Chapter 5: Tacos, Movies, Diary

Rachel jumps into the passenger seat of the jeep again, like she had been so many days in these last couple months, she wonders if Skye knows how much their friendship meant to her, especially after what happened to her jeep. She feels guilty for all the things she keeps from Skye and wishes she could be as good a friend to her as Skye was goot to Rachel.

Skye: "Tacos! Tacos! Tacos! How many do you think I can eat, probably ten, I think the max that I had was like six-"

Rachel: "Um... Marcus and I got a fight today."

Skye: "Oh... No tacos?"

Rachel: "No, look i told him i wanted to do it tonight at his house and he chickened out."

Skye: "What?! That's like every guy's dream."

Rachel: "I feel bad, I feel I shouldn't pressure him like this."

Skye: "Do you feel like he said no because you're pressuring him or like what if he's like 'No I can't I got to have a purity ring I can't do with this girl, I'm Marcus'."

Rachel: "No it's probably a good thing he turned me down though right? he wants it to mean something, I was just so embarrassed, I have to let him know, I'm sorry, I can't leave it like that."

Skye: "Yeah, I mean why are you saying sorry to me i mean, talk to him he obviously means a lot to you, even though you guys haven't been dating that long-"

Rachel: "A couple months!"

Skye: "Okay, after Sammy you deserve a good guy and the way he stuck up for Billy he seems like he's kind of cool."

Rachel: "It's really great, I wish you two were better friends... I'm sorry i didn't mean it."

Skye: "I mean..."

Rachel: "Sorry about that"

Skye: "Nah it's okay" feeling awkward thinking if her and Marcus will ever be friends.

Rachel: "It would just make things so much easier if you two got along, it puts me in such a weird position."

Skye: "I don't not get along with him, he's just... Marcus"

Rachel: "What does that even mean?"

Skye: "Everything obviously"she says quietly.

Rachel: "No please enlighten me Skye what does 'he's just Marcus' even mean?"

Skye: "I mean... you- listen I get it we're getting older and boyfriends are gonna take up a bit more of our time, but like the way you are with Sammy, I didn't even exist anymore you were just like gone and it feels like almost the same thing is happening again with Marcus, and I can't help but get a little scared that i'm gonna lose you all over again you're my best friend."

Rachel: "You're not... gonna lose me this time okay i just- I need my time... ugh that doesn't make any sense. I just wish you two could get along that's all, just try to be... friends... with him."

Skye: "See how you said it."

Rachel: "I know-"

Skye: "You know what! Because dearest, best friend of mine Rachel, because it is important to you it is important to me so I will try! I will try cause you mean a lot to me and I don't want to lose that, if that make things easier for you then it'll make things easier for us and if i could get to hang with you more cool, who know maybe Marcus and I have some common ground."

Rachel: "I think you do."

Skye: "You know, Tacos it's a great place to start free Tacos, goodbye my love, you know that."

Rachel smiles and shakes her head and ask Skye to take them to the deer crossing fuel station or one of 1990s greatest technological advancements is reduced to a teen hangout spite operated currently by one decent kid Marcus Bennett and one juvenile delinquent Mallory Jenkins nineteen years old, senior

Mallory: "Welcome To TaCo bEll cAn I taKe youR OrdErrrrrr" He says with a jerking gesture to marcus as he speaks into his walk-up headset

Marcus: "Hey you're crazy man." he laughs but it doesn't last long, the sour mood returns, usually he is a little more amused by this, so Mallory continues to do it even longer.

Mallory: "Come on MarCusssss Tacooooosssss"

Marcus: "Look I'm not into the, Jaco Taco today, okay sorry man, i just- I've had a rough day all right."

Mallory: "What's with you? You barely said a word since you clocked in."

Marcus: "Alright let me tell you something Mallory and I know how you can be quite the blabber mouth but you gotta keep this between us, this is bro to bro okay? dude?"

Mallory: "I'm one hundred percent going to tell everyone and paint it all around the school, No I'm not really gonna do it, just tell me- wait hold on my mics still on"he speaks to marcus but directs it now to the headset "No you don't need to hear any of this just- it'll be done in like two minutes!""all right you're good"

Marcus: "Alright, so you know Rachel who I have been seeing for a couple of months or so?"

Mallory: "Yeah?"

