ten
1918 Words
“You’re early.”
Appie stared at her mother busy in the kitchen. She couldn’t help but feel that her mother was a magician. Just two hands but doing so many things at the same time. She wasn’t sure she could ever be as good as her mother.
“Yes,” Appie said. “I’m not going to class today.”
“Oh? Why? Something to do with last night?”
Appie was looking at her mother’s back. Her mother didn’t as much as turn the head. But it was like her mother had eyes in the back of the head. Appie could never hide anything from her mother. And maybe that was why she never even tried.
“Yes. And no. Actually, yeah. We had a little disagreement. I need some time away.”
“So, you’re not going out with your friends? But also not all by yourself.”
“Why wouldn’t I go by myself?”
“Because that’s not you. My little girl can’t go off a whole day by herself. I don’t want you to become someone able to do that. I don’t want you to become so strong. You’re perfect as you are now. So, tell me. Who are you spending the day with?”
Appie hesitated. The pause was so long, breakfast was prepared and served. And her father and mother were both sitting at the table, next to each other, staring at her for the answer.
“There’s a boy in my class,” Appie said.
“I thought you wanted to tell after the finals?”
Appie stared at her mother. Her mouth hung open in surprise.
“I did,” Appie said. “I do. I won’t tell you everything. Just this. There’s a boy. In class. He’s nice.”
“His name?” Her father asked.
“Bee.”
“You’re sure he’s nice?” Her mother asked.
“Yes. Absolutely.”
Her parents stared hard. She met their eyes without flinching. After a long while, they nodded.
“Stay safe,” her father said.
“Be careful,” her mother added.
“And have fun,” her father added.
They then started eating.
Appie’s parents, both, worked in the government. They even worked in the same building, though different departments. Patty, Appie’s mother, worked in the planning department. Artie, Appie’s father, worked in the accounts department.
Their marriage was arranged by the families. Patty and Artie met on a blind date. The attraction was instant. The marriage was happy and loving. They were a beautiful couple. And that was evident for all to see.
Appie wanted to have a marriage like her parents’. That had been her longest held dream. And she made no secret of it.
She gobbled down her breakfast fastest she could. And rushed out.
“Bye mom, dad,” she screamed from the door. She waited long enough to hear them.
“Bye.”
Her parents spoke as one. And Appie smiled.
She was at the bus stop a half hour early. Sure enough, she didn’t see her friends. The bus arrived a minute later. Not the one that took her to college, but the one that went to Bee’s house.
As she sat in the front of the mostly filled bus, it started to sink in. She was going on a date with Bee. Their first date. The smiles couldn’t be contained. And the flights of imagination were unstoppable.
She saw Bee at the stop before even getting off the bus.
“I was hoping to go to your home,” she grumbled in complaint.
He laughed. Flicker her forehead.
“What was that?” She asked, stunned.
“What?” He asked, looking at her.
“That,” she said, pointing at his hand.
“Oh,” he said, realisation dawning upon him. And then, froze from not knowing how to continue.
“I like it,” she said, beaming. “You already like me more than you realise yourself. See. You can actually accept it. We can be a couple.”
“Yeah, sure,” he said. Not meaning it, of course. “Where are we going?”
She looked at what he was wearing. And what she was wearing. And had an idea.
He had on a light blue t-shirt and dark blue jeans. On his feet were a pair of floaters, the same floaters he wore every day.
She had decidedly come wearing a t-shirt and jeans too. Even had floaters on her feet. Her t-shirt was a dark green. And her floaters were very different. At least, the jeans were the same blue.
“What’s your waist?” She asked.
“36,” he said. “Fat. I know.”
He was chubby. He thought of himself as fat.
She didn’t agree.
“A little chubby. Maybe. Not fat. No problem. We’ll get you thin. Like me. I’m 28.” She looked at her waist.
“And why does that matter?” He asked.
“What? The waist size?”
He nodded.
“If we are the same size, we could wear the same jeans,” she said.
“And why would we do that?” He asked.
She didn’t answer. Instead, she wrapped her arms around his. They were glued together. From the right angle, they appeared to be hugging.
“What are you doing?” He asked, trying to pry himself free.
“Just stay,” she said.
There was something in her voice that made him stop. He sighed. And relented.
She smiled, and pressed further. Her hand found his. And she locked fingers.
He instinctively rejected, but quickly stopped himself.
