Secret Red

Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Alison, Layla and Zoe arrived at the mall half an hour before the scheduled movie time. They strolled towards the cinema to find Rob and Corey already waiting by the concession stand.

"Hey Ally, you came! My favorite vixen lady." Rob shouted, waving from the distance.

"Hey Newbie, didn't know you'd be here too! I hope you don't mind I asked some of the boys to come too." Corey said casually.

"You're warning her but you didn't tell me. We've been here for like fifteen minutes dude! Ugh, Jason is going to give me the stare again." Rob whined placing his hands on his head.

"Dude, you're acting such a wuss man. There are girls here. Anyway, you know he won't do anything to you, I got your back." Corey said lifting his eyebrows, smiling showing his perfectly aligned teeth, tapping his chest with his fist.

"Hey, what's up!" He turned just in time to greet his friends giving them each their signature elbow tug one by one.

"Guys, you've met Alison." He introduced them.

"Hey Ally, didn't know you'd be here too! Jason be nice." Shane greeted while Jason rolled his eyes.

"I'll be sitting beside Ally, my man." Corey placed his arms around her shoulder.

"Get your hands off her Corey, you don't want to mess with her." Shane said standing beside Layla who was standing beside Alison. He was probably the tallest boy in the group although perhaps only by a mere inch compared to Jason.

"Hey, have you listened to the playlist?" He asked Layla.

"Yeah, didn't know you have a good taste in music." She teased.

"Good taste? I have great taste in music!" He returned walking beside her.

"So, who wants popcorn? Cause, I'm not sharing!" Corey stated as they all walked towards the queue while Jason continued to stay quiet and walked with his eyes glued to his phone. They went inside the theatre and took their seats to watch the new thriller movie about a serial killer savaging the whole town targeting at teenagers, typical. Corey sat beside Alison undoubtedly as he said he would. Throughout the whole movie, he was making weird and annoying sound that vexed her to the point that she had to give him a final whispered warning not to try to be funny and let her watch in peace which he reluctantly complied.

After a few moment of peace, Alison stole a glance towards Corey who was ordinately quiet beside her. She turned to a popcorn box head tilting from side to side like a bobblehead. That was where Alison drew the line and flicked his bucket so loudly which startled him and surprisingly made them laughed together. Trying to control her giggles, she looked around and noticed Jason smirked at the hilarious scene. He's actually quite cute, unfortunately everything else about him sucks. After the movie ended, the girls went to the bathroom while the boys waited outside. As soon as the girls stepped out to join them, Jason was pointing his fingers at Rob yelling something, eventually Rob stepped back and left.

"What happened?" Zoe asked looking at Jason who just shook his head.

"Why do you have to be such a bully!" Alison yelled in frustration seeing her friend walked away alone, the day that might've been perfect was ruined because of Jason, again.

"Stay out of it, Ariel. Don't meddle with things you don't know." He retorted.

"It's obvious you're being a jerk." She rebuffed.

"Stop assuming things you don't know. I won't say it again. Mind your own business."

"I'll keep saying it again, it's my business when you're being mean to Rob." She asserted.

"All right, all right. That's enough. I think we should just chill, alright. I'll get Rob. You both need to stop arguing already." Shane tried to calm the situation, while Zoe held Alison's arm trying to calm her down as well.

"I'm leaving, you coming?" Jason looked at Corey who gave an apologetic expression to the group.

"See you Monday." He left with Jason and Shane who was going after Rob.

"What is wrong with him?!" Alison exasperated.

"Oh Alison... I know the whole thing bothers you... but perhaps Jason might have his own reason behind everything that's going on. Though, I'm not siding anyone here, both are my dear friends." Layla expressed in such torment.

"What do you mean? You saw how he kept on being mean to Rob, right? That's just not the way you treat people, especially not friends." She exasperated.

"Jason is actually a nice guy when you get to know him, Al." Layla said softly.

"I don't plan on getting to know him. He's an insolent prick!"

"You see, actually Rob and Jason were friends until Rob dated his sister and they kind of broken up a while ago." What? Really? "To fan the flames, now Rob is trying to reach her again which infuriates Jason. He warned him to stay away from her but he simply refused. You can't really blame either of them, really. Jason is just acting what a protective brother would do, while Rob is trying to win her love back or something..." She trailed.

"Oh. Well at least he shouldn't be so ruthless towards him. I just pitied Rob that he was being cornered by him most of the time and he just accepts it. He doesn't have to make him feel so small all the time." She suddenly felt guilty for judging him too early but tried to justify herself.

"I know, me too. I guess Rob knew he was in the wrong to have hurt his sister in the first place. We just try to let them sort things out themselves, which they will eventually, they always do. Jason, Rob and Corey have been friends since forever. Corey would step in whenever they go out of line but so far, Jason never once got out of line." Layla explained looking at Alison.

"I hope so." She stated as they walked towards the parking lot.

"I'm so proud of you to be able to stand up for people like that, though, Ally." Zoe commended.

"I tried to." She smiled lightly.

"No, not everyone that can do that. You're brave to stand up for what you believe in. But just be careful not to cause trouble for yourself, though." She warned but can't help and feel proud to know Alison in person.

"Not to worry. I can take care of myself, my dearest friends." She winked her long lashes towards her friends, they got into the car and drove home.