Shortly Before Arriving
The corridor leading to the lift glowed softly with ambient light as we made our way toward the theatrical deck. The faint hum of the ship's systems filled the quiet between us, a comfortable backdrop after our nap. I glanced at Riza, her ponytail swaying with each step, and decided to break the silence.
"You have a nice nap?" I asked casually.
She turned to me with a satisfied smile. "I did, actually. So much so that I went online and bought a twin air mattress for myself." She held up her phone, showing me the confirmation screen as proof. "I can't believe how comfortable those things are."
I chuckled, leaning over to glance at the screen. "Same brand and model as mine, huh?"
"Yup. Already been tested and approved by yours truly," she said, giving an exaggerated flourish of her hand. "What sort of dummy ignores verified facts? Ain't no way I'm buying from another brand, only to end up with something that feels like a deflated beach ball. You've got me all kinds of messed up."
"Fair point," I said, nodding. "Why risk it when you know what works?"
She grinned triumphantly. "Exactly. It's like, why gamble when you already know the jackpot? Stick to what's good."
Her logic was sound, though part of me wondered if she'd say the same about other aspects of life. Still, I couldn't argue. Sometimes sticking with the tried and true was the best option.
As we reached the lift and stepped inside, the doors slid shut with a soft hiss. Riza leaned against the wall, her gaze flicking toward me with a hint of amusement. "Hey, what if this movie sucks?" she asked, her tone light and teasing.
I shrugged, leaning back with my hands in my pockets. "Wouldn't bother me. I've already had fun, so even if the movie's a dud, I wouldn't be upset."
Her playful expression faltered for a moment, replaced by something softer. She looked away, a faint blush dusting her cheeks. "Plus," I added with a grin, "it's not like we can't try again, right?"
She turned her head slightly, stealing a glance at me. "That so?" she murmured, half to herself. Inside, her thoughts were running wild. Oh my god. That's basically asking me out, right? It totally is.
The line for concessions was moderately long, but the buzz of chatter and the energy of the crowd made the wait feel less tedious. We joined the line, Riza shifting her bag of new clothes to her other shoulder as she scanned the menu displayed on the massive digital screens above the counter.
"What are you getting?" I asked, craning my neck to look at the options.
"Definitely popcorn," she said decisively. "And maybe a soda. Or... no, wait. Do they have those chocolate-covered pretzels?"
I smirked. "You're going to load up on snacks and not save room for your parfait?"
"That's dessert. It goes in a different stomach," she said with mock seriousness. "You're getting something too, right?"
"Probably just a drink," I replied. "Popcorn's more your thing."
She gave me a sidelong look. "You know, you're weirdly considerate sometimes. Like, suspiciously so."
"Suspiciously?" I echoed, raising an eyebrow.
"Yeah, like… what's your angle?" she teased, though her smile betrayed her amusement.
"No angle," I said with a shrug. "Just trying to keep the peace so you don't steal all my food later."
She laughed, nudging me with her elbow. "Fair enough. But for the record, you owe me some popcorn if I run out."
"Noted," I said with a grin.
As the line moved forward, the chatter around us seemed to fade into the background. Riza's mood was light, but I noticed the way she occasionally glanced my way, as if debating something internally. Finally, as we reached the front of the line, she leaned closer, her voice low.
"So, if this movie's good… we'll do this again?" she asked, her tone casual but her expression betraying a hint of nervousness.
I met her gaze, holding it for a beat longer than usual before answering. "Yeah. I'd like that."
Her lips parted slightly, but she quickly turned toward the counter as the cashier called for the next customer. "Two large popcorns, one soda, and…" She paused, glancing at me. "What are you getting?"
I stepped forward. "Large soda."
The cashier rang up our order, and as I handed over my payment, Riza stood beside me, a small smile playing at her lips. Her earlier fluster was gone, replaced by a quiet confidence. As we stepped away with our snacks in hand, she nudged me again.
"You know, you didn't have to say yes so easily," she said, her tone playful but warm.
I took a sip of my drink, smirking. "Why wouldn't I? I'm having fun."
Her cheeks pinked slightly, but she didn't reply. Instead, she popped a kernel of popcorn into her mouth, her smile lingering as we headed toward the theater.
As we stepped into the dimly lit theater, the ambient glow from the screen cast faint shadows across the rows of seats. The scent of buttered popcorn hung heavy in the air, mingling with the low hum of murmured conversations from other moviegoers. Riza led the way, her ponytail swaying as she scanned for their seats, her popcorn precariously balanced in one hand.
I followed closely, but my thoughts were a tangled mess.
"Plus, it's not like we can't try again, right?"
The words echoed in my head like a relentless mantra. At the time, they'd felt casual—light, even. But now, replaying them in my mind, they sounded anything but. Did that come off as me asking her out? Like, actually asking her out?
A fresh wave of heat flushed my face, and I silently cursed myself. God, I hope she didn't take it that way. Or did I want her to? The thought made my heart race even faster. I glanced at her as she slid into her seat, completely at ease and utterly unaware of my internal turmoil.
