"That's awful," he said, his laughter making the words sound lighter than intended.
"That's gold!" she countered, swinging their hands playfully. "Oh, oh, here's another one: What do you call fake spaghetti?"
Lexy raised an eyebrow. "I don't know, what?"
"An impasta!" She doubled over, laughing so hard that she had to let go of his hand to wipe tears from her eyes.
Lexy shook his head, a genuine smile spreading across his face. "You're impossible, Alena."
"Impossible, but effective," she quipped, bumping his shoulder with hers. "Look, you're smiling! Mission accomplished."
As they continued their walk, Alena's antics only grew more playful. She skipped ahead, twirling in the streetlights like a child, then pretended to trip just to see Lexy's worried reaction. She stuck out her tongue at him and mimicked his serious expressions, making exaggerated faces until he was laughing again.
---
When they finally reached the movie theater, the neon lights casting a soft glow over the entrance, Lexy felt lighter than he had in days.
They settled into their seats as the lights dimmed, and a theater staff member brought over a large bucket of popcorn. Alena reached for it immediately, popping a piece into her mouth. "Mmm, this is life," she said dramatically, leaning back in her chair like a queen.
Lexy couldn't help but laugh. "You act like this is the first popcorn you've ever had."
"It's not about the popcorn, Lexy," she said with mock seriousness, pointing a piece at him. "It's about the experience."
"And what's the experience?"
She leaned closer, whispering like it was a grand secret. "Movie popcorn is scientifically proven to taste better than any other popcorn. It's magic."
Lexy shook his head, smiling as he grabbed a handful for himself.
---
The movie began, and the screen lit up with an action-packed opening scene. It was a high-stakes spy thriller, complete with car chases, explosions, and dramatic confrontations. Alena, however, seemed less interested in the movie and more focused on entertaining Lexy.
Every time a character made an over-the-top dramatic gesture, she leaned over to whisper her commentary.
"Did you see that eyebrow raise?" she hissed, pointing at the screen. "That's the universal signal for 'I'm about to betray you.' Classic bad guy move."
Lexy chuckled, trying to focus on the movie, but Alena wasn't done. When a villain delivered a cheesy line—"You can run, but you can't hide!"—she snorted. "Bet he read that off a cereal box."
By the time the main character narrowly escaped an explosion by diving off a cliff, Lexy was laughing so hard he had to cover his mouth to avoid disturbing the other viewers.
Alena glanced at him, satisfied. "See? My commentary's better than the movie."
He nodded, his blue eyes soft as he looked at her. "You're ridiculous."
"And you love it," she shot back, throwing a piece of popcorn at him.
"Maybe," he admitted with a smirk, dodging the popcorn and tossing a piece back at her.
---
As the credits rolled and the lights came up, Lexy felt a warmth in his chest that had nothing to do with the movie. Alena had an uncanny way of turning even the simplest moments into something special, something unforgettable.
They stepped out into the cool night air, their laughter still lingering as they replayed the movie's most absurd moments.
"Thanks for tonight," Lexy said, his voice sincere.
Alena tilted her head, her smile softening. "For what?"
"For being you," he said simply, his blue eyes meeting hers.
Her cheeks flushed, but she shrugged it off, her playful grin returning. "Well, someone's gotta keep you on your toes."
He laughed, shaking his head. "Mission accomplished, Captain."
On their way back from the movie, the night air felt refreshing as they walked side by side. Lexy and Alena were in high spirits, with Alena continuing her playful antics. She cracked more jokes, imitating characters from the film and making exaggerated gestures just to get him to laugh. Lexy couldn't help but chuckle, his usual composure softening with every silly remark she made.
"Honestly, I think you should be in comedy!" Lexy said between laughs, his blue eyes sparkling with amusement.
"Well, if I ever give up on being a scientist, I know where to go!" Alena grinned, her eyes twinkling.
They continued walking, the comfort of their friendship hanging between them like an unspoken bond. Alena, feeling the warmth of their connection, glanced up at him and asked casually, "Hey, Lexy, where do you stay when you're not at school? You're never in the dorm, right?"
Lexy's smile faltered just for a moment, but he quickly recovered, flashing her a reassuring smile. "Oh, I stay with my parents, mostly," he said nonchalantly, his voice light. "I just prefer being there, I guess. It's... quieter."
Alena gave him a curious look, noticing the way he kept his eyes focused straight ahead, as if avoiding her gaze for just a bit too long. "Huh," she mused. "That's different. I just thought everyone stayed in the dorms."
Lexy shrugged, brushing it off effortlessly. "Yeah, well, dorms aren't for everyone, I guess."
Alena raised an eyebrow, but didn't press further. She had learned by now that Lexy wasn't one to reveal too much. Still, she couldn't help but wonder why he preferred staying away from the school's dorms. Something about it didn't sit entirely right, but she decided not to make it a bigger issue. For now, she let it go, focusing instead on making him laugh.
The two walked in comfortable silence for a moment, the weight of their separate thoughts lingering in the cool night air.
Lexy felt a strange sense of peace. For the first time in a long time, he wasn't thinking about his father's rage or his mother's quiet suffering. Tonight, it was just him and Alena, and for that, he was grateful.
Writer's Note
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