Let's all go to the lobby

We agreed on a movie and Cho checked what was playing and when. As we approached the ticket booth Cho grasped my hand at the sight of the Friday night crowd. Honestly, I was a little scared myself. I was never a fighter, except for in dungeons and dragons where I played an eldritch knight. Yes, I'm cliche', sue me. If someone decided to harass us I had no idea what I would do. But I couldn't let Cho see that. S-he was counting on me to make him feel safe. "Alright, what movie did you pick?" I put my arm around Cho, pulling he-him into me. The universal signal to all other guys that said 'this girl is mine. Stay away.'.

Cho read looked at the digital marquee for a moment, "That one. Herbert Burton to the end of the universe."

"Wow, I didn't know that was out already." Yes, it was sci-fi, what do you want? We're still nerds. And damn proud of it...most of the time.

I paid for the tickets and took our 3-D glasses, handing a pair off to Cho and took her hand in mine as we walked into the lobby. We waited in the excruciatingly long line and I could feel Cho growing more nervous as a line formed behind us.

We finally arrived at the counter, "Hi, welcome to the Malco, what can I get you this evening?"

"Large popcorn, medium Coke, and Skittles, please."

"Alright, and you miss?"

Cho and I both looked behind us before we realized she was talking to Cho. "Oh, um, I'll have a small coke and some Twizzlers."

"Okay is that all?"

"No, hold on." I turned to Cho, "You always do this."

"What?"

"You get a small drink and then you end up stealing mine. Get a medium."

"I'm not that thirsty."

"Then you don't have any of mine."

"But that's not fair, what if I get thirstier later?"

"Then get a medium! Or a large!"

"But that's too much!"

I groaned in frustration. "One small coke please."

The cashier chuckled as she rang us up. "You two are such a cute couple."

I handed the money to her, "We're not a couple."

The cashier tilted her head, "Yet!" Cho said quickly. "Uh, it's our first date."

"And you talk like this to her?" Wow, what's up her butt?

"Well, we've been friends forever." That seemed to placate whatever indignation she had cooked up in her mind about me.

Truth was, I was annoyed, but never as much as I made out to be. He was my friend and I didn't mind too terribly much. Just that I had plans for later that would require money. The cashier handed me back my change and Cho's small coke and a large popcorn, followed by a large coke. "No charge." She smiled at me and winked at Cho. Must be one of those girl-power moments I always hear about.