The Cinema
Lee and Lucy were in the foyer of the cinema, having bought their tickets to see the final Harry Potter film. They both wanted to see it so it was an easy decision to make in the end.
"Do you want Pick n Mix or Popcorn, or are you a Nachos girl?".
"What are you having?"
"Popcorn, sweet of course".
"Can we share then? The medium box should be enough for two".
"Yes, we can share".
They got to the front of the queue at last.
"Yes please, what can I get you?", the man serving asked.
"A regular Diet Coke, a regular 7UP and a medium toffee popcorn please".
"That'll be £8.00 please".
"Bloody hell! I'm assuming the popcorn's made of gold at that price?"
Lee handed over the money. He remembered now why he didn't go to the cinema very often. He'd wanted to smuggle in his own food and drink but Lucy warned him that her friend once had her handbag searched and sweets confiscated, so he hadn't dared.
"Can you believe that Lucy, £8.00 for two soft drinks and some popcorn?"
"Hmm...it is expensive, I agree. You have to have popcorn at the cinema though don't you, it's all part of the experience".
"Yeah. I just don't think you should have to take out a small mortgage to pay for it".
"Come on, let's go and find a seat".
...
Lee turned to look at Lucy again. He kept finding himself doing this, watching her instead of the film, hoping she wouldn't notice. She caught him this time, as she reached into the box of popcorn that sat on his lap.
"What? Why are you looking at me, have I got popcorn stuck to my face or something?", she whispered.
"No, it's nothing", he answered, quickly returning his attentions to the screen.
Suddenly there was a loud, high pitched noise that made everyone jump out of their skin.
For a second or two everyone assumed the alarm sound was on the film, then the film stopped running, and the emergency lights came on.
"Ladies and gentlemen, the fire alarm has been activated, please make your way to your nearest emergency exit as quickly as you can but please do not run".
Lee and Lucy stood up and walked briskly towards the fire door, but before they reached it Lee turned around and started walking back to their seats.
"Where are you going?"
"I forgot the popcorn, I'm going back to get it, it cost five quid".
"Don't you dare, we're being evacuated!", Lucy grabbed Lee's shirt and pulled him back.
"It's probably just a fire drill".
"We don't know that, come on!".
Lee admitted defeat and reluctantly followed Lucy and everyone else to the meeting point outside the front of the cinema.
As people crowded in the small area, they overheard someone say there was a fire somewhere in the building. That's when they noticed a commotion ahead of them, then heard a woman shouting hysterically.
"Where's Jacob? Wasn't he with you?"
"I thought he was with you".
"No...JACOB! Oh my God, JACOB! He must still be inside. I have to go back in".
Everyone watched the panicking mum becoming more and more distressed, as cinema staff proceeded to stop her and several other people trying to go back into the building.
"Let me in, let go of me, my son's in there...he's only seven...please".
"The fire brigade will be here any second, I can hear the sirens. We can't let you enter the building".
Lee remembered the incident when he was nine, when he found himself lost in a department store when the fire alarm was sounding, unable to find the exit. It turned out there hadn't been a real fire on that occasion, but he hadn't known that at the time and was really scared. He decided he couldn't just stand there when he knew there was a frightened and possibly injured child inside the building. He had to do something. Fuelled by adrenaline, whilst the staff were busy trying to stop the family from going back in, Lee suddenly snook past everyone and ran towards the building. Lucy ran after him.
"What are you doing? Forget about the bloody popcorn!".
"I'm not going to get the popcorn, I'm going to find the kid".
"But you don't know where the fire is, or how bad it is".
"I can't see any smoke".
"Lee, don't...oh God...just please be careful", Lucy was going to try and persuade Lee not to go in but could tell he wasn't going to change his mind.
"Don't worry, I'll be fine".
Lucy looked on in disbelief as Lee disappeared into the building. Her heart was pounding hard in her chest now. Her head was swimming with shock, admiration, then fear and panic as she realised how much danger Lee might have been putting himself in..
As soon as Lee entered the building he smelt the smoke, and his eyes started to sting. He scanned the foyer and saw there was a fire where the arcade machines where. It still hadn't completely taken hold yet.