They were at the bus stop. But neither knew which bus to take.
“Taxi?” She asked.
He nodded. “Do we know where we are going?”
“Yeah, we do.”
They walked away from the bus stop, a few feet. Flagged down the first taxi they saw.
“Phoenix Mall,” she said to the driver.
They sat in the back, as the taxi drove them to the destination. Their arms still entwined. Their fingers still locked. She was by the window. And she held him close. At some point, she leaned even closer, and rest her head against his shoulder.
“What do you think you’re doing?” He asked.
“Just let me,” she said. “I need it.”
He let her be. He didn’t realise his own head tilt, lean against the top of hers. Neither spoke. Neither broke the spell. Neither disturbed this moment. The forty five minute drive was warm and precious.
The mall wasn’t open. But the cinemas on the sixth floor were. There were shows as early as 9 am. It was past 10 now. The ticketing office was on the ground level. Open to the outside of the mall. They bought tickets for a movie with a show starting in twenty minutes. The theatre was pretty much empty, with it being a Wednesday and the movie being in its third week. Though critically well received, the movie wasn’t a massive box office success. Everyone who would want to see the movie had seen it. And this was probably it’s last week in the cinemas. Appie knew about the movie, and had even wanted to watch it. She just didn’t want to go without Bee. And now, she felt that fate was helping her.
There was a separate elevator from the ticketing office to the cinemas. They wouldn’t have to enter the mall.
“I so wanted to watch this movie,” Appie said as they rode the elevator up.
“Why didn’t you?” Bee asked.
The two of them had the elevator all to themselves. They could speak at normal volume, like themselves.
“The rest of them went on the first week,” she said, without answering his question. “They loved the movie. Milly and Abe even saw it a second time, with the other boys. Abe was going. And Milly went along. Even though the two of them were seeing the movie a second time, it didn’t lessen the experience one bit.”
“You can just go. Why do you want to deny yourself something you really like and want?”
“Okay. I’ll just go from now on. And you will come with. I’m not going without you.”
She pressed his hand tighter, showing that she meant it, and revealing her nervousness. She was afraid he would say no.
And having seen that, he couldn’t bring himself to say no.
“Fine,” he said. “I’ll come. You should have just told me. It’s not as if I hate movies now. I’m just not the same interested.”
“And you can’t fake it anymore,” she added. “You can’t copy others anymore.”
“I just don’t have it in me to mimic,” he said, with a laugh.
The elevator doors opened. They walked out. Holding hands. They hadn’t come with their backpacks or their books. Neither tried to keep today a secret. She just had her handbag. And his wallet was in his back pocket, until they met. And then, his wallet was deposited in her handbag. There was more than enough space inside. And so, there was only the one bag between them. Their phones were in the pockets of their jeans.
Their phones were both buzzing. They had both received many messages. Hers a lot more than his. And both decidedly ignored their phones.
They walked into the theatre, and the lights weren’t even turned off yet. They found their seats. The seats were in the middle of the row, giving them the best view of the screen. Even after sitting down, she didn’t let go of his arm. She was resting against him, holding his hand, their fingers intertwined. And so they sat through the movie.
It was a thriller. An engrossing movie about the police trying to catch a killer. The movie was dark and chilling. The kind of movie whose effect lingered for days.
As they walked out of the theatre after the movie, it was obvious who was more affected. Appie could shake it off easily. Bee needed time and needed to put in effort.
“It was that good?” Appie asked.
“Yeah,” Bee answered.
“Hmm. It was very good. I know just the thing, to cheer us up.”
She pulled him along into the mall. The stores were all open. They walked into her favourite brand’s store. Browsed the t-shirts on display. Found the one she was looking for. A white t-shirt with a pair of concentric black circles in the front. She grabbed one in her size. And one in his.
“Now, it’s like a date,” she said.
They changed into the white t-shirts. And walked out the store in those t-shirts. Bee had to admit, they did look like a couple. Even more so as they walked so close, holding hands.
Next stop was lunch.
“Pizza,” she said.
“Pizza,” he agreed.
“Let’s eat at home,” she said.
“Okay.”
An hour later, they were in his home. They were in the living room. Sitting on the ground. The two hot pizzas and the bottle of soda between them.
Appie’s phone rang.
She looked at him. He shrugged.
And they pulled out their phones.
- Writer
