting something. I sat further in my seat and munched on popcorn. It was more salty than I expected. I drank my soda pretty fast. A loud hollow slurping sound errupted from my straw while the movie girl was going up the stairs to investigate a strange noise.
"Be quiet." The irritating guy told me furiously.
"Okay. Jeez." It's not like I meant to. I frowned. The movie was starting to build suspense. The girl opened the door to her parent's bed room.
"Ah!" I exclaimed along with just about every other girl in the theater. A cat jumped out of the closet. Oh, man! Chiaki laughed at me a little. I frowned and sank further in my seat. This was definately a bad idea. Humph.
I looked back to the screen. The girl left and another scene started. Government agents covering up something about A4-6 protiens in the alien zombie's blood turning people into zombies. The more they explained the more confused I got. I wondered if the previous movies had mentioned anything like that.
"What's happening?" I tried whispering to Chiaki as quietly as I could, without being too quiet. I wanted him to hear my question after all.
"Sh!" the guy two rows in front again. If I had to apologize one more time...acctually, I'd rather leave.
"Hey take it easy pal." Chiaki told him off. I was about to apologize but... "He's just tryin' to enjoy the movie like anybody else, okay?" The guy shook his head and left me alone.
"Thank you." I said, probably more quiet than he could hear. This was the kind of power Chiaki had over people. A kind of strength that usually didn't require fighting or violence. I admired him for that. I hoped secretly to be like that.
"What is it?" Chiaki leaned close to my ear and whispered the question. His warm breath touched the back of my neck and my stupid face got hot again. What the heck is wrong with me?
My heart began to pound and I forgot my question. I just needed him away from my ear. He waited for a response, that gentle warmth brushing past my ear as his chest rose and fell. I had to tell him something.
His ear was right there. He was probably whispering to be respectful to the rest of the audience. I should follow his example. I turned my chin a little, his cheek was paralell with mine. I could smell his cologne, light but sharp at the same time. It was a subtle invasion of my senses.
"Nandemonai." I whispered by his ear. I wondered if he could possibly be effected like I was. He sat back in his seat to watch the movie. I looked at him for a moment more that I should have. My cheeks were burning. I needed something to drink but my soda was all out.
I swallowed hard, not sure if I should get up to get another drink or wait till after the movie. I swallowed again, not meaning to really. I felt embarrassed and out of place. Like I shouldn't be here, sitting next to Chiaki thinking such strange things about his scent and proximity.
I crunched on some pocky not really expecting my thirst to get any better. I just wanted to do something, besides sit there. I decided to force myself to get a drink by making my mouth so dry I'd have no choice. Yeah. I reached for popcorn and touched Chiaki's hand. I jerked back and let him take a handfull.
"You okay?" Chiaki whispered.
"I..." This was wonderful, I'm freaking out and let it effect me. "I'm just a little thirsty." I told him quietly.
"I'm out too." he shook the ice in his cup. "I'll be right back."
"Ah, but I..." I was going to do that. He weaved through the legs and feet of viewers. I felt a little relieved to get some space. I was thinking of strange things. This way I could take a breath and shake off those silly distractions. I mean, to be feeling my heart pound and my nerves shake for anyone but Maron was... was...