The day had been a long one. Alex was having trouble dealing with the annoying "great american public" today. If another fucking person asked what the show times are without reading the huge sign that lists all the movies and their times she might lose her cool. She had already snapped a few times at the ditzes that were her co-workers. They wouldn't shut up about their stupid youtube channels and how to do their highlights.

"Working with the wanna be valley girls again. Wanna blow my brains out. Wyd?" She typed a text addressed to someone named "Nikki" in her phone.

Two girls were lollygagging on the sidewalk just near the ticket booth. Probably waiting for someone. Boys, probably. Girls hardly ever went out stag together and looked that done up. Her phone buzzed.

"Lol thats shitty. Im currently stalking a pretty waitress. Remember that girl? On fri night?" The text read.

Alex laughed.

Nikki, Alex's roommate had hit it off with some loony redhead a couple of days ago when they went out for drinks.

"Oh nicks, ur never tossing that salad." She typed, and hit send. There was the sound of someone exaggeratingly clearing their throat but she was unaware of it. When she set her phone down and looked up see saw a goofy looking dude staring at her through the ticket window, she almost jumped out of her skin.

"Fuck… jesus man…" She swore and ran her hand through her dark hair, composing herself. She wasn't supposed to swear in front of customers. She turned on the mic and looked expectantly through the window.

The guy nervously stammered. "Oh uhm. Sorry, there, didn't mean to scare you."

Yeah, you're real scary. Alex thought sarcastically.

She managed to put on a big bullshit smile and used her customer service voice. "No problem. What can I get for you guys?"

The guys seemed unsure. Probably his first date with the pretty little blonde by his side.

"Can we get, uh- two- wait- one…" He fumbled with his wallet and glanced at the girl. "I mean, lets get two..?" He looked at the girl as he said it. Did he seriously not know if he was paying for her ticket or not?

"For which show?" Alex asked in a flat voice.

The blonde next to him stepped closer to speak into the windows mic, attempting to take over.

"I got it, Larry. Two for Transformers." She said, smiling at Alex, and handing her a twenty.

Larry looked upset, but at the same time relieved.

Alex almost laughed, she didn't know people were still named Larry. She also thought it was funny that they were seeing Transformers 2… the shittiest movie out. Something told her the film was Larry's choice. She managed to hand the girl her tickets without laughing, but a smirk was plain as day on her face, and it threatened to crack into a full blown grin. The girl noticed, and giggled, "We don't get out much." Alex thought her laugh was one of the cutest she had ever heard. She handed the girl the tickets and didn't look at Larry.

"Are you guys done? Jesus, we can't go anywhere with you these days. It's Chili's all over again. Remember, babe?" Said the guy behind them, obviously their friend. He turned to his girl when he asked her the question.

Hmm so not Larry's first date with the girl…

"Takes us ten minutes longer to do anything when we bring Piper and Larry."

Piper. Odd name. But it suits her.

He laughed, and they stepped up to the window, replacing the pretty girl and her stupid boyfriend.

It being a slow day, Alex was the only ticket window open. Her coworkers Martiza and Flaca weren't even aware they had customers.

Besides the blondes group, there were only four other customers. Midday shows were always like this. Alex looked down at her phone after helping the last of the small movie-going crowd.

"She totally blew me off. Bitch said she's straight and was just really drunk on fri" Nikkis text read.

"Typical." She typed. "The best girls always claim they're hetero." For some odd reason she thought of the pretty blonde girl.

She came here with her boyfriend, Alex. Don't get stupid over that kind of chick we've already done that before, a voice in her head scolded her.

She sighed and slid away from the window seat, and said "I'm going for a smoke. Watch the window." As she passed the two girls, who were still giggling and talking, ignoring her.

She stopped at the exit. "Guys. I said watch the window." Her tone irritable now.

"Yeah, yeah okay." They muttered between "omg"s and "yas"es.

"Bitches." She said under her breath and kicked the door open.

"Piper, why do you always do this? Just go on the stupid date. I'm sure the last few times have been awkward because… well because Larry is- is jittery."

Polly and Piper were sitting in the hot car in the mall parking lot, and Polly was trying to convince an antsy Piper to follow through with the second double-date this week. She had been trying to set Larry and Piper up for a while now, and just to shut Polly up about it, Piper had complied and gone to Chili's with her and Pete and of course Larry, and it had been a flop to say the least.

"All he does is talk about his writing, and when he actually asks me questions he sounds like he is trying to speak to a mentally handicapped person or a child." Huffed Piper, crossing her arms over her chest, like an angry kid.

"Well maybe he just doesn't know how smart you are yet... you've only been on one official date, Pipes. Plus we are seeing a movie, there isn't much talking involved." Polly finished her sentence while looking at her phone, checking the time no doubt.

"I hate Transformers. It's distructive the whole time. It's messy." Complained Piper further.

Polly looked at Piper, who was staring out the windshield stubbornly.

