"Jason, I am telling you that we are out of Doritos stock! The order is coming in first thing tomorrow and we will not have riots about it!"
Jason flipped the penny that he was balancing on his thumb and caught it out of mid-air. "Check again. The bags on the shelves are getting low."
Jude ground his back teeth together but he didn't say a word. Fighting with Jason was always fruitless and the last thing that he wanted was a reputation for being argumentative while at work. It was a slow morning, as most Saturdays were, and if Jason wanted him to make sure all over again that there were no boxes of Doritos in the back, then he'd make sure that they had no Doritos. He left Jason playing with the penny behind the cash register and headed to the back room. He had to pass by the manager's cramped office on the way.
"Hey, Jude!" Melissa cried. "What time did you start?"
"Six."
"Had your break yet?"
Jude shook his head.
"You're here until two, right?"
"As usual."
"Okay, go take your break. I'll go tell Jason."
"Thanks."
Jude ducked into the smallest room in the building, which served as a cramped staff room. It had one couch, a small table with a microwave on it, and several hooks to hang coats and bags off of. Jude grabbed his backpack, turning on his phone before he even started digging his lunch out. To his surprise, he had a text from Connor. The two of them texted rarely and, thus far, Connor hadn't initiated any of their conversations.
Connor: what time are the movies tonight?
Jude: first one starts at five
Jude bit into his apple and stared at the phone screen in front of him, hope bubbling in his stomach. Connor hadn't said a word about the movies since Jude had asked, and neither had Jude. He hadn't wanted to push Connor into doing something, though he was aware that it would be easy to do. Jude knew that if he strung the words together correctly, Connor would feel trapped to say 'yes' even where nearly anybody else would have the ability to say 'no'. Jude hated the thought of doing that. He liked Connor. He didn't want Connor to ever feel obligated to spend time with him. He didn't ever want to be the kind of person that took away another's choices.
Connor: I'd like to go. If you still want to go.
Jude: yeah! We can walk to the theatre from yours. Meet you outside at 430?
Connor: okay. See you then.
Jude could have danced. He knew it wasn't a date. The likelihood that he would ever actually date Connor was nearly nothing, but that hardly mattered to Jude. He had a crush on a boy, a beautiful boy that was like no other person he'd ever met, and the very thought of spending more time with him made Jude feel as if he were walking on air. Not even Jason could bother him throughout the rest of the day, although Jason, as always, tried desperately to be a bother. Jason didn't budge from behind the cash register, leaving everything else to be attended to by Jude. Jude mopped up the spills, kept track of the stock, and did everything else that popped up. Two o'clock appeared before Jude was aware that much time had passed.
He headed home quickly, showering and getting ready. The hour and a half that he had left to waste ticked by slowly, though Jude spent most of it watching The X-Files. When it was ten after four, Jude got left his apartment, locking the door behind him. He got into his car and greeted it quietly.
"Hello, Gerald."
It seemed to him that the car had been a lot more agreeable since receiving a name. Jude knew that it was probably just a biased way of thinking and that a car's problems wouldn't be fixed by some coddling. Still, Jude only had to try once before the car was up and running and Jude was on his way to Connor. Jude usually enjoyed his drive to campus, as the land itself was quite pretty. This time, the world was in a blur. There was just something about today, about right now, that was making Jude feel happy and optimistic. And when he pulled up to the parking lot by the nano dorms and spotted Connor already standing outside, Jude smiled.
"Hey!" he called, expecting Connor to smile at him.
Instead, Connor just looked nervous. It was an expression that only got worse the closer that Jude got to him.
"Is everything all right, Connor? We don't have to go to the movie."
"I want to. I, um …" Connor looked down at the ground and blurted out, "I'm in therapy."
"I hope it's helping you."
"I'm working on a few things," Connor said. Carefully and slowly, he continued, "And you're my friend. So, I don't want this to seem as weird as it feels in my head. She just suggested that, because we're friends, you'd be okay with helping me."
"Of course I would! What is it?"
"You know I don't like to be touched. But, um, little touches are things I'm going to have to get used to. So …" Connor took a deep breath and his hand trembled as he held it out to Jude.
Jude knew what Connor was offering and so he took Connor's hand. For the space of five seconds, they shook hands. Connor's hands were softer than Jude would have thought, although he could feel some calluses on his palms and fingers. Then, Connor's grip slackened and Jude knew better than to push it. He released Connor, whose hand was free of trembles as it floated back down to his side.
"Ready to head to the theatre?" Jude asked brightly.
"Thanks for understanding."
"I keep telling you, that's what friends are for."
"You won't mind if we try it again?"