Marcus: "So I think she wants to be... more than just dating, you know what I'm saying?"as he say this Mallory is gesturing obscene gestures to get the point.

Marcus: "Okay okay yeah would you stop that!"

Mallory: "So what's the problem man."

Marcus: "You know... what if like, my parents find out or what if she gets pregnant or whatever, you know there could be all kind of different things that can happen as a result of that, you know? I don't know if I'm ready for that"

Mallory: "Orrrrr, you could get your dick wet and feel great! You ever think about that one?"

Marcus: "Okay well, that's an option too, yes but, there's a lot of things that could happen after and also just what could happen with us like once you put that into the relationship it's very serious we've only been together for that long, but everytime she brings it up and i'm kind of like, 'but i want to but not right now' she gets all upset, I haven't even talked to her for the past week and the she showed and Skye was bloody and she punched her in the face or some crazy stuff, I don't know."

Mallory: "Yeah I heard she fought with a homeless guy."

Marcus: "That's- okay yeah sure whatever, you know how Skye is."

Mallory: "Yeah she's fucking nuts man, I'd tap that"

Marcus: "Yeah right you'd tap one of these tacos."

Mallory: "I'd tap tacos all the timeeeee"

Marcus: "Wait, your not supposed to do that! We gotta keep our A rating dude."

Mallory: "I was joking I don't fuck tacos, you don't really think I fuck tacos do you?"

Marcus: "Uh... Remember that one night and you were all like-"

Mallory: "Okay remember how we're not supposed to talk about things, that we're not supposed to talk about. I don't fuck tacos"

Marcus: "Alright alright, well anyways man, like what do i do here, how do i keep her happy with how you know, moving too fast?"

Mallory: "I don't know man, between you and me, I don't actually know how to talk to girls, you know this, like we had this discussion so many times, why are you me for help i'm literally the token virgin, I don't- why are you talking to me, like call up some helpline or something, get on the radio."

Marcus: "Look I know that I'm like famous on campus, and because you know, people assume cause of this, that means i got that."He points to his skin color and then points to his crotch. as this conversation is going a young individual is waiting on the counter, as he hears them talking looking weirdly at Marcus, Mallory hands him the bag of loose tacos and shoos him away to continue the conversation.

Marcus: "But... i haven't done it either man." he says quietly

Mallory: "I knoooow"

Marcus: "So i don't know like, the first time is supposed to be important."

Mallory: "Says who?"

Marcus: "Says every single movie we watch! Music starts playing and it's all slo-mo and then it's like under the cover sheet stuff depending on what the rating of the movie is and like it's always an important moment, but then they either makes things greater or make things worse, I don't know which it's gonna be, is it gonna be where we get the happy ending?"

Mallory: "You and I watch different movies, the ones I watch, it just keeps going and going-"

Marcus: "I'm talking about movies you get in front of the curtain at the video store man!"

Mallory: "Okay well those movies are eliciting like an overreaction from you because they're fucking movies man, look every dumbass you see in that parking lot, they fucked, i mean not at each other but everybody has sex dude, it's not a big deal, we're just like building it up to be too big of a thing, I bet it's not even that great anyway... I'm just saying that i don't really mean that"

Marcus: "I was about to say, you've painted many scenarios when we've talked here about that stuff."

Mallory: "Yeah... Painted these walls with my dick- nah i'm kidding, i'm just joking about man, this shit is making me uncomfortable!"

Marcus: "Well, it makes me uncomfortable but I gotta do something."

Mallory: "Yeah wait hold on."Mallory here someone from the headset and that is Rachel Jewel.

Rachel: "Uh yeah, can I talk to marcus please?"as Mallory faces Marcus

Mallory: "It's for you dude."

Marcus: "Alright give me the headset."

Mallory: "It's so stupid she could've just come through the door."

Marcus: "Okay just fill in the tacos for now."He puts on the headset and speaks into it that he's there

Rachel: "Hey uh- sorry about... earlier um, could you take a five minute break?"

Marcus: "Yeah sure, Mallory can keep everything down."

Rachel: "Yeah i'm sure the neanderthal can handle five minutes alone"

Marcus: "Hey hey okay, alright i'll be right there."

Rachel: "Okay just meet me out front."

Marcus: "Hey dude I gotta take a break to talk to Rachel."

Mallory: "Yeah yeah yeah, you gotta fix your, whatever, you know man just be cool, play it cool man."

