Tied Up in Knots

Chapter 4 - Friday, September 30th 6:42pm

I stepped off of the subway and headed back up to the street. Sebastian said he'd meet me right on the corner - Houston and Varick. The theater he asked me to was only half a block from the station, but he insisted he'd meet me at the subway. I let him have that one.

As I climbed the stairs, I saw Sebastian leaning against the wall of the building. I walked slowly, trying to take him in before he spotted me. The overall energy of him hit me before the details. Not a shred of tension was evident in his muscles as he waited. It didn't look like confidence exactly, more like an ease. I noticed that he wore the same leather jacket as the first time we met over a white t-shirt and dark jeans. Just like the first time I saw him, I couldn't help but notice how stunning he was. The golden hour light gave him a celestial glow, and again I was reminded of paintings of angels, if angels dressed like James Dean.

He saw me as I stepped onto the sidewalk. Smiling, he closed the gap between us with a few paces.

"Don't you look lovely," Sebastian commented, clearly pleased. The red top I'd chosen earlier in the week hung on my door for days. A warmth bloomed deep within my chest at the compliment; I tried to suppress the urge to preen. Anna gave the top and black pants I'd paired it with her stamp of approval as I left our apartment, but Sebastian was the one I really wanted to impress.

"You don't look half bad yourself. So what are we seeing?"

I'd noticed that Sebastian had a fondness for surprises. I had a sense that he'd stop if I said that it bothered me, but honestly, the thrill of the unknown was exciting. None of the several men I dated before Sebastian had been thoughtful enough to even plan real dates, let alone surprise me with anything. Maybe if any one of them had, I'd still be with him.

It would have been easy to look up what was playing at the theater, but that wouldn't have been as fun. Weirdly, I never really even had the urge to check.

"I hope you like classic films. They're playing A Streetcar Named Desire." Sebastian offered me an arm, and I took it.

"If I didn't know better, I'd think you've been stealing peeks at my lesson planner." Sebastian looked at me with one eyebrow raised in confusion. "We start reading Streetcar in class on Monday."

"Well isn't that serendipitous."

We arrived at the theater, and Sebastian opened the door for me. He also paid for the tickets. Something told me he'd refuse if I suggested that I pay for any of it - another old-fashioned quirk.

"Do you want snacks?" he asked me.

What kind of question was that? Who went to the movies and didn't want snacks?

"Obviously," I said with the most irony I could muster. He just chuckled as we headed to the concession counter.

"We have to get popcorn. Obviously," Sebastian echoed me pointedly. "Do you want candy too?"

I looked at him with one quirked eyebrow.

"Obviously, got it. Do you like Raisinets?"

I had to laugh at that. "You really are ancient, aren't you? I don't think my grandfather is even old enough to like Raisinets."

Sebastian rolled his eyes with a sigh and a smile. "Good, I don't have to share them then. What would you prefer?"

"Do they have the cookie dough bites? I love those."

"If I'm ancient, then you're about 7 years old," he quipped. He got them and handed me the box. Unable to help myself, I opened the package and popped one bite in my mouth.

"Do you want a soda?"

"Would you want to share one?" Sebastian's face got that impossible-to-read look that I found at once frustrating and enticing. "Otherwise, I'll have to get up and go to the bathroom mid-movie." He nodded and ordered the drink. Again, Sebastian paid for it all, and we left with our concessions.