Popcorn Love

Nearly two full weeks passed without Allison and Elena seeing one another. Elena was swamped with work, as she had several spring shoots back-to-back to organize, and Allison was neck-deep in final classes and exams. The separation wore on them both, but they bore it the best they could. They filled in the spaces with texts and phone calls, talking as often as they could. Their conversations ranged from the silly to the serious, but each one drew them closer and closer together.

This class is so boring.

Which class?

It’s one of my lit courses, and it’s not the subject that blows. It’s the prof’s book choices. I seriously can’t get down with stuff that’s SO classic that it’s barely understandable.

Some classic literature is wonderful, but I know what you mean.

Yeah, and my prof’s voice is sooo monotone, so it’s even worse. Seriously, if I had a chisel or, hell, a friggin’ SPOON right now, I’d be digging a hole in this wall straight prison style and escaping.

You only have a few days of classes left.

Good point, but then I’ll be starting all over again with new classes for my master’s.

Well, that was your choice, Allison.

You know, complaining with me is way more of a turn-on than playing devil’s advocate.

I see. In that case, what I meant to write was that that class sounds awful, and I would certainly assist you in your grand prison escape were I there.

Much better.

* * *

Elena sent Allison pictures of Lucas or the both of them with little stories of the games they played on their evenings together and how much they wished Allison could join them. Allison laughed out loud when she received one of Lucas with his hair wild and sticking up and his face covered in black smudges.

Why are you harboring a child Batman in your house, Elena?

I allowed Lucas to indulge in finger painting. This is the result. He is calling himself Wild Boy and is pretending to be a caveman.

Ha! I love it.

He is now asking me to make him ‘leaf clothes’.

DO IT, and make sure you send me some pics.

Allison laughed even harder when she later received a follow-up photo of Lucas, still sporting his paint-smudged face and wild hair. He looked like he was covered in mud. The paint smudges covered his limbs and belly, which were visible since the boy wore nothing but his pull-ups now covered in giant green leaves cut out of paper and taped to the material. The smile on his face was radiant.

Oh my God. I wish I could see him in person right now.

Do you want to come over?

I can’t. I’m in the middle of studying with Macy for our one and only shared final. It’s a huge one. I wish I could, though. I miss you guys.

We miss you too. Wild Boy and I are going to go build a (paper and blocks) campfire. Study hard, darling.

* * *

Sometimes, they would simply tell one another how they felt, and, sometimes, those confessions spiraled into ridiculous, teasing discussions that could go on for hours.

I love you, Allison.

I love you more.

Not possible.

Totally possible.

I disagree.

Well, I agree…with myself, I mean.

Of course you do.

I’m just saying: I love you more.

Well, then, I propose that I love you MOST.

*narrows eyes* Touché sir.

I am not a sir.

Yeah, I know. It just sounds cooler when you add the “sir”.

You are ridiculous.

Me? Ridiculous? Not a chance. YOU’RE the one who just went all thirteen-year-old girl on me with the “I love you most” text.

Excuse me? You started it with YOUR “I love you more” text.

I don’t know what you’re talking about, therefore it never happened.

You are impossible.

Can I just butt in a moment to say you’re BOTH impossible? Because you are, and Alli’s message alert going off every three seconds so you two can argue about who loves the other more or most or whatever the bloody hell is ten seconds away from making me go completely apeshit. Also, I’m looking forward to seeing you at Lucas’s party, love. Thanks for the invite.

Erm, sorry. That was Macy.

Yes, I gathered as much. I am mortified.

Don’t be. She’s just sour because she’s been studying non-stop and getting hardly any sleep.

Regardless, I think perhaps that is enough texting for the night.

I can switch my phone to vibrate.

Goodnight darling.

Ugh. Goodnight.

* * *

When you were a kid, did you ever lie outside and look up at the stars?

Often. Did you?

Yeah. All the time. I’d have to sneak out to do it most of the time, but it was always worth it. I’d just lie there and think about things.

What sort of things?

My parents, mostly. I wondered about them, you know, like where they were, why they abandoned me, if they were happy, if they ever thought about me, if they missed me, if they were even still alive and all that. I used to think about that movie The Lion King and that scene where Mufasa tells Simba about all the kings of the past living up in the stars, and I’d imagine that that was the case for me, too. That maybe my parents only gave me up because they couldn’t help it, because of some tragedy or something, but that they never left me. They were up there in the stars, shining down on me when I felt lonely.

Did you ever find them?

I never went looking. Honestly, I don’t know that I would even want to know who they are now. They could be monsters.

Or they could be wonderful people.

Yeah, but if they weren’t, then I would never be able to go back to my Lion King thing. I’d never be able to just lie out under the stars and imagine they were looking down on me. That would be tainted. I think sometimes it’s just better not to know. Sometimes it’s just better not to have all the answers.

Perhaps you are right, dear. Sometimes mystery is better than clarity.

And besides, maybe I was always just meant to be a lone little lion.

I hope not, Allison.

Why not?

Because I seem to have this intense desire to keep you.

Oh, do you now?

I do. I don’t want you to be alone. I want you to be taken care of.

I’ve done a pretty good job taking care of myself.

You have, but if it is okay with you, I would like to lend a hand.

