Chapter - IV

Arlo ran up the stairs and stepped into the almost quiet foyer of the theatre, pausing for a moment to get his breath and watching his clock, he was late for the movie and he'd called Wren and asked about it, "Hi Wren," he said, "Are you guys still in the diner?" 

"No, we have left the diner," silence permeated his dull room and he stood there thinking, "I really missed my chance." The wind and rain outside had gone away but the clouds were still there. "Okay alright Wren, maybe we all can meet up next time." The sadness infused in his voice

"Wait, now we are going to the theatre and Paola has already booked your ticket, so if you want then you can come join us." A luminous smile jutted on his face and the excitement filled him. "Okay, I will be there, thank you." The terrazzo floor had a faintly darkish color and the posters lined the walls of the hallway, Arlo stood there, listening to his own deep breaths and watching the crowds dispersing into the dark rooms, "So I am not late I guess." He opened a door and walked to a dark room packed with a sea of darkened heads that flowed downwards to the brightly lit screen, he stood there in the door, letting his eyes adjust. He scanned them all, looking for Paola, a blond girl, still, it was showing some advertisement, "Ah yes, it's the right one," he took a deep grateful breath and eased his tension as he saw Paola, sitting there with her left seat emptied, "So she had saved a seat for me?" He surpassed the dimly light aisle, awkwardly, passing those who had already seated but at last, he reached there, "Hi," he took his seat.

"Arlo," she said, taking a strand of hair behind her ear, "So you are here after all," her voice was sharp, "Yeah, so sorry," 

"What kind of friend are you?" Anger infused in her voice, "I am so sorry, now won't you forgive your best friend?" She averted her face, he could feel her anger, radiating like an exquisite wave of the ocean. Her long blond hair was perfectly styled and her dress, a short skirt, Brasserie, and a red jacket, always catching the eyes of guys, and as sexy as a girl like Paola, she was his oldest friend, he met her when he was 8, always watching a movie during nights at her house, it was a romantic movie, an 8-year-old boy watching the movie with a girl the same age as his, "You like romantic movies, right?" Arlo asked, "Yes, I very much like it, it's not like your those favorite horror movies," the snow had started to fall several hours before they began to watch a movie, a few flakes first in the dull grey afternoon and then wind-driven swirls around her front porch, the loudly breeze rattling on the window and the clouds screaming a thunder, her dogs barking behind and then there it was, a kissing scene, "Huh….. I wonder," she said, pausing the movie and staring at the mosaic ceiling, "How does it feel to kiss someone," 

"You wanna try it?" He asked with a genteel smile, the priceless silence grew between them and she kept locking her eyes to him, "You want to kiss me?" She asked

"I also want to know how a kiss feels?" 

"I don't know what to say," she said, dejection was there in her voice and then he averted his eyes to the window outside

"Look, the snow," he said and stared at the window outside, the movie had started and the silence permeated the widened black room, Paola was still silent and locking her eyes to the big screen, Wren was there sitting to her left and some guys were behind, were they behind them because of Paola? She smelled very faintly of oranges and her breasts were truly like an 18-year-old girl, Arlo leaned to her ears and whispered, "Are you still angry?" She didn't respond and kept her eyes on the screen, he could hear the guys behind, whispering about her, "Look at her, she's so beautiful and sexy," but she was so focused on the movie and didn't notice them, "I think you are not comfortable with me being here," Arlo said, "Should I leave?" Once again no response came. "Alright then," he said, "I think I should go now, enjoy your movie." sadness infused in his tone as he almost rose up but then a hand held his palm, he turned around and found Paola holding his hand, "Sit down you dummy," a gratifying smile on her face, he sat down, "You dummy," she said, "I can't be angry with you for so long," 

"Thank You, Paola," he said, "I will try not to do this next time," she smiled at him and turned her eyes to the screen. The interval was over and he was having a boring evening there but was happy as he got a chance to leave those depressing moments even if it meant just an evening, "It's so boring, Paola, how can you like this movie?" He asked, "Shut up and let me watch," Wren seemed focused too and was looking at the bright screen, a mundane and toxic movie. "We should still go to your house and play with your dogs like we used to do," he said, "Or maybe we can watch a movie together like the old days, how does that sound?" He said, "Can't you stay shut?" She said with anger radiating from her, "Okay, I will not disturb you," he stayed there watching some scenes full of stupidity, a kid playing outside with the gusts of snow cascading, "A stupid kid," he thought, "What is his mother doing? It would be so cold there." He kept watching but soon got bored, after a moment he put one bare foot behind the other, meaning to turn and leave to the washroom. When suddenly a hand brushed his thigh, he paused, startled, waiting, when his best friend Paola's fingers ran lovingly up the seam of his jeans…...