later, he reached up again to smooth it down, before ruffling it again in agitation.
Laughing shakily at himself, Tuyen shook his head to settle his hair to its normal, half-kept state as he waited for Angela to answer the door.
Calm down, he told himself. It’s not a date, just a movie. Why’re you so nervous? She’s a friend … just a friend …
He was still convincing himself when Angela opened the door, her smile lighting up her face and making his breath catch in his throat. Matching her smile, Tuyen waited for her to lock the door as he mentally pushed away his nerves.
After all, it’s just a movie…
“You didn’t have to pay” Angela protested.
“Why not?”
“I invited you. You should have at least let me pay.”
“It’s customary for the man to pay,” Tuyen looked at Angela as they handed their tickets to the usher, his forehead creased in a slight frown of confusion as he held the door open for her. She stared at him in disbelief, trying to judge his seriousness.
“In the fifties, maybe. Didn’t you get the memo about chivalry being dead?” Angela eventually chuckled as she moved past Tuyen and sought out a seat, missing the blank look on his face. Shaking his head, he pushed his confusion aside and sat down next to her, an awkward silence falling as they waited for the movie to start.
Whether by way of distracting himself, or genuine curiosity, Tuyen seemed fascinated with the design of the room, his eyes studying the layout, before they drifted back to his friend. Angela stared at him with a quizzical expression until Tuyen cleared his throat and smiled sheepishly.
“It’s been a long time since I’ve been to the movies.” He offered by way of explanation. Angela shook her head in vague amusement, before she reached into his lap and grabbed a handful of popcorn. Watching her eat with a fond smile, Tuyen was wondering what to say next when the room went dark and the projector started up, drawing the pair’s attention as the trailers began to play.
The distraction of the film dissipated the nerves both Angela and Tuyen were feeling, restoring the pair to the easy companionship they often felt together. Without even thinking about it, Angela shifted in her seat until she was leaning against Tuyen, her head resting on his shoulder as her hand stole into his lap for more popcorn. He turned his head and looked at her for a moment, seeming unsure of what to do. Eventually, he shifted until his arm was around her shoulders, and turned his attention back to the screen, valiantly ignoring the soft muttering of his fears in the back of his mind.
“So, what did you think?” Angela asked as they milled out of the theater with the rest of the crowd. Tuyen was wearing a confused expression on his face and hadn’t spoken since the credits rolled. Worried that she’d somehow offended or upset him by her choice of film, Angela was about to repeat her question when he finally he stirred from his thoughts.
“I didn’t get it.”
Angela blinked in surprise. “What was there to get? It was an action film. Superheroes. I thought guys loved anything with explosions.”
Tuyen shrugged and shook his head, his frown deepening as he voiced his thoughts.
“The movie was fine but…the wings on that one character…they wouldn’t work.”
“What?”
“The wings. How could anyone in their right mind think wings that small would carry him?!”
Angela stared at him again, wondering for the second time that evening if he was serious. “It’s…a movie, Tuyen. Fiction. The wings were digital effects.”
“I know that,” Tuyen protested. “But it’s just…it can’t work! It’s impossible.”
“Yeah, but the entire concept for a person to fly without some sort of mechanical device is impossible.”
“No,” Tuyen shook his head. “That part is possible; the wings were just too small.”
Angela laughed until she caught the serious expression on Tuyen’s face.
“You actually
Laughing shakily at himself, Tuyen shook his head to settle his hair to its normal, half-kept state as he waited for Angela to answer the door.
Calm down, he told himself. It’s not a date, just a movie. Why’re you so nervous? She’s a friend … just a friend …
He was still convincing himself when Angela opened the door, her smile lighting up her face and making his breath catch in his throat. Matching her smile, Tuyen waited for her to lock the door as he mentally pushed away his nerves.
After all, it’s just a movie…
“You didn’t have to pay” Angela protested.
“Why not?”
“I invited you. You should have at least let me pay.”
“It’s customary for the man to pay,” Tuyen looked at Angela as they handed their tickets to the usher, his forehead creased in a slight frown of confusion as he held the door open for her. She stared at him in disbelief, trying to judge his seriousness.
“In the fifties, maybe. Didn’t you get the memo about chivalry being dead?” Angela eventually chuckled as she moved past Tuyen and sought out a seat, missing the blank look on his face. Shaking his head, he pushed his confusion aside and sat down next to her, an awkward silence falling as they waited for the movie to start.
Whether by way of distracting himself, or genuine curiosity, Tuyen seemed fascinated with the design of the room, his eyes studying the layout, before they drifted back to his friend. Angela stared at him with a quizzical expression until Tuyen cleared his throat and smiled sheepishly.
“It’s been a long time since I’ve been to the movies.” He offered by way of explanation. Angela shook her head in vague amusement, before she reached into his lap and grabbed a handful of popcorn. Watching her eat with a fond smile, Tuyen was wondering what to say next when the room went dark and the projector started up, drawing the pair’s attention as the trailers began to play.
The distraction of the film dissipated the nerves both Angela and Tuyen were feeling, restoring the pair to the easy companionship they often felt together. Without even thinking about it, Angela shifted in her seat until she was leaning against Tuyen, her head resting on his shoulder as her hand stole into his lap for more popcorn. He turned his head and looked at her for a moment, seeming unsure of what to do. Eventually, he shifted until his arm was around her shoulders, and turned his attention back to the screen, valiantly ignoring the soft muttering of his fears in the back of his mind.
“So, what did you think?” Angela asked as they milled out of the theater with the rest of the crowd. Tuyen was wearing a confused expression on his face and hadn’t spoken since the credits rolled. Worried that she’d somehow offended or upset him by her choice of film, Angela was about to repeat her question when he finally he stirred from his thoughts.
“I didn’t get it.”
Angela blinked in surprise. “What was there to get? It was an action film. Superheroes. I thought guys loved anything with explosions.”
Tuyen shrugged and shook his head, his frown deepening as he voiced his thoughts.
“The movie was fine but…the wings on that one character…they wouldn’t work.”
“What?”
“The wings. How could anyone in their right mind think wings that small would carry him?!”
Angela stared at him again, wondering for the second time that evening if he was serious. “It’s…a movie, Tuyen. Fiction. The wings were digital effects.”
“I know that,” Tuyen protested. “But it’s just…it can’t work! It’s impossible.”
“Yeah, but the entire concept for a person to fly without some sort of mechanical device is impossible.”
“No,” Tuyen shook his head. “That part is possible; the wings were just too small.”
Angela laughed until she caught the serious expression on Tuyen’s face.
“You actually
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