You want to take care of me?

I want us to take care of each other.

Deal.

* * *

Macy rubbed tiredly at her eyes as she reached for the key dangling from her lanyard. She used it to let herself into her dorm room, already talking to the lump of blankets inside that was her sleeping roommate.

“Alli, wake up,” she said through a yawn as she dropped her bag on the floor by the door and made her way over to her small bed. She stopped before she could collapse onto the mattress, though, when she realized that Allison hadn’t answered her. She sighed and shuffled over to Allison’s bed instead.

“Allison,” she said a little louder, reaching down to nudge the part of the blanket pile that she was fairly certain was Allison’s shoulder, “wake up.”

“Unh.”

“Wake up!” Macy pushed Allison’s shoulder a little harder.

The blanket pile that was Allison wiggled around a bit, but then the material of the blanket grew tighter as the person beneath it pulled it closer and snuggled further inside. “Seriously?” Macy sighed. “I will pull that blanket off of you.”

“No,” came the muffled reply.

Macy understood Allison’s desire to stay in bed. They both were exhausted from cramming for finals and bingeing on snack foods in order to avoid leaving their room or the library. She kept herself motivated by reminding herself that these were the last finals she would ever have to take, but that didn’t really work with Allison, considering she was pursuing a higher education after graduation. Still, she at least had the motivating truth that she could sleep all she wanted once this week was over.

“Yes,” Macy snapped. “You have to get up, Alli.”

“Why?” Allison groaned, squirming angrily beneath her blanket.

“Because you’ve got your final seminar in forty minutes.” Macy put both hands on the blanket mound and vigorously rocked Allison’s body. “Get up. Get up. Get up!”

Suddenly, the top of the blanket jerked down to reveal Allison’s wild blonde hair and angry green eyes. She glared at Macy as she hissed at her like a cat. She held up her hands, laying her index fingers over one another to resemble a cross, and shouted, “Go away, Satan! The power of Christ compels you! The power of Christ compels you!”

Macy suddenly shrieked and pretended to gag and choke. “My devil horns!” She gasped. “They’re melting!” She dropped onto Allison’s bed and writhed around while Allison chuckled, but then she rose to her feet again, propped her hands on her hips, and pinned Allison with a deadpan stare. “Sorry,” she said, “still here.”

Allison groaned and sat up. She rubbed at her eyes and yawned. “I hate finals week.”

“Me too, mate,” Macy agreed around a yawn spawned by Allison’s, “but I hate having to wake you up even more.”

“I know,” Allison grumbled. “I’m an ass when I’m tired. You’ve told me like fifty times this week. I know, and I’m sorry. I can’t help it.”

“You know what you need?

“Seven energy drinks and a box of chicken nuggets?”

“That too, but I was going to say that you need to get laid.”

“Oh God, I’d kill to be able to crawl into bed with Elena right now.”

“I’m sure you would.” Macy dropped onto her own bed. “But then you would be missing your finals and failing right before graduation.”

“Totally worth it,” Allison said, pushing her tangled hair away from her face. “I just keep reminding myself that it’s only two more days until these finals are over. Two more days until Lucas’s party. Two more days until I can see them.”

“God, you’ve got it bad,” Macy teased. She then snapped her fingers. “Hey, don’t forget to go down to the bar after seminar.”

“Okay,” Allison said. “Wait. Why am I doing that again?”

“How many times do I have to repeat myself? I got you that interview with the manager, remember? He’s looking for a bartender and part-time performer.”

“Oh right,” Allison said, nodding. “You think he’ll hire me? I’ve only bartended once before, remember? I wasn’t great at it.”

Macy shrugged. “Seems likely. You know everyone there loves you from open-mic nights, and you can get better at the drinks, yeah?” She winked.

“Hope so,” Allison said as she rolled out of her bed and began dressing. “I could seriously use the money, and I can’t keep working for my girlfriend.”

“I know.” Macy sighed. “Besides, you’re going to need to start saving so you can come visit me in Oz.”

Allison stiffened in front of her small dresser but said nothing.

“You know,” Macy said, “you’re going to have to talk to me about this at some point, and soon.”

“I don’t want to talk about it,” Allison croaked, her back still to Macy. “It doesn’t feel right.”

“Talking about it? Or just in general?”

“Just in general. You leaving. It doesn’t feel right.”

“I know.”

Allison turned to face her and her voice cracked. “I don’t know what I’m going to do without you.”

Macy’s eyes watered, but she smiled at her friend regardless. “You’ll be fine, Alli. I know you will, and you won’t be without me. Not really. You can call me every day if you want, and we can Skype and e-mail and text.”

“It’s not the same,” Allison said, swiping at her cheeks before pulling a fresh shirt over her head.

“I know it’s not, but it’s better than nothing.”

Allison said nothing as she finished dressing and went to brush her teeth and hair. Once she was finished, she grabbed her bag and headed for the door. “I’ve got to go,” she said, gripping the handle.

“Well try not to climb into anyone’s shower and confess your undying love while you’re out,” Macy teased, trying to clear the air of the weight thickening it.

Allison didn’t laugh but just swallowed and nodded. “See you later,” she said, and then she was out the door.