Chapter 9: Ch.9: First Night

"You alright J?" Jazz asked.

As they pulled into the theater, Jiji was leaning out the window. Jiji's wide eyes were bouncing back and forth between the different buildings and bright lights.

She wondered if that bank had really been established 100 years ago. Mesmerized by the sheer number of cars on the street and people on the sidewalks. Confusion as to why humans had a 'smoke shop' and how selling smoke would work.

"Wha?" Jiji responded. "Oh! Yeah, I'm fine! Totally familiar with this area!"

"You've never been on a date before. Have you?"

Jiji tucked her chin and gave a mousy, "No."

Jazz smiled, "I figured." She patted her date's shoulder, "just relax a little."

Between the smile, soft voice, and physical contact, Jiji was anything but relaxed.

"Ok," she said, petrified.

The drive-in theater was packed with all different sorts of cars. Ranging from 4x4 trucks and vans to convertibles and low riders parked directly in front of the screens. But before she and Jazz could sit amongst them, they had to get past this mysterious glass box with a mechanical rail blocking them from entering. The only person who seemed to be able to allow any entry was a man inside the box.

"Hi, welcome to Gateway Theaters! What movie would you like to see?"

Jazz looked at JiJi, "You said, 'Two Names'? The western?"

Jiji couldn't afford to look as if she didn't remember anything. So she just swiftly nodded. Focused more on the box the man had locked himself inside. Particularly, the desk filled with buttons, and the phone clearly playing a cartoon next to a bottle of water and a bag of chips.

"Two for 'The man with two names' please."

Jazz was about to hand the man some cash before Jiji decided to make up for the silent ride to their date. Her hand stretched past Jazz, giving the worker a shimmering, golden, metal credit card.

The worker didn't really mind. He was 4 hours into an 8-hour shift. He had been given dirty, torn bills. 

Jazz almost purred at this sight, "Where did you,"

Jiji answered quickly, "It's an international brand. Got it when I moved here. Foreign cards are kinda flashy."

Tatiana would've been proud to hear Jiji recite the line verbatim. If only she had made eye contact while doing so.

"I'll handle the tickets and popcorn." Jiji said, "Least I can do for my driver."

"Aw! Aren't you sweet!" 

Jazz gave Jiji a quick peck on the cheek and turned to snag the tickets. She missed seeing Jiji with hearts in her eyes. Jiji’s head turning red like a thermometer. Or steam releasing out of her ears. Jazz did feel the last one.

When she turned back to Jiji, the girl was back to normal. Well, normal-looking anyway. She was frantically fanning herself and smiling from ear to ear. Jazz snickered from her throat.

"You really are a gay disaster." The car began to move forward, "Don't worry, I'll take it easy on you."

Still 'hot' from earlier, "I would appreciate that. Thank you very much."

Jazz laughed, but her eyes barely moved as she did so. She chose to focus on this cute little freshman who was squirming in her seat. An impressionable youngster with great fashion, and a great body. What else could Jazz be looking at?

She stopped ogling long enough to park into a slot by the end. Jazz started to exit her side when she took another look at her date.

"I'll get the speakers. You go get us the food?"

Jiji snapped back to reality, "Oh! Right! The food! Can't have a movie without food! I love it! He-He!" Three seconds passed with no dialogue. "What kind of Jazz did you want, snack? I mean! Crap! What snacks did-"

Jazz was hitting the top of her roof. Face in her forearm as she couldn't keep the cackling inside. 

Jiji took the time to jump from the car to the ground, leaving a glitter trail as she did.

"I'm sorry! This is my first date and I don't really know what I'm doing."

Jazz spoke up, raising her head to make eye contact.

"You need a breath, sweetie." She pointed toward the 'Snack Station' with multiple small lines. "Just, go get us both medium sodas and one large popcorn to share. By the time you get back, the speakers will be set up, and you'll be cool and collected. Okay?"

Jiji's head sank a little. Like a turtle hiding in its shell. Instead, she just had an expensive hoodie that was zipped up all the way.

"Okay. I'll, uh, go get you some sodas and popcorn. I'll be back in a minute." 

Jiji grabbed her phone before awkwardly shifting off. She didn't notice her shoes leaving glitter imprints as she scurried away. Neither did Jazz being on the opposite side of a car. The next car over did wonder what was reflecting from the ground.

Regardless, Jiji waited in line; tapping her foot against the smooth asphalt. She searched her phone for more information on the 'man with two names'. Regardless of Tatiana’s recommendation, she knew next to nothing about this film she was about to sit through.

"'The Man With Two Names, And No Past'," she said under her breath.

Multiple reviews came up. Others were just retrospectives instead of recommendations. From what Jiji could gather, it was based on a novel written almost 100 years prior. An American Western that stuck out for its character interactions and how it tackled 'the common man's perspective' on political issues. Also, the main character got easily distracted by the simplest things.

The person behind Jiji had to tap her shoulder to get her attention.

"You're next," he said.

"Oh, sorry!"

A hard valley girl accent hit Jiji’s ear, "Hey girlfriend!"