"Help! Help! Mummy...Mummy...I can't get up".
Lee heard the small child's cries for help, and called out.
"Where are you?"
"Help me!"
"I've come to get you out, where are you?", Lee shouted even louder this time. It was difficult to hear over the alarm.
"By the sweets. My foot hurts, help me! I don't like the noise. My eyes are stinging".
Thank God, thought Lee, that was on the opposite side of the foyer to the fire. He started to cough, the smoke seemed to be getting thicker. He quickly removed his jacket and covered his mouth and nose with it, running towards the pick n mix area. As he turned the corner he saw the little boy, sitting on the floor, cowering against the wall. He scooped him up and ran with him in his arms as quickly as he could back to the door. The fire was spreading now, getting dangerously closer by the second.
There was a cheer from the crowd outside as Lee emerged from the building with the boy. The mum ran towards them and took her son from Lee.
"Thank you, thank you, thank you. Are you okay Jacob?".
"I fell over and my foot hurts, I was scared mummy, and the noise hurt my ears".
Lucy almost knocked Lee over as she ran up to him and threw her arms around him.
"Well done...but what an earth possessed you to do that? You could have been seriously hurt, or worse".
"I don't know really, I didn't really think about it, I just saw that mum panicking about her son and the next thing I knew I was in the building".
Everyone screamed then as there was a loud bang and the sound of smashing glass. The firefighters told everyone to get back from the building. The fire was clearly taking hold now.
Lee started to cough.
"Are you okay? I think you need to get checked out".
"I'm fine".
"Smoke inhalation can been really dangerous, we need to make sure you're okay",
As Lee was trying persuade Lucy he was fine a paramedic approached them.
"I understand you went in to the burning building?"
"It was only a little fire then".
"Did you breathe in any smoke?".
"A bit".
"Any coughing, hoarseness, trouble breathing, vomiting?"
"Coughing, that's all, and my throats feels dry".
"Right, it sounds like your smoke inhalation was probably mild but we'll take you to the hospital, give you oxygen, and run a few tests just in case".
"Is that really necessary?".
"Yes".
...
At the hospital Lee was given oxygen, had blood tests, a chest x-ray and several other checks to make sure his lungs and respiratory tract were not damaged, as Lucy waited nervously in a relatives room. A couple of hours later he was given the all clear, and they decided to walk back home.
"I wonder what happened at the end of the film, we'll have to go back and see it again...though we'll probably have to find another cinema. I'm not sure there'll be much of that one left".
"Whatever happens in the film, I doubt it was as dramatic as what happened in real life tonight. I was so scared when you went back into the building".
"It wasn't that dramatic, and I was only in there for about a minute".
"It felt like hours to me".
Lucy reached out then and took hold of Lee's hand. He grinned, not quite daring to look at her as he gently squeezed her hand. They continued to walk hand in hand, deliberately slowly, taking the long way home via the river.
There was always something special about the river at night, it looked so pretty illuminated by the moon and the lights of the city, twinkling with every colour of the rainbow. Tonight though, it seemed even more magical, the colours and lights brighter than they had ever been.
"It's so peaceful and calm down here tonight, isn't it?", Lee said quietly.
"Yeah, it seems unusually quiet. I know this is such a cliche, but I feel like we're the only two people that exist right now. It's hard to believe there are millions of people all around us, going about their business".
"When I walk around London at night, I like to look at all the buildings and imagine who's inside them, what they're doing, what they're talking about".
"I do that too. Do you reckon there are people looking out of their windows watching us right now, wondering who we are and what we're saying?"
"Probably. It's a weird thought, isn't it?".
"Yeah, and maybe a bit creepy. Ah, here's where we turn off".
They had reached the little path that ran up from the riverside to their street.
...
Back home...
Lee and Lucy were settled down on the sofa with a glass of wine.
"This is nice", Lucy whispered as she shuffled as close to Lee as she dared.
"Yeah it is, though we do this nearly every night'.
