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If there was anything Zach loved, after the fairer sex, it was cheesy movies. He could get out of the house for a few hours, inhale unhealthy popcorn and have his eardrums blasted out. Maybe he could meet a couple of fine ladies? One never knew, and thus Zach rolled up in his best duds. Since the Calloway family only owned two cars and Christa needed one for errands, he hitched a ride with her, being dropped off just out front before she pulled away in the family's well-loved sedan. Cellphone and ID handy, the boy sauntered through the movie ticket line as if he owned the joint, purchasing himself one ticket and made a beeline for the snack stand.

Awww yiiiyah popcorn time!

Popcorn and fizzy drank acquired, the movie theater for the double feature of Godzilla and Whatever the Hell Else Because WTF Japan was packed with nerds of all kinds. While Zach didn't consider the nerds as "his people", they weren't nearly as judgmental as other social groups in school. He felt like he belonged more here than, say, with the druggies or the skater kids, even though he more often dressed that part. The gray-haired boy made to mingle a bit, complimenting people on their costumes as he tried to gingerly step over them. Bag of popcorn in one hand, soda in the other, it was a delicate do-or-die dance of potentially disastrous consequences.

One particularly elaborate kaiju costume was worn by a man who probably never saw the inside of a gym, but the costume was a thing of magnificence. One could tell hours were spent on this full body getup and Zach was admiring the pristine and slightly dewy looking scales, wondering how such a thing was constructed. It was then that his foot caught part of the tail and he tripped, hopping and skipping in that semi-deadly sort of way, hoping not to spill any of his precious cargo. He came to a stop just a few seats away from...

"Penelope? OH HEY, PENELOPE!" came a cry of exuberance and Zach, ever suave and observant, spied an empty seat next to the Grecian Goddess herself. It took not time at all to plop his a** down next to the poor girl with a giant grin on his face. "Were you saving a seat for me? Aww man, I had no idea you liked these kinds of movies! How are you, by the way? Want some popcorn?"

It was blissful, the ignorance.

The din of excited kaiju fans was cut by the stumbling appearance of a familiar face. “Zach!” Penelope would recognize that ashen-haired bunch of exuberance anywhere, and if she had been given the time to actually answer the questions thrown her way, perhaps would not feel as awkward as she did. More awkward was the way he plopped in the seat with barely enough time for her to take back the purse that had been reserving it. She was, of course, pleased to see him and that he was doing well! He was a new friend, but still a friend.

“I’m more of a comic book person, really, though IDW’s Godzilla is quite good right now and the old Marvel issues are fun. It’s pretty recently that I’ve been watching kaiju films.” She paused, hitting on the one sticky part of the situation. “As for the seat, actually I was saving it for..” Her voice trailed off whenever the one for whom she had truly been saving the seat appeared. She flashed an apologetic smile to her gray-haired friend as she rose to greet him; the same expression remained for failing to save the seat properly as she offered to take one of the bulky items away from her boyfriend. “Scott, this is my friend, Zach.”

Penelope would never presume that someone would have any real interest in her. She was still not sure how she had been lucky enough to find Scott! She was also as discrete as ever. Perhaps her boyfriend would value their privacy, as both of them were shy, and would not want her to introduce him by that title. If that was the case, she did not want to pressure him! All the same, she could not resist the urge to stretch up slightly on her toes and to dot a kiss to the boy’s moustached face. She aimed for the cheek, so as not to overturn either popcorn or soft drink.

In a way, it was an apology in and of itself. They had only planned to be with each other to watch the films, but the room was already so full. If they sent Zach away, then he might not even be able to find a seat! Ever one to try and please, penelope suggested, “Scott, why don’t you sit in the first seat, and I’ll take the middle? Then, you can take the aisle seat, Zach.” Such an arrangement would allow her to squeeze her boyfriend’s hand without alienating her friend. That way everyone could enjoy the show!

Scott was certain that this situation was just as awkward for Penelope as it was for him, and he couldn't find it in himself to be angry with her, even for the slightest. Already his mind was considering the theory that whoever his guy was had seen himself into the seat and not allowing for Penelope to get the chance to tell him that the seat was taken. That wasn't all that was taken, but he tried not to think of it that way. Penelope was no possession. She was his girlfriend! An equally-mutual relationship! Still, it was hard for him not to fume at the sight of another guy getting awfully close to her and he tried his best not to let his scowl from taking over his face right now. He didn't want Penelope to think he was angry at her... he could never be angry with her!

He looked over Zach as she introduced him, and he forced his hands down to his side, resisting the urge to wrap his arms around Penelope's waist and pull her closer, just to drive the point home. On the outside he seemed meek but a little angered, but on the inside, he felt ready to release an atomic breath of his own. But he refrained, just barely, for Penelope's sake. He was so caught up in his seething, jealous rage that the peck to his check took him off guard, and the food in his hands almost when tumbling from his hands before he caught them again, and just like that, his anger was appeased. Zach was a friend, only a friend, and Penelope's suggestion was as alluring as Mothra's song was to Mothra. "That's good with me... what about you, Zach? That okay with you?"

He just wanted to sit down and watch the new Godzilla film with his girlfriend. It was the first film in over ten years, and maybe it was selfish of him to want to watch it over resolving his own life problems and to spend the time with his girlfriend, but he wasn't aiming to push her friends away. Surely there could have been a compromise? Maybe not, as he couldn't help but notice just how surprised he looked after seeing Penelope kiss his cheek...

'Sorry... but... I was here first. I think.' Scott thought, moving towards the seat that Penelope now deemed his as the previews started. He really didn't want to start a fight! They'd be seeing enough of that in the movie!