Page 10 of Madness Blooms

“Hello, Miss Lawrence.”

George Tyler, my boss, emerges from the storage room across the shop. He gawks at me, his eyes roaming my body lewdly; he was probably ogling my ass again. Bile rises in my throat and threatens to spill all over the carpet, but I muster a pleasant smile. Before I can say anything, Maryanne returns from the back room and hands me my check.

Stuffing the envelope into my bag, I mumble, “Thanks. Gotta go.” After tugging the zip closed, I practically dash to the exit—but something prevents me from leaving. I feel like a deer in headlights as Mr. Tyler presses a palm into the small of my back.

“Leaving without saying goodbye?” He frowns. “I thought Diane taught you better than that.”

Hearing my mother’s name on his lips makes my skin crawl. “I’m s-sorry,” I stutter. “I just came here to get my check. I didn’t mean to?—”

“She has places to be,” a voice edged with malice interrupts.

I’m on the verge of tears as Luke, jaw set, glares down at Mr. Tyler. My boss scowls at him for a second before releasing me. I’m grateful for Luke’s presence, but part of me is more worried than ever about losing my job. Mr. Tyler has made passes at me before, but nothing as bold as this; he must be getting impatient.

And that scares me.

Mr. Tyler scoffs and walks away, disappearing into the back room. I paint on a smile and look at Luke; his eyes are cold, like a void. I try not to cower under his countenance.

“Let’s go,” he says, draping his arm over my shoulder.

Is it so much to ask that my boss have a heart attack and drop dead before my next shift?

Praying to whatever god would listen, I get into Luke’s car, and we drive off toward the cineplex.

Chapter

Five

HER

The route to the cineplex leads to an older part of Ashburn—the supposed ‘historical’ sector. Here, even more buildings and businesses are seemingly stuck in time. As if this entire damn town isn’t a fossilized relic to begin with.

The Ashburn Theatre, on the other hand, stands out as a gleaming gem in a town that has long since passed its prime. It’s a stunning tribute to the more visually appealing eras of the past, with its Art Deco architecture being one of my personal favorites. The theater’s design and preservation make it a genuine work of art.

I stare out the car window, reminiscing about the last time I went to the theater. Jimmy had persuaded me to see a horror movie that I had no interest in. All I really wanted was to spend time with him like a lovesick puppy. But his dumb friends crashed our date, invading our space and ruining any chance at romance, a hot make-out session—or maybe even more.

My low self-esteem is the reason I stayed in the relationship. And despite the cautionary warnings I ignored from friends that Jimmy was a total piece of shit. Now, I can’t help wondering if I’m making the same mistake again by clinging to the next guy who shows more than just an interest in my vagina. I steal a glance at Luke as he pulls into the theater’s parking lot—and something in my core stirs pleasantly.

Not that I’dactuallymind if he’s interested in my vagina.

Luke pulls into a parking spot and turns off the engine. “We’re here.”

Unsure of what to say and afraid of sounding like an idiot, I struggled to make small talk with Luke during the ride. It’s not a skill of mine, so we mostly rode in silence, aside from the radio. “Cool,” I blurt out, forcing a smile.

After pocketing his keys, he walks around to my side of the car and opens the door before offering me his hand. I want to protest that I’m not delicate, that I won’t shatter like glass. But I swallow my apprehension, my heart racing as I intertwine my fingers with his.

I inhale the brisk air as we cross the parking lot and head to the front of the theater. A light breeze catches my hair, and I shiver. Luke notices and draws me closer, his broad chest warm and comforting. Safe. I lose myself in the bliss of security when we come to a stop at the ticket booth.

“What are you here for?” asks the operator, not bothering to look away from her dog-eared book.

Luke pulls out his wallet and looks at me, seeking my approval. I nod, and he clears his throat. “Two tickets to the Friday the 13th marathon, please.”

The ticket booth operator finally looks at us, giving me a disapproving once-over before focusing on Luke. She seems incredulous at the thought of someone like me being with someone like him, as evidenced by her quirked brow. Finally, she smiles at Luke, a friendly expression on her face. “Sure. That’ll be six dollars, please.”

He eyes her name tag and plucks the correct amount from his wallet. “Here you go,” he says, sliding the bills toward her.

She giggles as she snatches the money. “These tickets will give you access to the entire marathon.” She enters some information into the register, deposits the cash, and gives him the tickets. “Have fun.”

Luke takes them, pulls me closer, and puts on a pleasant grin. “Thank you, Christina. Have a good day.”

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