Marcus: "What are you talking about? I am mr. cool, I invented cool!"spreading his arms confidently showing himself

Mallory: "You're sweating through your shirt."

Marcus: "That's... part of the cool that's cool sweat."

Mallory: "Pat yourself down man you look like a mess." he throws Marcus a towel as he uses it to pat off the sweat before heading out the front of the gas station where he sees Rachel leaning at the side of Skyes jeep.

Marcus: "Hey, what's going on? Girl"attempting to talk in a sultry voice

Rachel: "Why are you talking like that?"she says accusingly

Marcus: "I don't know I'm just you know-"

Rachel: "I've never heard you talk like that before."

Marcus: "I mean I'm just trying to you know? asking what's going on. Girl"

Rachel: "Um look okay, I'm sorry, I-Im sorr- Skye please back away, you don't have to hear all of this."

She calls her from inside the jeep. then Skye reaches through the passenger door and looks through with her head sticking out of the jeep.

Marcus: "Skye here's too!"

Skye: "I just came for the tacos, and like you guys are having this conversation, I'm just gonna leave now."

Rachel: "I'm sure Mallory will give you Tacos, he always does all the time."

Skye: "I don't want to touch any Tacos that guy gives me, Marcus after please can you like make the Tacos-"

Marcus: "Skye just back away!"

Skye: "I'm Backing up just- The Tacos?"

Marcus: "Okay I will get you the Tacos, just leave right now, get away from this area."

Rachel: "Just go stand from the other side of the gas station or something, i don't know?"

Skye: "This is my car!"

Marcus: "What the hell, why haven't you still changed your shirt, you still have blood on it!"

Skye: "Everyone needs to see this okay? It's like a work of art see you losers." as she leaves to the other side of the gas station.

Marcus: "That's your bestfriend."

Rachel: "That's fine nobody is gonna fuck with her obviously, it's fine. Look I just want to say I'm sorry, I overreacted- I mean no! no i didn't that's bullshit, I did not overreact, you know i just... I'm sorry"she says while trying to be patient and not lose her cool.

Marcus: "Look I'm sorry too, I didn't want to make it seem like didn't want to do more with you, i mean I've enjoyed everything that we've been in together, I mean everything from our first date, seeing home alone together to just hanging out in my place watching movies, talking, i mean you are one of the people i could just talk to for hours like about real stuff, I mean i've talk to Mallory for hours but not of that is real, just crazy dude talk but like with you i feel like the type of person that i want to be with when this is all done and I leave here and go back to LA you know? hopefully."

Rachel: "You can do all that and we will, we will, we'll do all that."

Marcus: "And that's why I got nervous because, it's been our dream of ours, when we've talked to say that when we want to do this. I was just worried that, if something happens with either getting caught or getting pregnant or whatever, that that could ruin everything and then we get stuck here, I've seen so many people that have been stuck because, they jumped into something so early and they don't get to fulfill their dreams, and then i figure that starts to happen then we can do everything! 🎶Everything we wanted to do, me and you.🎶"he says in trying to convince Rachel to what he is proposing, he tries to encourage her by dancing and holding her hand but Rachel doesn't budge and got mad at Marcus and simply says.

Rachel: "Stop! you're embarrassing me!"

Marcus: "Sorry i was just trying to make you feel better, to just lighten the mood."

Rachel: "Well I came into this mood already stressed, I wanted to say I'm sorry... we'll talk later."she sheds a tear while looking away at Marcus.

Marcus: "Look, look, why don't you just come over and talk abo-"

Rachel: "Well Talk Later, I promise."she says sternly, and then calling to Skye to get in the jeep

Marcus: "Okay well then I'll go get Skye some Tacos then, can you at least let me do that?" Rachel ignoring his statement, gets inside the jeep, buckles herself in, while Skye calls out to the dejected Marcus looking down to the ground moving his hand to his eyes trying to hide him wiping his tears.

Skye: "Marcus! Tacos!"

Rachel: "Can we just go, can we go"

Skye: "You promised me Tacos! You made me step away from my car."

Rachel: "Can We Please Just Go."

Skye: "I'm going through the drive-thru. dude i'm hella hungry!"she says this defiantly as she pulls up into the drive-thru.

Mallory: "What's up sexy."