"Don't fuck this up for me. I'm trying to do a nice thing."

Like I need your help getting laid. Piper thought.

"My hero." She said sarcastically, opening the car door reluctantly.

"That's the spirit." Polly countered, equally sarcastic.

"See he doesn't wanna do this again either." Pouted Piper as they waited on the sidewalk just outside the theater for the boys to show up.

"They're just late, Piper. Pete just texted me. They're on their way." She was doing that thing she does when she's trying to ignore the fact that Piper is upset, where she looks around like everything she sees is sooo interesting.

"Am I overdressed?" Asked Piper, and it got Polly's attention.

She looked at Piper with a super annoying and presumptuous facial expression.

"See? You care about how you look. That must mean something." She says, shaking her finger at Piper.

"You didn't even answer my question." Sneered Piper. "And it doesn't 'mean' anything. I just don't wanna see myself in a reflection somewhere and hate myself." As she said this she faced the theater, seeing herself distantly in the theaters tinted glass doors. She wore a Urban Outfitters romper, with tan sandals and a loose jean jacket hung on one of her shoulders (it was too sweltering hot to wear it, but she always got chilly in the air conditioned auditoriums). Her hair was crimped and she wore more makeup than she usually did.

"Stop that, you look fine." Polly assured her when she caught Piper checking herself out.

"Oh! There they are…Now be good." She demanded absently, walking towards Pete.

Pete and Polly kissed, and Larry lagged behind Pete the same way that Piper was lagging behind Polly.

Piper put on a bullshit smile and waved at the bashful, unsure guy. He seemed reassured by this and walked forward. He was wearing a ridiculous sweater just like he had done on their Chili's date.

It's summer. Thought Piper, confused. Well, we can work on the wardrobe… along with other things.

"Hey Piper." He half waved at her even though they were standing right next to each other.

"Hi." She didn't say his name, it felt funny if she said it out loud too much.

Pete and Polly regrouped with them, both grinning, probably at the success of getting Piper and Larry together again.

"Shall we get tickets?" Asked Polly in a chipper voice. She already sounded like the type of mother that says things like "Everybody having fun?"

Piper and Larry approached the only ticket window that was open. A sulky looking girl with black hair and glasses was slightly visible through the shaded window. She was looking down at her phone, and was startled when Larry rudely cleared his throat.

"Fuck.. jesus man.." She cursed faintly, her voice muffled by the glass. She switched on the microphone so she could speak to them.

"Oh uhm. Sorry, there, didn't mean to scare you." Said Larry. Yes you did you jerk, though Piper.

A forced smile appeared on her face unnaturally fast and she said, "No problem. What can I get for you guys?" She looked at Piper when she said 'you guys', which Piper thought was nice of her, even though Larry was the one who spoke first.

"Can we get, uh- two- wait- one…" He fumbled with his wallet and glanced at Piper as if looking for help. "I mean, let's get two..?" his voice cracked on the word 'two' and Piper tried not to laugh.

He sounds like he's having a stroke.

The girls fake smile faltered, "For which show?"

Not sure if Larry had forgotten which movie they were seeing or was having mental issues Piper decided to take over and hurry this up.

"I got it, Larry." She stepped closer to the window, so she could see the girl more clearly with less glare. She was wearing black glasses that rimmed her dark green eyes. Her gaze was intense, and Piper worried she might embarrass herself the same way Larry just had.

"Two for Transformers." She managed to say, and held out a twenty. A pale tattooed arm reached out and took the money from her, and traded it for the tickets. She noticed the girl was smirking at her slightly, and wondered why. It didn't even cross her mind that Larry might have wanted to pay for her ticket. But she did realize that the moment was about to get awkward if someone didn't say something, so she laughed and said "We don't get out much."

What a stupid thing to say. She thought, internally beating herself up. But before anyone could acknowledge the stupid remark, Pete piped in with: "Are you guys done? Jesus, we can't go anywhere with you these days. It's Chili's all over again." Piper tried to ignore him and nodded at Larry to walk forward, but he just put his hand out as if to say "ladies first". But then he ran ahead of her to get the door.

"Remember, babe?" Pete continued, as Larry opened the door for Piper. She didn't hear the end of the exchange, because the door clicked behind them, and she was alone with her sweater clad date. She tried not to sigh out loud.

"Do you want anything?" He asked, gesturing to the concession area.

Piper shook her head, "I really shouldn't, I'm trying to lay off the sugar and salt."

He seemed conflicted. "I figured I'd buy you at least something… Since you bought the tickets." Guilt drove her to saying, "Okay okay. I'll have a popcorn. No extra butter."

Larry smiled, contented at last.

The theater was cold, as Piper expected it to be, so she donned her jacket before they sat down. She tried to sit next to Polly on the end of the aisle but she glared at her fiercely. She ended up sitting between Pete and Larry, who were way too excited for this movie, they chattered about Megan Fox and Piper tried to ignore the fact that there was indeed butter on her popcorn after all.