smile, rosemary

ten

her

south is the most

right thing i've ever

known for a while.

he stops at a park,

where there's a big

screen and groups

of people; old couples,

young couples, families,

teenagers around our age.

"where are we?" i ask.

he turns to me and smiles,

"heaven, miss. just kidding.

open air cinema. this is the

11 o'clock movie. it's a good

one."

"what's the movie?"

"marley and me."

"is it good?"

"rosemary, i cried."

if south cried,

i doubt i will.

we sit on the grass

and a couple offers

for us to take their

extra picnic blanket.

south politely declines

and walks behind the screen,

carrying a big bag overflowing

of the necessities of a movie.

"rosemary,

i've got popcorn,

blankets, pillows,

chocolate and soda.

and tissues. prepare

to watch your butt

off."

halfway through the movie,

i'm snuggled on a pillow and

in a blanket, as south watches the

movie with wide eyes, holding a pillow

as a teddy bear.

the bowl of popcorn is too close

to him, but i lean over and stuff

my hand in the bowl. at the same

moment, his hand goes in for more.

"rose, i don't want to eat your hand."

"south, i want popcorn."

"i was here first."

"i was here second."

"come sit next to me

and i'll think about

sharing."

i do, and he gives me

the bowl and keeps a

single popped corn.

"here you go."

-

him

she cried when

the movie ended.

"tissue?" i offer her

the box and she shakes her

head, "i'm good. i hate you

 for showing me this."

"nah, you love me."

"don't be so sure."

i make a fist and

touch my heart,

"deep, deep, deep

deep, deep, deep

down, you love me."

"eh," she wipes

her cheeks.

"what's that

supposed to mean?"

"can i have a tissue?"

"no."

she looks at me,

flips her hair away

from her face and laughs.

"are you seriously mad?"

"no. i was kidding."

"liar."

"i don't lie, rose."

"love isn't a word

that gets thrown around."

"good point."

"now can i have a tissue?"

"what's the magic word?"

she rolls her eyes and

crawls to me, reaching

for the tissue box.

"please," her eyes smile

and she is so close that

i can smell the chocolate

on her breath.

she grabs the box and gets

further away, but i hold

her waist and pull her

close.

"if i didn't know better,

i'd think you're about to

kiss me," she whispers.

"you don't know better," i say.

and i taste the dying tears

on her lips with my own.

-

i honestly have no clue what i just wrote