Skye: "Oh god. Marcus! put Marcus on, I don't want to talk to you."

Mallory: "Marcus is crying in the bathroom I heard you want some tacos."

Skye: "Oh my god, not if you touch them!"

Mallory: "I'm the only one working right now babyyyyyy."

Skye: "Alright Rachel you were right, we're not getting tacos today and I hope your happy you disgusting- this isn't worth my time, i got blood on my shirt, I'm cooler than this, we're leaving, I don't need anything."as she drives past the drive-thru window she sees mallory mouthing a Taco.

Skye: "Disgusting freak!"

As she drives past they go through the river and arrived at Kollok Cinema as the two friends hug and say their goodbyes like they would on any other day, Rachel makes her way into the cinema for a seemingly normal night of work, cleaning the gum from the bottom of the stiff interlocking chairs and scraping burnt kernels off of white hot aluminum. Monday nights are the slowest night at the cinema, a night filled with elderly couples, and creepy middle aged men who arrive alone and leave halfway through the film. She clocks in and joins Mickey at the concession/ticket counter combo.

Rachel: "Hey uh, sorry I'm late."

Mickey: "What are you doing here I thought I was covering for you?"Rachel stutters as she figures another reason why she has come to the cinema

Mickey: "You know what, it's better you're here and I'm not alone with brad."

Rachel: "Yeah well you don't need to cover for me anymore."

Mickey: "Are you sure?"

Rachel: "I got it, things just didn't work out."

Mickey: "What didn't worked out? What happened?"

Rachel: "Oh it's nothing just uh, I was gonna... I was gonna fuck Marcus but he said no."she sighs heavily

Mickey: "Oh... um-"

Rachel: "I'm obviously have some pent-up aggression about this so sorry."

Mickey: "No it's okay um, do you want to like go take it out on the gum under the seats?"

Rachel: "No just no-"

Mickey: "You know I can still cover for you if you just wanna go home or-"

Rachel: "No! in fact, I owe you a favor, if you wanted to take off early tonight I could finish up, lock up by myself. I owe you, you've for me so much the last week."

Mickey: "You know I'd love to get out of here and just go write somewhere where i don't have to listen to the trash playing there."

Rachel: "Is there even anyone here tonight?"

Mickey: "Uh no, Brad left early so it'll just be you, and I don't think anybody is watching."

Rachel: "You'd think more creepers would be into this torture porn that's playing, then again strong leading females isn't really their thing."

Mickey: "Yeesh yeah, so you'll pretty much be alone, if you're okay with that?"

Rachel: "Yeah, it's fine, it's no big deal, I can handle it."

Mickey: "Alright um, as long as that's cool, you're okay."

Rachel: "Yeah, no I think I'll be good, I think I need some time alone time."

Mickey: "Okay I'll just head out and get some writing done or something, but I'll see you tomorrow?"

Rachel: "...Yeah" taken her long to reply she sighs heavily thinking about the predicament she's facing.

Mickey: "Okay be safe alright."

Mickey leaves the cinema and goes to a park to write out her feelings, leaving Rachel at the booth wondering if her friend will be alright by herself. Billy is standing in front of a tall mirror on his bedroom door.

Billy: "What's up Rachel, are you fewer than ninety degrees cause you're pretty acute... that's dumb. Hey hey Rachel, I'd like to make some right angles with you... no that's also dumb."

He looks at the mirror and sees his reflection, taking off his shirt, trying to flex some muscle that he does not have, then he notice at his door, the bag that Rachel left for him earlier during the end of the tutoring session. He approaches the bag, picks it up and inspects the inside and find his camera but also appears to be a diary, a locked diary, pale blue, well-kept almost pristine.

Billy: "Oh my gosh! Rachel's diary, I have to return this for sure, maybe I should try to open it?"he tries to but unfortunately it's a combination lock and every pattern he could think of does not work.

Billy: "sighs, maybe i should call her? No, I'll give it to her at school, she probably won't miss it."

The night comes to a close, Marcus upon finishing his shift at Taco Bell, tries calling Rachel, but there was no answer. Mickey makes her way home like any normal night, late as usual after spending a night writing. Skye sitting at her basement, painting minifigs for her DnD games although no one knows a thing that they exist or neither she plays such games, she's too cool for that. The day ends, nothing remarkable happened at all, as normal as normal can be in the town of Kollok.