Jiji turned to see a familiar blonde woman. She had bright blue eyes and eyeshadow that helped bring them out. Her smile boarded on smug as she looked down to see Jiji. She was about 5'6.

Jiji might as well have had the word 'loading' written on her face. This had to be one of the girls she met on her first day of college. The theater uniform was just throwing her off.

The woman had to take the cap off and let her hair down.

"...Marylin!" Jiji finally remembered. "What're you doing here?"

"Getting my bills paid. You on a date or something?"

Jiji nodded.

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"Ooh! Sweet! What can I get you and your date?"

"Two…root beers, one large popcorn," Jiji answered. 

Marylin rang her up and started the order. 

“Anyone I know?” Marilyn asked. 

“You know Jazz?”

Facetiously, “I know people who like jazz music.” The food was all handed off after the bad joke. “Love to talk but I got a line. Hope it goes well, Casanova."

Jiji, understanding the reference, stuck her tongue out with a smirk. Her foot was no longer tapping. The tightness in her stomach evaporated. Any heat she felt was no longer existent.

"Ok, this is going well," she said to herself.

Back inside Jazz's car, Jiji noticed something different. Not the speakers. Jazz said she'd set those up. She said nothing about unbuttoning the first few buttons on her blouse.

"Thanks, sweetheart." Jazz said, taking her drink.

Jiji was looking exactly where Jazz wanted, "N-n-no problem."

The movie's opening snatched Jiji's eyes. Sounds of gunshots flying past an older man running through a burned town. A young man in close pursuit yelled for him to stop. For some reason, the 'sheriff' wasn't firing any shots. Immediately, she was hooked.

Jazz meanwhile was clearing her throat.

"You ok?" Jiji asked. Her focus was still mostly on the scene.

"I'm fine." Jazz said, "This shirt's a lot hotter than I thought it'd be." She leaned back a bit, pushing her chest out.

Jiji didn't respond at first. She didn't even see her date grabbing some popcorn. The movie was all she saw.

"Huh?" Jiji asked.

Ditching her smile, "Nothing."

As the movie continued, Jiji remained on the edge of her seat. The action was fast and the camerawork made the fight scenes feel like a life and death struggle. The conversations were well-paced and easy to understand despite being a bit long at times. Everything made sense as each scene flowed into the next. Finally, the sheriff character was played by a hot Hollywood actor with a light beard and spry voice. Jiji wanted to jump onto the screen.

Jazz wanted to throw her empty drink at Jiji's head. Almost an hour into a two-hour movie, and Jiji hadn't said a word to her date. She didn't notice Jazz inch closer to her. She didn't hear Jazz ask about what college courses she was planning on taking. Jazz had unbuttoned her blouse to the point that her bra was completely visible. All Jiji had to do was look left.

"Hey, mind getting me another drink?" Jazz asked.

"Uh," Jiji waited until the fight scene was over. One last gunshot to a bundle of dynamite separated the hero from bounty hunters. Destroying a bridge and blowing some hunters off the cliff. 

"Ok, I'll be right back."

Jiji almost teleported out of the car. Instead, she waited until Jazz couldn't see her, and then teleported to the snack station. Luckily, the person she jumped in front of had his eyes on the screen.

"Hi, one root beer please!"

Marilyn spun around in a panic, "Holy! How did you,"

Rushing, "Hi Marilyn!"

Sweetly, "Oh, hey girl~! How's your date?"

Jiji jogged in place. Her hair bobbed around like a happy dog's tail. Words couldn't come out fast enough.

"It's going great! I need another root beer! This movie is amazing! Please give me a root beer!"

"Uh, you've had enough sugar," Marilyn said, pouring another cup.

"It's for Jazz!" Jiji said, looking at the screen.

There seemed to be a 'conversation' between the main character and the hot sheriff. The two were yelling at each other, covered in soot. 

Jiji was grumbling and struggled to put the card in. Looking at the reader was too much of a hassle apparently.

Marilyn checked the lot, "Uh, I think your date-”.

Jiji took the drink, "Yes! My date! Thank you! Love your hair! And your eyes! Bye-bye!"

Jiji rushed back to the car. Too many people were around to teleport. She couldn't pause the movie either. She could, but Tatiana specifically said not to. 

As she approached the spot, the movie's audio got louder. She didn't think much of it at first. But inevitably, the source was in plain sight. An empty space with speakers blaring from their holsters.

Jiji stopped where the car used to be. Where it was supposed to be. She quickly scanned around. Hoping she got the wrong line.

She could only ignore her purse on the floor for so long.

"Yo," the driver to Jiji's right said, "I saw her pull out the second you left. Sorry."

Jiji could feel the cold night air. Aware of the emptiness between the lines of dialogue. The feeling of her heartbeat in her chest. Then, beating a little slower.

She was all alone. Alone with her thoughts of what she did. What she could've done. Maybe what she should've done. Or what she didn't do. 

"Come on kid!"

Jiji looked at the screen. The protagonist held out his hand for the sheriff. The sheriff tossed his badge away into the sand. Among rats and rotten food.

What else could Jiji do? Sit down in the empty lot, drink root beer, and finish watching the film.

She didn't know what else to do. 

END

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