"Whenever you want," Jude said.
Connor nodded, a small smile on his face. They set off together in the direction of the theatre.
"Do you know what's playing?" Connor asked.
"Well, it's the 70s. So, Monty Python and the Holy Grail, Rocky Horror Picture Show, and Carrie. The original Carrie."
"Those are weird movies to put together, aren't they?"
Jude shrugged. "I've only ever seen Rocky Horror. And the last remake of Carrie."
"I've never seen any of the remakes. Or any of tonight's movies."
"Then it'll be an adventure for both of us."
Jude held the door of the theatre open for Connor, who hesitantly took a few steps inside. He paused inside the door and waited for Jude to catch up to him. Jude showed the tickets he'd bought to the usher and the usher waved them inside.
"Where would you like to sit?" Jude asked.
"Up in the back? I don't like …"
"Yeah, okay," Jude agreed. "You don't need to explain. Go find somewhere you're comfy with. I'm following you."
Connor headed up the stairs and though Jude knew that he shouldn't, he couldn't help but watch the way that Connor looked as he walked. Connor took a seat in the far back corner so that he had Jude on one side, a person in front of him, and walls on all the others. As Jude sat down, he ran his hand over his face and through his hair. His brain could hardly process how attractive Connor was.
"You don't want popcorn or anything do you?" Jude asked. Better to focus on something else. "We should get it now if you do."
"Do you? What do you think?"
"I don't want anything right now. Maybe between the first and the second movie. If you want to stay for the second."
"Oh, okay. We'll see," Connor agreed.
The lights dimmed and the two of them lapsed into silence as Monty Python began to play. The movie, as most from the 70s did, showed its age. It didn't stop Jude from enjoying the movie. He even laughed at most of the jokes and found that he very much liked most of the actors on screen. When the credits rolled and Jude asked Connor about it, Connor shook his head.
"Some of it was funny. Some of it … I just felt like I was missing out on the joke."
"Not a good feeling," Jude said. "How about popcorn now? Or, hey, did you eat dinner? I know they have some more food-like things out front."
"I didn't eat. Um, here. You bought the tickets." He pulled out his wallet, giving Jude a twenty.
Jude wanted to assure him that he didn't owe Jude anything, but Jude knew how Connor was thinking. He didn't want Connor to feel indebted to him anyway; it would throw their new and fragile friendship far out of balance.
"Anything in particular you want?"
Connor shook his head and Jude joined the large crowd of people heading for the concessions. There was half an hour between films and it took Jude nearly twenty of them to get to the front and order. Luckily, nachos, popcorn, and two ridiculously sized vats of Coca-Cola didn't take long for the frazzled concessions employee to push over the counter to him. Jude gathered his order in a balancing act that he was a little impressed with.
"I hope you're not opposed to Coke," Jude said when he reached Connor again.
"No. Thank you."
"Were you bored up here all by yourself?" Jude teased.
"No." Connor's eyes lowered. "Actually … I was eavesdropping. It's strange."
"What is?"
"Everyone has their own lives. Things you'll never know or be a part of. It's nice to realize that the world is bigger than what happens in your life."
"Your life matters too though. It doesn't just get lost in the vastness." Jude carefully balanced the nacho tray on the armrest that they shared and took the first chip. "It's all to share, by the way. Hope you don't mind. I can get you your own if you'd prefer."
"I'm okay with sharing with you," Connor said. "And, yeah, I guess what happens to us personally will always matter most to us. I just like being reminded that it's not the only thing."
"I see your point."
The lights began to dim.
"Now, strap in. Rocky Horror is an adventure."
By the time that Rocky Horror's credits rolled, Jude could tell that Connor had not found the movie to be an adventure.
When Jude asked what he thought, the only thing that Connor could say was, "I can't process what I just saw."
"Want to stay for Carrie or are you tired?"
"I don't know," Connor murmured. "What do you want?"
"I can take it or leave it. I don't mind horror, but I really don't think Carrie is one of those movies that a person absolutely has to see or they will die with their life unfulfilled. Are you okay with horror movies? Though apparently this isn't all that scary."
"Horror doesn't bother me. It's supposed to be scary."
"Fair point. Oh, well, we can try it. There's no law saying that we have to stay through the entire movie. Popcorn?"
Jude tilted the bag and Connor took a few pieces.
"I'm glad you decided to hang out with me tonight."
"My room gets boring," Connor said.
"I knew it had nothing to do with me," Jude teased.
Connor looked utterly bewildered when he looked at Jude, and Jude couldn't tell whether or not he was acting when he said, "No. Why would it?"
"You know, mean people don't get popcorn," Jude said, shifting the bag away from Connor.