That was true, ever since Lucy had moved in they'd found themselves doing this almost every evening- having a cup of tea together, sharing a bottle of wine, watching a TV show, chatting about their days, talking about any news or plans they had. Of course there had been plenty of arguments over the years, but their conversations were mostly full of laughs and flirtation, and the to and fro of witty remark and retort. No matter what sort of day either had had, they knew their nightly chat on the sofa would cheer them up. The cosy routine that had practically become a ritual. Neither had ever admitted it to the other but for both Lee and Lucy this ritual had become their favourite part of the day.
"I like it though, when we just watch TV together or sit and chat".
"Me too. I love...", Lee paused, "just sitting and chatting with you".
"Good", Lucy said quietly.
"I wonder how that little boy Jacob is".
"I spoke to his the mum at the hospital. He's okay. They're keeping him on oxygen for a few more hours just in case, but luckily since he wasn't that close to the fire and was sitting on the floor so he was low down, he didn't inhale much smoke. He's only sprained his ankle apparently, but it was too painful to walk without help. Both parents thought he was with the other at the point the fire alarm went off. Anyway, he'll be fine, thanks to you. His mum says she wants to come around and thank you properly. I gave her the landline number, I hope you don't mind. She says the press want to talk to you as well, they want to do a piece on the new local hero".
"Oh God, really? I don't want any fuss, I'm not a hero".
"You are, you were really brave tonight. Stupid maybe, but brave nonetheless, I'm proud of you".
"Thanks. Lucy...I...can I...l'd like...", Lee hesitated.
"What?"
"Nothing".
Lucy didn't want to leave it there, she felt like Lee was trying to say something important.
"You were going to say something".
"It's just...I don't think I'm brave, I wish I was, then I wouldn't be just sitting here babbling on about nothing. I'd be telling you how beautiful you look tonight, how special it felt when you held my hand earlier, and how much I want to kiss you right now. But I can't because I'm too scared of how you might react".
Lucy's heart skipped a beat. It was as though Lee knew exactly what she wanted to hear.
"Why are you scared? What do you think I'm going to do?"
"I don't know, slap me, tell me to move out".
"Would it help if I told you that I was sitting here wishing I had the confidence to kiss you instead of waiting for you to make the first move?".
Lucy inched closer to Lee, and they met each other's gaze. Lee found himself lost in Lucy's eyes then, swimming in their deep green. He could see the desire and anticipation in them, mirroring his own. All of his senses were alive now, he could feel Lucy's legs touching his, and it made his skin prickle and flush. He could smell the sweetness of her perfume, the fruity coconut scent of her hair.
He found her hand, and slowly, lightly brushed it with his fingertips. When she responded, he let their fingers entwine.
"Erm, that would help yes", Lee's voice was breaking now as his throat seemed to dry up.
"Good".
They were both breathing louder and faster now.
"Lucy...I...".
Lee couldn't find any words. He couldn't think straight, the thought that they might be about to kiss making him dizzy with nerves and excitement. He could hear his own heartbeat now, as it thumped hard and fast beneath his chest.
"Lee?"
"Yes?"
Time seemed to stand still for a second.
"Stop talking".
Lucy closed the gap between them at last, cupping Lee's face in her hands and covering his lips with her own, parting them. She heard him breathe deeply, than sigh almost desperately as he responded, his hands finding their way into her hair. For some reason she had thought this might feel awkward, they'd been just friends for so long after all. But it didn't, far from it. It was perfect. After what might have been seconds, or minutes, they parted.
"Wow", was all Lucy could say. Every part of her skin was tingling.
"Good wow I hope".
"Good wow, that was...worth the wait".
Lee was blushing and smiling shyly. He looked adorable.
"Yeah it was. So...does that mean you want to do this again?"
"Kiss you? Of course it does..."
Lucy leant in, inching close to Lee until their lips we almost touching.
"I meant go out with me again but I'm not going to..."
Before Lee and the chance to finish his sentence Lucy's mouth was on his again, and this time they deepened the kiss almost immediately, Lee's hands sliding through Lucy's hair as hers raked up and down his back.
