“Yeah,” Hayley added with a little impatience. “The movie’s going to start before we even get there.”
I squinted over at Hayley, her broad smile on display to take the sting away. She hugged me, and I could smell her citrus perfume as I hugged her back. I brushed a lock of light brown hair from her face and looked into clear gray eyes. Hayley was a little on the thicker side, but it suited her. She was just as lovely in a pair of jeans with a camisole and knit sweater overtop of that.
Even as they lectured me for being late, they smiled, and it felt good to join in. We didn’t have all the same classes, but I met them both in different classes, and over the past couple weeks, I thought we’d grown close.
“Sorry, sorry,” I said with a chuckle. “I lost track of the time, just a little bit though. I’m here, aren’t I? Let’s go so we aren’t really late.”
I didn’t want them to ask why I was late, because I knew I would blush. I’d been texting with Noah before I got the reminder. Tracey and Hayley didn’t know about our relationship yet. We weren’t particularly trying to hide anything, we hung around together on campus a lot, and someone could have seen us headed to his dorm more than once, but neither of us had explicitly told anyone anything. I hadn't even met his roommates any of the times I showed up to his room.
Maybe, later, I would tell them. Tonight, though, was going to be a girl’s night out.
There was a movie theater not too far away from the school. It took about fifteen minutes to walk, though it could have been faster if we weren’t moving slowly as we talked and laughed on the way. The movie we were going to see was a recent rom-com that was adapted from a book. I hadn't read it, but plenty of people said it was good.
“What’s everyone having?” I asked as we moved to the snack booth.
I ordered a bunch of candy bars and waited for the other two to make their selection. It was my day to treat us, so I paid, and we made our way to where the movie was playing.
“Do you think this movie is going to be any good?” Tracey asked with some doubt. “I checked out the book, and there are a lot of glowing reviews, but there are some scathing ones that make a good argument, too.”
The place wasn’t too crowded. There was plenty of time before the room would start filling up since a lot of people ignored the advertisements that came before the actual movie. We ignored them as they played on the screen, found some good seats, and sat down.
“Lots of people say the movie is good, though,” I said. “Even the ones that didn’t like the book when they read it. I haven’t looked at it myself…”
In high school, I’d read a lot. I was more social now than I used to be back then. Although, mostly, it was with Noah. When Tracey and Hayley asked me to go to the movies with them, I said yes because I felt I was spending a little too much time with Noah lately. I needed to socialize with others a little more. For one thing, our relationship wasn’t defined by anything, other than we met up often and had plenty of sex. Also, I loved having female friends.
“I saw one of the actors in a different movie, and he was really good,” Hayley said, sipping her drink. “If he’s in this movie, then it shouldn’t be too terrible, right?”
As the time grew closer, more and more people filled the room. The murmurs grew, and we went quiet as we waited for the movie to start.
The opening started, and I relaxed back into my seat, taking out a candy bar. As the movie progressed, I found myself pulled into the story. Tracey and Hayley whispered a little as it went on, but I didn’t say a word, watching it the whole time. It was a coming of age romance story that was more fit for teens, but it wasn’t terrible. Still, at the end of the movie, I didn’t think it was anything that remarkable.
“It surprisingly wasn’t terrible,” Tracey said and looked around as we waited for people to clear before we left.
“It could have been better,” Hayley said with a frown. “She picked the wrong guy at the end. Can you imagine even having three different guys after you? I’ve never even dated before. How about you, Sara?”
The two of them turned to me, and I was stunned for a moment. The roles had completely reversed, the last time I’d had this conversation, I hadn’t dated anyone, I’d never had sex, and had been judged for it. Now, my two friends were in my place and I was the one that had the experience.