Page 176 of White Raven
Athan glanced over, and Rhaena stuck her nose in between them. “My detective brain is tingling. There’s a story here. What the hell is‘The Rocky’?”
“Out with it,” Brandon laughed.
“Wren, don’t you dare.”
Of course, she didn’t listen. All too eager to humiliate her. “The Rocky Horror Picture Show!” she giggled.
“Dammit, Janet!” Sarah snorted. Wren exploded in laughter.
“I’m so confused,” Brent said, shaking his head as they approached the ticket window. Everybody stopped, and Athan crossed his arms as they all waited for one of them to explain.
“It’s the best movie ever made,” Wren snickered, “Especially theunderwear run…” Sarah hid her face behind her palms. “Right, best friend?” She tortured, elbowing her.
“I fucking hate you.”
“Brad, I’mmadddfor you too!” Wren sang, cackling as she threw an arm around her shoulders. Athan grinned at her, and Rhaena stood smirking as they waited for more explanation.
“Theunderwearrun?” Athan teased.
“It’s the part of the movie where everybody strips down and runs laps around the theater. She loves that part,” Wren continued, clutching Sarah’s shoulders.
“And you don’t?” Brent argued, laughing.
“Shit…are you kidding? I led the pack,” Wren grinned. “When me and Sarah first met, we started going like once a month with the rest of Boston’s weirdos. Good times.”
“If any of you think for one second that I’m doing that shit, then I’ll start walking back to the car right now,” Rhaena said, pointing a finger at all of them. Brandon cut in, sliding his arm around Rhaena’s waist.
“No, no…I’ll be needing the time and dates for every showing of this movie,” he chuckled. Rhaena whacked him in the stomach.
Athan pulled her hands away from her face and drew her towards him as they turned toward the ticket booth. “Two forBram Stoker’s Dracula,” he smiled, side-eyeing her, and pulling out his wallet. The girl behind the counter recognized Sarah, and Sarah made sure to boggle her eyes and shake her head as Athan paid for the tickets she slid under the window. “So, this is what the cool kids do on Friday nights when they’re not hanging out in shady clubs with a bunch of life-sucking parasites?” he grinned.
Sarah snatched the tickets. “Shut it, detective.”
“You’re joking, right?” Brent sounded from behind them, as Wren asked for two more tickets. They turned and faced him, and the lawyer shook his head as he rubbed the back of his neck. “This is what we’re seeing?”
“What’s the matter, Brent? Not the stagnant, rich-boypiano baryou were hoping for?” Wren nudged. Sarahremembered that comment from the night at Black Bird Tavern. Now, it seemed like so long ago after everything that had happened between them all.
“I’ve gotta piano bar for you, Vintorri,” he said under his breath. Whatever he did after that earned him a hand slap, and Sarah couldn’t help her grin. Everything had changed. It was gonna keep changing now, but…thispeace. This warm happiness they’d all found…damn it was wonderful.
This core memory had been unlocked and would live rent-free in her mind for the rest of her extremely long life.
Athan’s boot rested on the top of the seat in front of them as his knee bent and held the huge bucket of popcorn between him and Sarah. His eyes were glued to the screen, and he blindly shoved popcorn into his mouth. He hadn’t noticed that she’d been staring at him for God only knew how long.
“What?” he asked, glancing at her for only a second, and then returning his eyes to the screen. He wasn’t about to admit that he was very much enjoying the show. Even better, there was absolutely no one else here other than their crew, and they’d all scattered about the small theater to give each other—space.
Sarah reached for another handful of popcorn, and smiled as she opened her mouth to pop a few kernels in. “Every time his fangs come out, so do yours,” she whispered, giggling.
“Liar,” he whispered through his mouthful. Sarah huffed a laugh beside him, twining her fingers through his. Athan smirked.
“Okay.” He loved Dracula. Totally misunderstood individual. He seriously considered buying a tophat after tonight. “They’re out right now,” she grinned, poking his leg.
“Watch the movie, woman.” Athan shoved another fistful between his teeth, and his knuckle scraped against one of his extended fangs. “Ow…” His elbow jabbed into Sarah’s arm as she snickered beside him.
“So…you’re actually learning how to cook, and now you like movies. My work here is done,” she laughed.
“I wouldn’t say that,” he argued, completely intrigued by the movie, and not able to tear his eyes away. “Plenty of shit left for me to learn.”
“No…I’ve domesticated you.” Her hand slid toward his other knee, and she squeezed.