She didn't seem weirded out by it. Maybe she didn't notice? Or maybe she did, and she's just too polite to say anything… or—ugh, stop overthinking!
I sat down beside her, gripping my drink like it was a lifeline. The theater dimmed further as the previews began, the darkness creeping in like a welcome escape. At least it's dark in here. Maybe no one can see me turning into a human tomato.
I leaned back in my seat, trying to focus on the glowing screen ahead. But the rhythmic pounding in my chest refused to settle, my mind racing in circles.
Please, for the love of everything, let this movie distract me. Or at least let her not notice how badly I'm spiraling.
Out of the corner of my eye, Riza shifted in her seat, popping a piece of popcorn into her mouth. She glanced at me briefly and gave a small, contented smile before turning back to the screen.
Her obliviousness only made my internal chaos worse. This is going to be a long two hours.
The theater room darkened completely as the previews ended, and the logo for the production company flashed across the screen, accompanied by a booming orchestral score. The chatter in the audience dwindled to near silence, the collective anticipation palpable in the air. Riza shifted in her seat beside me, tucking her legs underneath herself as she settled in with her popcorn.
"This better be good," she whispered, barely audible over the opening notes of the film's soundtrack. I smirked, leaning slightly toward her.
"If it's not, at least we'll have something to complain about later," I whispered back.
She stifled a laugh, throwing a kernel of popcorn at me. "Always the optimist."
The movie began, plunging us into a sprawling galaxy of vivid colors and larger-than-life characters. The screen seemed to pulse with energy, drawing us into a story of interstellar adventure, betrayal, and camaraderie. Riza's eyes were wide, reflecting the glow of the screen as she became engrossed in the plot.
Every so often, I'd hear her mutter soft reactions to the scenes unfolding before us. "Ooh, I like her!" she said during the introduction of a rebellious pilot who didn't play by the rules. Later, during a particularly dramatic betrayal scene, she gasped audibly, clutching her popcorn as if it were a lifeline.
"Did you see that coming?" she whispered, leaning toward me.
"Not even a little," I admitted, equally caught off guard.
As the film progressed, we both got swept up in the humor sprinkled throughout. A sarcastic robot sidekick stole every scene it was in, and Riza's laughter echoed softly in the theater during its quippy one-liners. Her giggles were infectious, and I found myself laughing more because of her reaction than the actual jokes.
About halfway through, the first major action sequence exploded onto the screen. Ships darted through asteroid fields, laser fire lighting up the darkness like fireworks. The theater reverberated with the sound of engines roaring and weapons firing. Riza leaned forward, her body tense with excitement.
"Come on, come on, come on!" she muttered, as if willing the hero's ship to dodge an incoming barrage.
When the sequence ended with the protagonist narrowly escaping, she let out a breath she hadn't realized she was holding and slumped back into her seat. "That was awesome!" she whispered, grinning from ear to ear.
"Not bad," I said, though I was just as impressed. Her enthusiasm made the experience ten times better.
Toward the climax of the movie, the emotional stakes skyrocketed. The soundtrack swelled as the main characters faced their most harrowing challenge yet, and the theater was so silent you could've heard a pin drop. I glanced at Riza out of the corner of my eye and saw her gripping the edge of her seat, her jaw slightly slack as she hung on every moment.
When the tension finally broke and the heroes emerged victorious, the audience erupted into quiet applause. Riza threw her hands up in mock celebration, nearly spilling her remaining popcorn in the process. "Yes! They did it!" she said, her voice a little louder than a whisper.
As the credits rolled, a soft orchestral reprise of the main theme played, and the lights gradually brightened. Riza turned to me, her face glowing with excitement.
"That was so much better than I expected!" she said, practically bouncing in her seat. "The fight scenes, the humor, the characters—I loved it!"
I grinned, shrugging casually. "Yeah, it was pretty good."
"Pretty good?" she repeated, narrowing her eyes. "You were totally into it. Don't even try to play it cool."
"Okay, fine," I admitted, laughing. "It was awesome."
Satisfied, she stood and stretched, holding her popcorn bucket in one hand. "Definitely worth the wait," she said, glancing at the glowing screen one last time before heading toward the exit.
As we walked out of the theater, the buzz of post-movie chatter filled the hallway. Riza recounted her favorite moments with the same energy she'd shown throughout the film, her hands gesturing animatedly as she spoke.
"And that twist with the captain? I did not see that coming. Like, wow!" she said, looking at me for confirmation.
"Yeah, that was a good one," I agreed. "The writing was solid. And the effects? Incredible."
She nodded enthusiastically. "We have to come back if they make a sequel."
I glanced at her, smirking. "So, you're already planning our next movie night?"
She stopped mid-step, realizing how that sounded, and gave me a sheepish smile. "Well, you know… you're fun to watch movies with."
"Right," I said, grinning. "No pressure or anything."
She laughed, playfully shoving me as we continued down the corridor, her excitement still buzzing in the air between us. The movie had been great, but sharing it with her? That had been the real highlight of the night.