Daughter of the Demon (I)

Daughter of the Demon-7-What Popcorn and a Movie will do

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Chapter 7: What Popcorn and a Movie Will Do

~Jacob~

I decided that the best way to get to know Jemma was to hang out with her, and see what she was like. We wouldn't do the whole interview thing because I didn't want her breaking any of my glasses, so, I rented a movie and popped some popcorn and waited for her to arrive.

"Have a friend coming over?" Belinda asked, strolling into the kitchen as the popcorn started popping.

"Yeah. She's my partner for the project and interviewing makes her uncomfortable, so, I wanted to do something casual."

"That's nice of you."

I shrugged. "I guess so. But she's so . . . hard. I know I've said this before. I just have to find a way to get through to her."

Belinda patted me on the shoulder. "You're a smart boy. I'm sure you will."

A trace of a smile reached my lips. "Thanks."

The doorbell rang just then and she winked at me, leaving to answer it. There was a short muffled exchanged greeting, and then Jemma appeared before me awkwardly in the kitchen. She was wearing a jean skirt that was short---but not nearly as short as Angelina's---and a long-sleeved black blouse overtop. She had no shoes and her bare feet were cut. Her long black hair was loose and tumbling down her shoulders. She looked . . . pretty. God, what was wrong with me?

I shook the thoughts away and pointed to her feet. "No shoes?"

She shrugged. "I run faster without them."

I laughed. "You ran here? I'm flattered."

"No. I was being chased by some weird and awfully scary animal in the forest. I was simply protecting myself from being eaten."

I gave her a funny look and took the popcorn out of the microwave when it beeped. "Sure. I got a movie to watch. I wasn't sure what you liked so I got Pirates of the Caribbean. I figured it was a universal favorite."

She gave an approving nod. "Fine with me. Johnny Depp is hot and I love pirates." She strode into the living room. Belinda gave me an encouraging thumbs up while I brushed passed her and took the popcorn into the living room. I sat down on one side of the couch, Jemma placing herself on the complete opposite end as far away as she could. I didn't know whether to just deal with it or be highly offended. I didn't smell . . . at least, I didn't think so.

I placed the popcorn on the cushion between us and slid the movie in, absentmindedly turning out the lights, because it's what I did every time I watched movies with Belinda and Tony. When I sat back down on the couch, Jemma tensely called my name.

"What?" I asked, watching the previews and grabbing a handful of popcorn.

"It's really dark in here," she whispered.

I looked around. "Oh, yeah. Sorry. If you want I can turn on some more lights . . ."

"No, no, it's fine. The movie's started anyway. Don't worry about it." But she slid a little farther away anyway. What the hell did she think was going to happen? 

"Popcorn is my favorite snack, next to lemonade," she whispered suddenly, some time into the movie, eyes still trained on the screen.

"Really?" I asked, turning to look at her. Her black hair was swept over to one side and I could see the images of the television in her grey eyes. Her black-painted nails ravenously shoved popcorn into her mouth. I watched her jaw as she chewed and her eyes when she blinked, and she never, not once, noticed I was staring at her.