"The summer heat was intense!" I thought as I walked toward the movie theater.
I adjusted the strap of my crossbody bag and took a deep breath before stepping into the chilly cinema. I was used to doing things alone—eating out, shopping, even going to amusement parks sometimes. But watching a movie by myself? That was a first.
Still, I wasn't about to miss the film just because my friends backed out. So, I bought a ticket, grabbed a large popcorn and soda, and walked into the dark theater. The crowd was just right. A couple of small groups were there, as well as a few solo flyers like me. I chose a seat in the middle row, propped my feet up on the empty seat in front, and relaxed as the previews played.
Just a few minutes in, someone sat next to me. I didn't pay him much attention at first. It was just some random guy after all. But as the movie got better, I let out a laugh without meaning to. A few seconds later, I heard a soft chuckle from him. And that's how it started. A whispered comment about the super cheesy dialogue turned into sneaky glances, then quiet giggles during an especially cringey scene. Before I knew it, we were chatting like we'd known each other for ages.
When the movie ended, neither of us stood up right away.
"Wow, that was actually really good. I wasn't expecting it," he said, stretching his arms.
"Right? I thought it'd be super corny, but it was so entertaining!"
We walked out of the theater, still talking nonstop. We ended up at the food court, grabbed some burgers, then somehow made it to the arcade, where he convinced me to play a racing game. Spoiler alert: I was terrible at it.
"Okay, fine—I have zero talent at this," I laughed after he beat me for the third time.
Ethan grinned, leaning against the arcade machine. "At least you admitted it."
When it was finally time to go home, I couldn't stop thinking about him. The laughter, the way it felt like we'd been friends forever, the way he leaned in when telling a story... it was all like the chorus of a song I couldn't get out of my head.
Lying on my bed, I grabbed my phone and typed his name into the InstaBook search bar. He wasn't hard to find—Ethan Sinclair, as I later found out during the sudden platonic date we had. His profile picture was a bit blurry, with some friends in the background, but I knew it was him.
And then I saw something that made me smile.
His school name—it was in his bio.
A sly smile formed on my lips as a plan began to take shape in my head.