She hated him. He hated her. And that was alright in their world until one night. Everything changed then, conversations exchanged between drags of a shared cigarette having developed a mutual respect between enemies.
-----
Slowburn enemies to frie...
Sundays at the Cinema are so slow that I contemplate ripping my eyelashes out just to fill the time. I've spent the past hour and a half garbling to my coworker Robin about how nervous I am to start school tomorrow. We'd become somewhat close during our forced proximity during long boring shifts. She gives me the same speech about self-confidence I've heard three times this week.
"Do you always worry about everything this much?" she wonders aloud, sweeping up popcorn from the colorful carpet.
"Yes," I answer truthfully from the ticket booth.
Robin shakes her head. "Chill out. I'll introduce you to some of my band friends,"
"That I share nothing in common with," I frown.
"Yes you do," she retorts in a monotone voice.
"Like what?" I snap back.
"Like your impeccable taste in friends. Hence... yours truly," she extends the broom at her side and bows gracefully.
The fluorescent blue and pink lights make her pale skin glow, the polka dots of freckles on her cheeks and forehead prominent in contrast. Her previous attempt at a messy bun has failed, leaving fawn chin-length strands to hang loosely from the nest atop her head. Her white Hawkins Cinema t-shirt is spotted with cherry Cola from operating the soda machines at the snack bar, and her once-white Converse have clearly seen better days.
I pick at the pink nail polish I let Dustin paint on my nails a while back out of unruly boredom.
Please, God, grant us a customer. I plead silently. After thinking for a moment, I add, or let the Cinema burn down.
"Oh, great," Robin deadpans, leaning on one foot and propping herself up on the broom. I follow her fiery glare out the floor-to-ceiling windows and into the parking lot. A maroon BMW shimmies on its wheels as four teenagers scramble out of it, giggling amongst themselves. "It's the Harrington Clan,"
"Harrington Clan?" I parrot almost mockingly. What's up with this town and its stupid names?
Robin groans. "You have much to learn," she points at the two that climb out of the backseat hanging all over each other. "That's Tommy and Carol. I hear they climbed out of Hell together in the seventies and have been stuck to each other ever since,"
I mouth a wow to entertain her.
"The redhead in the passenger seat is Harrington's latest prospect, Nicole. If you piss her off enough, her lips tighten up like a butthole," Robin giggles at her own immaturity.
The driver is a shaggy-haired boy in a green sweater. He taunts the couple behind him inaudibly before wrapping an arm around Nicole.
"King of Hawkins High, Priest of Douches, Steve Fucking Harrington," Robin all but growls.
I cock a brow at her, leaning against the counter quizzically. "Something tells me you two don't get along," I tease.
Before she can give a witty comeback, the group has entered the front of the cinema. Robin retreats to the snack area, leaving me alone to deal with the four of them.
"Welcome to Hawkins Cinema," I put on a smile, pretending to care about my job on the off chance my boss is lingering nearby.
They ignore me, goofing off and pushing each other around. I try to warn them to be careful so as not to knock anything over, but it's no use over their childish disposition. Steve knocks over a row of stanchions that are used to separate the ticket booth and the exit doors. The chain reaction earns an eruption of laughter from the group. The boy in green doesn't even bother to pick up his mess, turning to me. I'm already starting to catch onto why Robin hates this guy so much.
"Sorry about that Sweetheart," he gives a sickly grin. I grimace.
"Can I help you with something?" I try to stay friendly despite my irritation.
"Don't think we've seen you here before. You new to town?" Steve adds. I bet he thinks he's a real catch with that shit-eating grin he wears.
I shrug. "What's it matter?"
"It matters since we don't see any babes like yourself around this town anymore," Tommy snickers from behind, earning him a well-deserved elbow in the ribs from Carol.
"Are you four going to continue to be obnoxious or are you going to watch something?" I've dropped the customer-service act, hoping my boss Mr. Bo isn't within earshot.
"Alright Mrs. Fahrenheit, cool your jets," Steve grabs a twenty dollar bill from his back pocket. "Four tickets for Terminator," he flicks the twenty onto the counter.
I grab the money and smooth it out, glaring at him smugly. "Are you even old enough for this movie?"
I revel in their offended expressions as I point out the age restrictions plastered on the wall.
"W-we're old enough?" Nicole's flaccid attempt at a confident sentence delivers as an unintended question.
"Well, this movie is rated R, which means only adults can watch it," I explain slowly as if explaining something to a toddler. "And I don't know, guys, I'm not seeing a lot of adult maturity in this crowd. I don't think I can, in good conscience, sell you these tickets," they gape at me, unamused. "I mean, I could lose my job by selling these tickets to some children,"
"I'm nearly a grown-ass man," Steve retorts.
I cock my head to the side and jut my lower lip out in a pout. "Oh really? All the growth spurts must've gone to that monstrosity on your head," I say nonchalantly, vaguely gesturing to his hair.
Judging by the way his smirk fell before he swiftly recovers lets me know I've hit a sore spot on his ego.
"Yeah, yeah. We get it. Sorry about the rope thing. We won't touch anything else."
I grin ear-to-ear, basking in my victory as I hand over their tickets and change.
"Four on the right. Try not to make a mess."
Hormone-fueled teenage angst and general disdain hangs in the room, thick like fog. I stare daggers at Steve as he takes the tickets from me. His fingers encapsulate mine as he does so, some demented play to get a rise out of me. My eyes twitch ever so slightly, but I remain stoic.
The foursome can't funnel into the back of the cinema and out of sight quick enough. Once they disappear into the blanket of darkness of room four, I hear Robin cackling.
"What's so funny?" I nip.
Robin giggles, her face peachy and teeth bared. "That was... fantastic--" she takes a deep breath, clutching onto her composure. "I've never seen anyone get under his skin like that."
I shrug, shutting the conversation down. "Let's get this shithole cleaned up so we can go home." I tell her. ≡≡≡≡≡≡≡≡≡≡≡≡≡≡≡≡≡≡≡≡≡≡≡≡≡≡≡≡≡≡≡≡≡≡≡≡≡≡≡≡≡≡≡≡≡≡≡≡≡≡≡≡≡≡≡≡≡
