Chapter 9

Going to the Late Night,

Early Morning,

Double Feature,

Rocky Horror,

Picture Show

It was 11:00 Friday night, and Raelyn sat on the futon watching television by herself. She was waiting for her date to pick her up. Jack had already left to pick up his new girlfriend, Thistle, now that he and Sarah were quits, to take her to the same movie that Raelyn, herself, was waiting to go to. What movie would be playing after 11:00 at night? Why the Rocky Horror Picture Show, of course. There was a small local theater that played the movie every Friday night at midnight like they used to when the movie first came out. And, apparently, the show was frequently attended by many of the students of NHRS, and they had chosen this Friday to all go.

There was a horn honk that made Rae jump out of her seat. She quickly grabbed her shoulder bag and ran for the door.

"I'm leaving!" she called down the darkened hallway towards her dad's and Tammy's room. Tammy's head, covered with rollers and a sleeping mask shaped like a butterfly, poked out of a door.

"All right, all right. Just make that god damn kid stop honking," she said groggily.

Rae was already out the door and in Mush's car. She wasn't really excited as much as she just wanted to get the night over with. Jinx was going to be at this movie, but with Miracle, not Rae like it should have been. Some of the other conspiracy club members were going, but they were only going for the show. It was there off night. The middlemen would defiantly be lurking around, though, picking up any thing they could to feed to the c club.

Mush was blasting 50 Cent and trying desperately to rap along with him. Rae opened her window and tried to drown out the noise with her head out the window. They turned the corner, and Rae saw a lighted movie theater with a horde of teenagers standing around in front of it smoking and doing all kinds of different obnoxious things. Mush parked and they both stepped out of the car.

"Lets go inside. This is going to be awesome. I guarantee you're going to love this," Mush rapped his arm around Rae's small waist and pulled her forward. Rae found this funny seeing as she had played Columbia back at her local theater in New Jersey on Friday nights, knew all the lines to the movie (even the audience participation ones), and owned the DVD and soundtrack. But she thought it would be better to play the part of naïve ditz.

"Awesome," she squealed as she rapped her arm around his muscular form in return.

They walked up together to the huge glass doors of the theater. A humongous cry of "Mush" went up as all of his friends noticed he had arrived. He gave a bunch of high fives to the guys and hugs to some of the girls. Rae looked over to find Jinx staring at her like her was going to jump on her with a baseball bat. When he noticed she was looking at him he expression changed completely, and he whispered something into Miracle's, who was standing next to him, ear. She smiled with an appreciative laugh and hit him on the shoulder. Rae turned away, feeling slightly like she wanted to throw up, or worse, burst into tears.

"Mush, I just want to go check out the mirror. I'll be right back, okay?" Rae whispered into his ear.

"Yea, sure. I'll buy your ticket for you."

"Oh thanks so much."

And she almost ran to the bathroom. Once she had calmed down from the sight of Jinx, Rae poked her head out of the bathroom door to survey things. But just as she did Miracle pulled open the door. Rae almost fell into her, but she caught herself at the last moment.

"Hey, man, what are you doing?" Miracle looked at Rae like she should be in a mental institution.

"Oh, nothing, I just wanted to look around to see who was here from the club and whatnot without making it too obvious," Rae told Miracle truthfully.

"That's a good idea. I know I wouldn't mind knowing who is going to be spying on me tonight."

So they both stood with there heads out the door looking like a couple of idiots, but they did see some interesting things. Spot and Mama were on line to buy tickets with Mouse waiting behind them. And Comedy was over by the concession stand buying a large drink for himself and Alaska.

"Well, that's not too bad. I mean, I woulda thought Racetrack would've had a swarm of them around every corner," Miracle sounded strangely satisfied.

"Yea, maybe he does trust us after all," Rae and Miracle both started laughing at this.

Feeling confident the two girls walked out of the bathroom. Jinx was waiting by the ticket booth holding a ticket, which he waved with a smile at Miracle. She walked over to him and gave him a kiss on the cheek while simultaneously yanking the ticket out of his hand. He wrapped his arm around her slim waist, shot a look in Rae's direction, and led Miracle into the theatre.

Rae turned around so no one would see the look of absolute rage on her face. No one had ever been able to invoke such feelings in her before. Except maybe for the person standing not two inches from her face.

"What a pleasant surprise," Racetrack said in false astonishment, "I had no idea you were going to be here tonight, Raelyn!"

"I'm not in the mood, Race."

"Rae, don't flatter yourself. I didn't come here for you. I came with Milkshake just to see the show," But something in his voice told Rae he was lying.

"Right. Well then you shouldn't keep her waiting, now, should you?"

"Right you are, Rae," Racetrack said exactly at Mush Meyers came walking up to the pair of them with the tickets in hand.

"What are you talking to this loser for, Rae," Mush practically spat out sounding completely unlike the sweet, dumb person Rae thought he was.

"I…," but Race interrupted her.

"I wasn't trying to make any trouble. I just wanted to know if she had seen someone in the bathroom," Race sounded firm and complacent at the same time.

"Shut up, fag. Did it look like I was talking to you?" Race held his head high, but shook his head no. "Well, then why don't you go find someone to take it up the ass for you, and leave us alone."

Race stared at Rae with a look that screamed, "I told you so, didn't I?" After seeing this treatment for the first time, Rae could barely stand to look him in the face she felt so guilty.

Seeing that Race wasn't moving yet Mush shoved him forward. Race would have fallen if Spot and Milkshake had both happened to be there to stop his fall.

