Forever and Always

Elaine

Oh, God. Oh god. Why did I agree to this again? Cause you’re lonely and you have no life, so why not take any chance you can get to be in a relationship? Thank you, super supportive voice in my head. 

But why the movies. I mean, of all places. The movies are super romantic. Don’t you want it to be romantic? It’s a date for goodness sake. No. I really hope it isn’t a romantic movie. I will kill Willow. Oh, but scary movies are even worse. Then it’ll be like a whole vendetta against myself when it gets scary to hold his hand super tight. Or worse, put my head in his chest. Good old comedy will work just fine. But knowing Willow, it’s at least a drama.

What do I even wear? I don’t want to look like I’m trying too hard. Then again, first impressions are always important. I settle on a cute sweater with some tights and put my dirty blonde hair up in a messy bun. I check my phone and walk out to my car, making my way to Willow’s house.

***

 Once I’ve arrived a take a deep breath and walk out of the car to see Willow standing with a guy. 

My heart drops because it’s him.

We’ve been called a “cute couple” by random people for as long as I can remember. We’re best friends. He’s already my other half non romantically. How can I go on a date with him? I cross my arms as I near Willow. I glare at her with a look that says “you-are-so-dead-when-this-is-over-I'm-killing-you” She smiles back her toothy grin and pulls out her phone.

“Elaine. You’re one minute late! You guys’ll miss the movie if you don’t start walking now.”

“Walking?” Jacob says. Willow laughs and snatches the keys from my hand, running off towards my car.

“What the-You know, this doesn’t count as a blind date cause we know each other!” I yell after her, but she’s already driving away. The cold air blows past us and I shiver, pulling my arms around myself. Well, this is awkward.

“We better, um, start walking,” Jacob says, his green eyes not even close to contact with mine. I nod and we start shuffling our feet, making sure not to graze elbows. This is super weird. Why? We’re hugging friends. I think he carried me on his shoulders once. And now, here we are acting as we might as well be strangers. 

He elbows me. “Stop”

I elbow him back. “Stop what?” This is good. This is great. I can feel the awkward-o-meter slowly falling. Who cares if this is a so-called “date”? We can do things like we always do, like the best friends we-

“Stop playing with your bracelet. You don’t have to be nervous.” I let my hands that were indeed playing with my bracelet fall to my sides. This is why you’re not supposed to know the person you’re with on a blind date. They’re not supposed to know your nervous habits!

We finally reach the theater after a little more, slightly less awkward silence. Our tickets were bought electronically, so we just go to the desk to say our names.

“First Name-Elaine. Last Name-Flores.” I say. It’s under my name.

“Ah, yes, right here, Elaine and Jacob, correct? Great, you’ll be in theater number 5.” We walk towards the place they’re selling snacks first. We buy a large tub of buttered popcorn and go to the soda section.

I’m holding the popcorn off to the side and watching Jacob fail miserably at operating the machine. I can’t help but laugh. 

“What? This is-this is practically impossible," he sputters. I laugh again and shove the popcorn at him, easily pouring out our two cups of soda. He mutters something under his breath as we walk towards our theater number 5. Next to the door, I see a big poster for what looks like a horror movie. Great. Wonderful. Willow’s dead. We sit in the middle and settle ourselves into our chairs. We’re sort of early, so the lights in the theater are still on. I awkwardly eat some popcorn. 

So. This is going to be amazing. It’s a horror movie. There’s only one arm thing on the chair. WILLOW IS SOOOO DEAD. 

“Sooooo, this is awkward…”

“Yeah. I am so killing Willow after this.”

“Why? You always said I’d be a great boyfriend.” Jacob says, smirking.

“Wha-”

“Look, Elly, I didn’t have anything to do with this and I didn’t know you’d be here today. But I do know that if I have to sit awkwardly though a movie date with someone, I’m glad it’s you.” I feel heat rise to my cheeks as the theater lights turn off. Thank God. 

***

We’re about halfway through the movie. No super scary parts yet. I look over to Jacob. He’s been pretty quiet-He’s sleeping. He’s been staying up pretty late, so it’s not a surprise.

I gotta admit, he looks pretty peaceful. He’s not even drooling or anything. How does he look so perfect?!

I look back to the screen to see...clowns. About three of em. I knew a scary part would come on eventually. I’m terrified of clowns. Don’t ask. I shut my eyes tight and grip the arm of the chair. Shoot, I forgot there’s only one. I had to put my hand at the exact same place that Jacob’s hand is. I grip his hand instead of the chair. At least he’s sleeping. 

I peek and see that the clowns aren’t on the screen anymore. I fully open my eyes and look down at my hand, intertwined with Jacob’s. I then look up at his sleeping face. 

Do we really look like that cute of a couple?

I think I’ll just keep my hand where it is. Wouldn’t want to wake him, after all.

***

The movie’s over. The lights turn on. I feel a squeeze at my hand still holding Jacob’s.

I look up at his face to see him smile. I feel myself blush, but I don’t let go of his hand. We stand up, brushing popcorn off ourselves, still not letting go. Hand in hand, we walk out of the theater. 

“Oh, oh my gosh, you guys are such a cute couple.” a girl we pass by says. I look into Jacob’s big green eyes.