"You know, mean people withhold popcorn," Connor said.
"Touché," Jude replied. "Popcorn rights restored."
Connor gratefully took a few more pieces of popcorn. Jude filled Connor in on the details of a psych study that he was participating in as they waited for Carrie to start. Connor listened intently to every word and Jude realized that was another thing that he liked about Connor. It seemed that, no matter what Jude talked about, Connor listened like it was the most vital information that he had ever heard. It was nice to feel like what he was saying was important, even when Jude was more than aware that he was talking about something trivial.
"Are you sure you want to stay for this?" Jude asked, even as the lights began to go down for the final time.
"Yeah," Connor said. "I'm sure."
Jude settled in. Immediately, Jude thought that the acting in this one was a little cornier than it had been in the first two movies. He leant the bag of popcorn against their shared arm rest and they both continued to pick at it. The first time they reached into the bag at the same time, Connor flinched away the moment that he felt Jude's touch. The second time, Jude could feel Connor tense up but Jude moved out of his way. The popcorn was done before the movie was halfway done and Jude shoved the empty bag under his chair. He wasn't really watching the screen but something tense must have happened, because he felt Connor's hand touch his arm. Jude sat up immediately.
"Everything okay?" he whispered.
"Jump scares and I aren't always friends," Connor said.
Jude nodded his understanding. When the movie was at its tense part, Jude was mildly unimpressed. Connor, though, seemed to be caught up in the film – or maybe he wasn't as good with horror as he had originally said. Jude felt Connor's hand encircle his wrist and Jude leant toward him. Connor's hand loosened.
"No, it's all right. I just want to make sure you're okay."
"Strangely, better like this."
Connor's hand flexed around Jude's wrist.
"I don't mind," Jude assured him.
Connor kept his hand there as the movie, with its abundance of clearly fake blood, drew to a close. Jude was disappointed as Connor lifted his hand away. His skin had grown warm where they had been connected. Jude wished they'd held hands – really held hands. His brain hissed that they likely never would, but Jude would have liked to keep his daydream alive. He wanted to text Taylor about it when he got back to his apartment but, with how strange she'd been acting recently, Jude felt terrible for texting her about something like this. He hated the idea that texting Taylor was something he couldn't do. He hated more the idea that there was something that she wasn't telling him; it was clearly a big something too.
"Something on your mind?" Connor asked.
"Um, overthinking, I guess. Ready to go?"
"Yeah."
"So, what'd you think?" Jude asked.
"The seventies are not my favourite movie era," Connor said.
"That's fair. Maybe I'll get you on eighties night."
"When's eighties night?"
"They do theme nights once a month. They generate them on the computer and it makes sure that they don't repeat one per school year."
"That's interesting."
"Maybe," Jude agreed, laughing a little as he realized just how boring it was. "Next time we hang out we can –"
"Study," Connor interrupted. "Oh, sorry. I just … if you still wanted to study for Kroger's class together."
"Of course I do. Monday night this time? My work schedule tomorrow just awkwardly cuts up my day."
"Okay," Connor agreed.
"But, seriously, studying and movies can get old fast. We should think of something else to do too."
"You know this place better than I do," Connor said.
"That's fair. Okay, I'll come up with something." Jude paused in front of the entrance to the nano dorms. "Despite your hatred of the seventies, I hope tonight was good."
Connor nodded. "Yeah."
"Goodnight. I'll see you in class tomorrow."
"Night."
Connor held out his hand again and Jude gently shook it. This time, it felt longer. The simple feel of Connor's fingers had Jude in more of a mess than he thought possible. Standing in the light of the many street lights that surrounded the dorm and the parking lot, Jude wondered what it would be like to kiss Connor. It would be too much to try, he knew that. Connor let go of his hand in a hurry. Still, Jude wondered.
Connor turned to go inside and Jude knew that was his cue to slip back to his car and drive home alone.
The chapter's title is after the song Demons by Imagine Dragons (reader recommended). If you have a song that reminds you of Barefoot And Bruised and would like it to be on the playlist – and possibly a chapter title – send it in and let me know! I'd love to hear your playlist suggestions! (Chapter titles are mostly chosen via shuffle.)
So, on tumblr I'm: we are all of legend now (with dashes between every word). If you want to find my replies to anon reviews, add backslash tagged backslash anon dash replies. If you want to see anything I post about Barefoot And Bruised, go to my tumblr URL and add backslash tagged backslash barefoot dash and dash bruised dash. Punctuation is spelled out due to Fanfiction's restrictions. If you're having any trouble accessing the tumblr content please send me a pm and I can format it for you in a different way.
~TLL~