"Come on, Rae, the show is about to start," Mush dragged her along. Rae could only look back at who she now considered her friends in utter astonishment and sympathy.

Rae and Mush walked into the theatre. Mush chose a seat write next to Jack. This would have been bad enough already, but, to add insult to injury, Thistle was on the other side of Jack and on the other side of Rae was Jinx sitting with Miracle. Thistle was staring daggers at Jinx and Miracle who seemed to have been flirting for a good while know. Rae sat down and looked straight ahead trying to ignore everyone around, but all see could think about was Racetrack's face. His chocolate eye screaming in agony as Mush harassed him for no good reason. Rae couldn't just let it happen.

"You didn't need to do that, Mush"

Mush was startled out of a conversation with Jack, "What. What are you talking about?"

"Before, in the lobby, what you said and did. It wasn't necessary. He didn't do anything to you," she turned to look him straight in the eye. Rae could feel Jinx trying to listen while still talking to Miracle.

"The kid's a queer and a loser, Rae. He doesn't deserve any better."

In her head, Rae was screaming with all her might, but as she spoke she tried to control herself, "But that is no reason to treat anyone like that. Besides those things aren't even true. Racetrack is…"

Mush interrupted her, "Rae, I don't really need to be lectured by you right now. Besides how would you know? And truly I couldn't give a shit less about the kid."

Rae all of a sudden realized she was starting to reveal herself. So even though her head was pounding with anger at Mush's hatred and ignorance, she went back to her ditz act, "You know what, I guess you're right," Oh my God. I HATE YOU BASTARD! "I sorry, Mush, I don't know what got into me." And she wrapped her arm in his. He turned her head with his hand and kissed her. Rae thought she might throw up in his mouth.

"It is customary, at The Rocky Horror Picture Show, to make the movie virgins come up and give us a little show," Kid Blink talked into the microphone at the front of the theatre. "Now I know there aren't that many here tonight, but if you have never seen the movie in this theatre before, would you be ever so kind as to come to the front of theatre."

Rae was shoved up by Mush and followed by four or five other girls.

"Well I'll take this lovely lady right here," Blink yanked Rae next to him. "And can I get some other male volunteers?"

A couple of guys walked up. Kid Blink handed them all great, big, yellow bananas.

"Now, if you fine gentle men would please peel those bananas and place them in front of your cocks we can being," There was no shortage of profanity or crudeness at The Rocky Horror Picture Show, and Rae was used to it. But she was a little scared for what was going to come, no pun intended.

They all did as instructed, including Kid Blink. "Now ladies, please get on your knees and take a bite out of these bananas."

A cheer went up from the audience as the girls got down. Rae went to take a bite of the banana, and Kid Blink grabbed the back of her head and shoved it into the banana. She felt in go into her throat, bit it stood up, and spat it out. People were still cheering and some of the girls had their hands in the air like they had just won a race. Rae went to sit back down.

"Thank you, ladies! That was wonderful. Now, everyone, give me an R…," Rae drowned out Kid Blink as best she could.

"I knew you'd have no problem fitting that banana in you big mouth, Rae," Thistle laughed as Rae sat down.

"You're one to talk," she could see Thistle start to say something, but Jack, for some reason, shut her up.

"That was a pretty big bite you took there," Mush chuckled as he put his arm around her shoulders.

"Keep it in your pants for now, babe," Rae said despite the fact that she felt sick to her stomach. "Actually, you know I think I need to go to the bathroom. I'll be right back." She couldn't have gotten out of there faster.

Rae turned the corner and found an abandoned snack counter that she jumped behind. But not a second later she heard the theatre door open.

"Rae!"

She recognized his voice, "Jinx, I'm behind the counter. Did any one follow you our here?"

"Not that I know of," Jinx said as he launched himself behind the counter.

He landed with a light thud and stared Rae straight in her blue eyes with his hazel ones.

"What are you doing here, Rae?"

"I'm here to see the movie with Mush."

"Don't be stupid, Rae. And don't treat me like an idiot," Jinx was getting mad again, or maybe had never stopped being mad.

"Jinx, I really don't need this right now."

"Rae, you know I like you. And you choose Mush over me. I know you don't like him."

"Well you're here with Miracle. Now do like her or are you just using her to get back at me?"

"What's your point? Besides, you decided to go out with that dunce way before I asked out Miracle. And, no, I don't like her like this."

Rae grabbed her hair in frustration, "Why do you people treat people like that. People aren't put on this earth for your amusement. And certainly not as something to abuse."

"What are you talking about? Oh the thing with Mush and that kid."

"It's not just a "thing" and he isn't just "that kid". He is my friend, and a good guy. He didn't deserve that at all. Mush should be so ashamed; he should be groveling for Racetrack forgiveness. He barely deserves the pleasure of speaking to Racetrack…"

Rae had begun to ramble, "Then why are you here with him, Rae? You obviously know he isn't your type in the least. Do you want to go out with someone popular, is that it? Well, you could have had me anytime you wanted! Do you wish you were here with this Racetrack guy?"

"No, no I don't. I wish I was here…," Rae caught herself.

"What! Rae, tell me!"

"I wish…I wish I had come here with you."

Jinx stared at her. He had known this, but he had never expected to hear the words come from her. "You know you still could."

"I still could what?" Rae was confused now.

"You still could have me anytime you want."

Rae looked at him. The feelings, the words, everything seemed to be caught in her throat. A tear of relief rolled down her cheek and she smile as she slowly leaned toward him. Their lips were almost touching. He wrapped his arms around her entire body. She softly kissed his lips and then brought her mouth to his ear.

"I want you."