“W-”

“Thanks.” I cut him off. We walk by the park and sit on the swings. Here, our hands drop. I pull my arms around myself. I’m not self-conscious though, it’s getting cold. I look up at the moving trees.

 Seconds later, a big jacket is draped across my shoulders.“You looked cold.”

I smile and stand up, pulling it tighter around myself. “We should walk home now.” He nods. I get up from the swing and we start walking.

“I thought you hated it when people call us a cute couple.”

“Shut up and hold my hand.” He does, and we stay like that, forever and always.

Jacob

Blind dates are the worst. Why the heck did I let Willow drag me into this? I cannot sit through a movie with some random girl. I wonder what movie it is. I look outside, surveying the weather. 

It looks sorta windy. I don’t mind the cold, but I put on a big jacket in case she gets cold. Whoever she is. I check my hair and walk outside, going to Willow who’s standing right in front of her house, grinning from ear to ear. We’re neighbors, so I left just at 8 o clock when she told me to be ready. 

“Jacob! You’re just on time. Hold on, the girl is driving here, she should be here any-Oh, there she is!” a small white car pulls into the driveway. Hey, I sorta recognize that car...It’s probably a coincidence.

A pretty girl walks out, and when she turns her face towards us I nearly gasp. It’s my best friend. I can’t do this! It’s supposed to be a random girl, not a girl I’ve literally held on my shoulders, gotten detention with, and passed notes in class with!

“Elaine. You’re one minute late! You guys’ll miss the movie if you don’t start walking now.” Willow says, ignoring Elaine’s death glare.

“Walking?” I say, surprised. The girl, who I now know is Elaine, was supposed to drive both of us to the movies. But Willow laughs, snatching the keys from Elaine and running off to the car. 

 “What the-You know, this doesn’t count as a blind date cause we know each other!” she yells, but Willow is long gone. A gust of wind blows past us, and Elaine shivers. I’m about to give her my jacket but stop myself. That’s way too much of a romantic gesture. 

“We better, um, start walking,” I say, avoiding eye contact. This is so awkward. We start walking, slightly separated, when I notice she’s playing with her bracelet. I slightly smile. Looks like I’m not the only nervous one. 

I elbow her. “Stop” 

She elbows me back.“Stop what?”

“Stop playing with your bracelet. You don’t have to be nervous.” I say. She blushes and turns away, dropping her hands to her sides. Shoot, did I upset her? I mean, she’s my best friend, in a non-romantic way, I don’t want to hurt her feelings!

We finally reach the theater and go up to the desk.

“First Name-Elaine. Last Name-Flores,” she says. We ordered the tickets online. Well, Willow did. 

“Ah, yes, right here, Elaine and Jacob, correct? Great, you’ll be in theater number 5.” We walk over to the snack section and order a large tub of popcorn. Elaine holds it as I try to pour us soda. 

It’s not working! Ugh! Elaine laughs.

“What? This is-this is practically impossible.” I stutter out, embarrassed. At least it’s just Elaine...Just Elaine. Her laugh is pretty, I guess I accomplished that. She gives me the popcorn and easily pours the soda. “I swear it was broken…” I mutter as we look for Theater 5. 

We find it. It’s playing some horror movie. Well, at least it isn’t Romance. 

We go inside to the theater, finding our seats. The lights are still on. 

“Sooooo, this is awkward…” 

“Yeah. I am so killing Willow after this,” she says. I think of something witty to say back.

“Why? You always said I’d be a great boyfriend.” I say, smirking. She really does say that, oddly enough.

“Wha-”

“Look, Elly, I didn’t have anything to do with this and I didn’t know you’d be here today. But I do know that if I have to sit awkwardly though a movie date with someone, I’m glad it’s you.” I finally say. The lights dim and the movie starts. 

***

I feel someone squeeze my hand. I open my eyes slightly. Shoot! I fell asleep! I look slightly to the left to see Elaine with her eyes shut tight., and to the screen where there are clowns. Elaine’s terrified of em. 

I look back down at our intertwined hands. Everyone always says we make a cute couple, people who don’t know us, at least. I gotta admit, our hands together look kinda natural. I pretend to be asleep and don’t move my hand a bit. 

***

Finally, the movie finishes. Throughout the whole thing, Elaine didn’t move her hand at all. I really hope I wasn’t drooling or anything while I slept.

I squeeze her hand and smile. My heart flutters in my chest as she smiles back, light pink rising to her cheeks. 

We stand up without letting go of each other and brush popcorn off our clothes. We walk out of the theater, still hand in hand. 

 “Oh, oh my gosh, you guys are such a cute couple.” a random girl says. I look at Elaine. She hates it when people say that.

“W-”

“Thanks.” she cuts me off. I curiously look at her as we walk towards the park and let go of each other's hands. She sits on a swing, hugging herself. She’s probably cold. I don’t know what I’m doing anymore, but I take off my jacket and drape it around her. 

“You looked cold,” I say, hoping the heat in my cheeks doesn’t actually show. She smiles and pulls it tighter around herself. 

“We should walk home now,” she says, getting up from the swing. I nod.

“I thought you hated it when people call us a cute couple,” I say, waiting for her reply. 

“Shut up and hold my hand,” she says, and I can’t hold back my smile as I do, and we stay like that, forever and always.