They continued for some time, hands all over each other as the passion built. He moved his lips away from her mouth, placing soft, sensual kisses along her jawline and over her neck. She moaned louder than she intended as he found a sensitive spot below her ear and started to tease it with his lips, then slipped his hands under her top and began to stroke the soft, sensitive and slightly ticklish skin at the sides of her waist.
This felt good, so so good, and a big part of Lucy wanted to take Lee to her bedroom and make love to him, right now. In fact, it didn't even have to be the bed, right here on the sofa would have sufficed. Despite this though, despite how much she wanted Lee, she had started to feel a bit overwhelmed and a small voice in her head was telling her they should stop.
"Lee...wait...stop".
He did, immediately.
"Are you okay, Luce?"
Lee was slightly confused. She seemed to be enjoying this, very much if her sighs and whimpers of pleasure were anything to go by.
He searched her eyes, trying to read her expression.
"Yes, it's just...I think we should stop before we get too carried away".
"Oh...I'm sorry, I didn't mean to...you know".
Lee couldn't hide his disappointment, then concern that he had gone too far.
"Don't apologise, you don't need to. And, don't get me wrong, it wasn't that I wasn't enjoying that, believe me I was, but we said we'd take things slowly. This is a big deal...we probably shouldn't rush anything".
Lucy knew things would never be the same once they crossed that line, and it had been a long while since she'd been intimate with anyone. Things had ended so badly with Guy, and she needed to know exactly where she stood with Lee before she took the next step.
Lee nodded. Lucy was right, and the last thing he wanted was to spoil things with her. If he was honest he was more than nervous about taking things further with her anyway. It'd been a long time since he'd last done this. Longer than it had been for her. He didn't want their first time to be like it had in his dream, over in a matter of seconds because his body betrayed him in the excitement and rush of the moment. He had felt himself getting hard just then and they were only kissing. He wondered if he would he ever be able to get used to being this close to Lucy, it was such an incredible, dizzying, almost trippy feeling.
"You're right, we should slow down. Let's take it down a gear. I would never want to make you feel uncomfortable or make you feel like I was putting pressure on you. I'll take your lead with this".
"Thanks, and you weren't making me feel uncomfortable by the way. You were making feel good, I just got a bit overwhelmed", Lucy whispered, so relieved he was understanding.
She smiled and kissed him briefly, almost chastely, then rested her head against his shoulder, wrapping her arms around him as he held her tightly.
...
A little later...
Lucy sighed contentedly, snuggling into Lee as he absentmindedly played with her hair, letting his fingers gently comb through it.
"So are you looking forward to our dinner out on Friday? I hope it's a bit more successful than tonight's date", Lee asked.
They had arranged to go out for dinner at the fancy Mediterranean restaurant around the corner, Lucy insisting it would be her treat this time.
"Of course I am, I can't wait. Anyway, I don't know what you mean. I'd say fires aside tonight turned out pretty well in the end wouldn't you?", she whispered.
"Yeah I would", Lee agreed. 'Pretty well' was certainly an understatement.
Lucy finally gave in to a yawn she'd been trying to surpress. It had been a long day, and she was tired. Plus, she was really relaxed and cosy in Lee's arms, and his chest made a very comfy pillow.
"I think I'd better go to bed, I can't stay awake".
"Oh, okay. See you in the morning?"
"Of course. I've got to be at work by 9.00 but we can have breakfast together if you're up early enough".
"I'll be up. Goodnight Luce", he whispered as she reluctantly prized herself away from him.
"Goodnight Lee", Lucy replied.
She gave him an all to brief kiss on the lips before getting up from the sofa and heading towards her bedroom, grinning from ear to ear.
Lee couldn't stop smiling either. To say he was happy with the direction him and Lucy's relationship was heading would be an understatement. He felt more optimistic now about the future than he had for a long time, maybe ever.
Lucy found herself unable to get to sleep for a long time. She was still buzzing from the events of the evening. The fear and adrenaline she had experienced when they realised the cinema was on fire and when Lee ran back into the building. But even more so the rush of blood and hormones she had experienced when she and Lee kissed properly for the first time, and the second time and...She felt excited about the prospect of what she hoped could happen between them and she hadn't felt that way about anyone for a long time...
Next chapter: dinner