should know, being a waitress and all.”
“If I have the extra money on me, I give it out. I guess it just makes me feel good.”
“That’s really kind of you. Now go give some more out and get me some Razzles.”
John got me my Razzles and bought himself popcorn and water. We took a straight path from the stand to theater 9. Normally, I’d be weaving in and out of the crowds and getting bumped around, but when I was under John’s arm it was different. The crowd seemed to divide around him as he walked, almost like Moses parting the Red Sea. It was amusing, but disappointing at the same time. It was strangers’ perceptions of John. He was certainly very big and formidable, but underneath it, he was the absolute gentlest man I’d ever known.
As we walked into the actual theater, John stopped me before we got around the corner to enter the seating area. “You know we really don’t have to watch this movie if you don’t want to.”
“John, I said it’s fine,” I assured him. “Come on, we better go in. It sounds like the previews are ending.”
“Okay, then, time to show you off.” He wrapped his arm around me again, prominently displaying me like a trophy to the entire theater. As we cornered the wall to come in view of the seats, he let out a loud cough, clearly to get everyone’s attention. I was sort of embarrassed and raised my eyes to scan for a seat.
I let out a roaring laugh at the sight. The theater was completely empty.
“What the fuck?”
“Epic fail, Johnny boy,” I said. “At least we’ll get a good seat.” I poked him in the ribs and ran up the stairs towards the top of the rows of seats.
He followed and the movie started within seconds. We sat down, and I wrapped my arm inside his and leaned my head against him. About 45 minutes into the movie, though, I didn’t think I could take much more. John kept whispering about all the things the Army dudes in the movie were doing wrong. It was constant. “They wouldn’t do that” or “That would never work.” It was kind of starting to grate on my nerves.
I turned my head and him a look.
“I guess you wanna go, right?”
“Only if you do.” I tried to be polite, but if he’d said no, I probably would’ve dragged his ass out of the theater. I really thought I could handle it, at least just for him, it was such a boring and just downright stupid movie that I couldn’t take any more.
“Thanks for trying.” John laughed as he got out of his seat. “Come on, I have a plan B. It was more about getting to be seen with a hottie like you anyway.”
Giving me his charming smile, he pulled me out of my seat and escorted me down the dimly lit staircase.
Chapter Nine
Test of Character
Mandy
We left the theater and drove about 100 feet, until we reached the mall parking lot. John pulled into a spot and shut off the car.
“I’m taking you shopping,” he said.
“Come on, John,” I said, feeling embarrassed. “You don’t need to do this.”
“I don’t have to do anything, babe. I want to. Just consider it payback for the movie.”
John always seemed so selfless. It was clear that helping and giving to other people truly did make him happy. The more time I spent with him, the more head over heels I felt for him.
After walking around the mall for a bit, I realized there was no way I was just going to let him take me shopping and pay for anything. However, I did let him buy me cinnamon pretzel bites from Twists. They would probably ruin my appetite, but I could never resist them.
John continued to bug me about getting something nice for myself, except for when we passed stores showcasing lingerie. Then he was dead silent and picked up his pace. I continued to decline, knowing it was most likely futile. The lingerie thing had me laughing inside, though; this big guy was clearly intimidated by it. Or, in true John fashion, it was probably just that he didn’t want to imply or offer to buy me that sort of thing because he
“If I have the extra money on me, I give it out. I guess it just makes me feel good.”
“That’s really kind of you. Now go give some more out and get me some Razzles.”
John got me my Razzles and bought himself popcorn and water. We took a straight path from the stand to theater 9. Normally, I’d be weaving in and out of the crowds and getting bumped around, but when I was under John’s arm it was different. The crowd seemed to divide around him as he walked, almost like Moses parting the Red Sea. It was amusing, but disappointing at the same time. It was strangers’ perceptions of John. He was certainly very big and formidable, but underneath it, he was the absolute gentlest man I’d ever known.
As we walked into the actual theater, John stopped me before we got around the corner to enter the seating area. “You know we really don’t have to watch this movie if you don’t want to.”
“John, I said it’s fine,” I assured him. “Come on, we better go in. It sounds like the previews are ending.”
“Okay, then, time to show you off.” He wrapped his arm around me again, prominently displaying me like a trophy to the entire theater. As we cornered the wall to come in view of the seats, he let out a loud cough, clearly to get everyone’s attention. I was sort of embarrassed and raised my eyes to scan for a seat.
I let out a roaring laugh at the sight. The theater was completely empty.
“What the fuck?”
“Epic fail, Johnny boy,” I said. “At least we’ll get a good seat.” I poked him in the ribs and ran up the stairs towards the top of the rows of seats.
He followed and the movie started within seconds. We sat down, and I wrapped my arm inside his and leaned my head against him. About 45 minutes into the movie, though, I didn’t think I could take much more. John kept whispering about all the things the Army dudes in the movie were doing wrong. It was constant. “They wouldn’t do that” or “That would never work.” It was kind of starting to grate on my nerves.
I turned my head and him a look.
“I guess you wanna go, right?”
“Only if you do.” I tried to be polite, but if he’d said no, I probably would’ve dragged his ass out of the theater. I really thought I could handle it, at least just for him, it was such a boring and just downright stupid movie that I couldn’t take any more.
“Thanks for trying.” John laughed as he got out of his seat. “Come on, I have a plan B. It was more about getting to be seen with a hottie like you anyway.”
Giving me his charming smile, he pulled me out of my seat and escorted me down the dimly lit staircase.
Chapter Nine
Test of Character
Mandy
We left the theater and drove about 100 feet, until we reached the mall parking lot. John pulled into a spot and shut off the car.
“I’m taking you shopping,” he said.
“Come on, John,” I said, feeling embarrassed. “You don’t need to do this.”
“I don’t have to do anything, babe. I want to. Just consider it payback for the movie.”
John always seemed so selfless. It was clear that helping and giving to other people truly did make him happy. The more time I spent with him, the more head over heels I felt for him.
After walking around the mall for a bit, I realized there was no way I was just going to let him take me shopping and pay for anything. However, I did let him buy me cinnamon pretzel bites from Twists. They would probably ruin my appetite, but I could never resist them.
John continued to bug me about getting something nice for myself, except for when we passed stores showcasing lingerie. Then he was dead silent and picked up his pace. I continued to decline, knowing it was most likely futile. The lingerie thing had me laughing inside, though; this big guy was clearly intimidated by it. Or, in true John fashion, it was probably just that he didn’t want to imply or offer to buy me that sort of thing because he
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