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“Wait, aren’t you afraid of heights?”
After all their planning, had Johnny really not thought of this? To be honest, he could care less about the movie. Science fiction just wasn’t his thing. However, in the past few months Bobby had become a close friend. That was likely because he and Dutch were Johnny’s only friends at the moment but he still wanted to actually show he was willing to give a little and could compromise. After all, Bobby had agreed to go see Alien with him despite hating horror movies (and Johnny liking that film didn’t mean he liked science-fiction damn it!).
They’d had to sneak in for Alien and going to this next movie wouldn’t be much easier. It was a school night and normally Johnny would never have been allowed to go out. The same thing could be said for Bobby. However, they’d found out when their English project was due and the plan had just fallen into place.
Johnny had gotten permission to stay the night at Bobby’s so they could finish the project. Though not by much, his house was a bit closer to the hotel and his parents heavier sleepers. However, going out the front door meant passing by his parents’ room and neither had wanted to chance that. Which meant…
They had a rope that they’d gotten from the shed in Bobby’s backyard and had already tied it to the bed post. Hopefully it was sturdy enough.
Johnny looked over with a raised eyebrow. Bobby’s throat bobbed with uncertainty.
“I mean…it’s not the Ferris wheel,” Bobby got out.
Johnny snorted. “No, it’s not.”
Bobby leaned over, clearly still unsure.
“Listen…we could just go Friday instead. You know, when we don’t have school the next day.”
“But I already bought the tickets!” Bobby whined in a hushed voice.
“And whose fault is that?” snorted Johnny. “I don’t even understand why you’re so excited. It’s just some B Movie. It’s not like it’s that Star Battle—”
“Star Wars!”
“Well it’s not that.”
Bobby rolled his eyes. “Come on. I’ve been excited for this since I saw the trailer two months ago.”
“I know,” Johnny sarcastically mumbled.
“And I couldn’t even ask Dutch. He’s not a movie person anyways and Alien bored him, the horror part and science fiction part,” sighed Bobby. “And the new guy who’s been hanging around, Tommy? He’s not into it either.”
“Well neither am I.”
“But you’ll say yes.”
“Yes I will,” groaned Johnny. He glanced over at the alarm clock on Bobby’s bedside table. “Well if you really want to go, we’re going to have to go now.”
Bobby bit his lip almost hard enough to break skin before asking, “You go first?”
The only reason Johnny didn’t stomp his foot and let out a louder groan was because of Bobby’s parents being two rooms away. “Fine.”
As Johnny grabbed the rope, he did mentally rethink his life choices. This whole scenario was ridiculous. However, all he had to think of was Bobby’s face lighting up at lunch when Johnny had agreed. He’d never made anyone smile like that, no one else besides his mother. It had been surprising but he wanted to continue to make people smile. He really wanted to keep this friend.
So with a deep breath he slipped over the side of the window and slid down to the ground.
“Phew, ok it’s not that bad. Trust me Bobby. Come on,” Johnny hissed.
“Are you—”
“Yes I’m sure! Hurry.”
“Ok just…promise you’ll catch me if I fall.”
“What? No!”
“Why?”
“Because you’d probably just end up making us both break something rather than just you.”
“Wow, really nice of you,” Bobby sarcastically mumbled over the edge.
“Oh just get down here Juliet so we can go watch your stupid movie.”
“Ok, ok. Just…just five more seconds.”
Johnny slowly counted the seconds in his head, arms crossed as Bobby finally eased himself over the windowsill. He slid himself down bit by bit until he finally dared to let go and landed on his feet.
“Wow! That was…that wasn’t too bad actually.”
“What did I tell you?” mumbled Johnny. “Now let’s hurry!”
They quickly rushed to their bikes and started to pedal down the road.
“So, you think you could do the Ferris wheel again?” Johnny grinned.
“Let’s climb in and out of a few more windows before we get there, alright?”
Johnny laughed, both speeding down the sidewalk as they left the neighborhoods behind. They found what looked like a safe enough place to chain up their bikes before hurrying over to the theatre. The guy who took their tickets gave them a once over but then shrugged and let them on in. They didn’t grab any food, Johnny having snuck in some candy bars in his jacket.
As they sat down, Johnny leaned over and said, “So why is it called Saturn 3 if there isn’t a one or two?”
“Because it is. Don’t worry.”
“But why not just call it Saturn?”
“Because the space station they’re on is called Saturn 3.”
“But why not just call it Saturn?”
“Because-oh just hush and watch the movie.”
Johnny let out a soft groan but focused in on the screen. Admittedly, it only took him about ten minutes into the movie before he started whispering questions again, confused and really not getting the plot. Bobby seemed to accept it rather quickly though, whispering the answers back. Despite this being the opening day, Bobby seemed to be catching on pretty quickly and was able to explain it all.
Johnny didn’t really think that he might have been annoying until after the movie was finished but Bobby’s smile didn’t falter as they left the theatre. He kept going on about the characters as they rode their bikes back down the road and Johnny couldn’t help but smile in return. Despite not really enjoying the movie, he’d enjoyed being with Bobby and he was glad Bobby had apparently enjoyed himself.
“Will you see the next Star Wars with me? It comes out this summer,” Bobby added.
“I haven’t seen the first one.”
“Well that’s easily fixed.”
Johnny rolled his eyes.
Bobby noticed, quickly adding, “Not that you have to. I know you didn’t want to go to this in the first place. The only reason I’m not stuck at the nerd table is because I met Dutch and joined Cobra—”
“This weekend we can watch Star Wars,” sighed Johnny.
“I said—”
“I want to,” interrupted Johnny. “Anything to get a chance to laugh at you nerd out, right?”
Bobby laughed. “Alright, this weekend. Definitely!”
They continued talking as they flew down the sidewalks, only growing silent as they came in front of Bobby’s house. Slowly sneaking into the backyard, they went over to the rope still hanging from Bobby’s window.
“You think you can climb up there?”
Bobby hesitated but he got over any fears far quicker this time. Rubbing his hands together, he nodded. “Yeah, yeah I’ve got this.”
He took a deep breath, grabbed on, and then slowly started to pull himself up. Johnny followed after Bobby was all the way up.
“I’ll say this, it’s easier going up than down,” snorted Bobby.
Johnny softly laughed, now fully tired and ready to go to bed when—
“So there you boys are.” They both jumped as Bobby’s mom opened his door, staring at them with a pointed gaze and crossed arms. She looked behind her as Bobby’s father came into view. “I told you not to worry. I imagine they were both at that movie that I believe I explicitly told our son not to go to.”
Bobby winced. “If it helps, we finished the English project.”
“Finished or not, you’re grounded for a week,” sighed Bobby’s dad. “I hope it was worth it.”
“It was.”
“Robert!” his parents exclaimed in unison.
Bobby winced, clearly not having meant to say those words out loud.
His mother turned to Johnny. “And as for you—”
“I’m really sorry,” Johnny quickly whispered. He didn’t regret sneaking out with Bobby. They’d had fun but if Sid found out… “Please just don’t tell—”
“Oh no, you’re perfectly fine. After all, as far as I’m concerned, your parents didn’t tell you no,” Bobby’s mom replied with a small smile. “Robert, on the other hand, will hopefully learn a lesson from this.”
“That I should be quieter next time?”
“Robert!!!”
Now knowing that he was in the clear, Johnny snorted this time. It was hard not being amused at how the parents said Bobby’s full name so perfectly in sync.
“I’m sorry. I know I shouldn’t have gone,” Bobby sighed, finally looking at least a little remorseful.
“Well, I’m glad you’re sorry but that doesn’t mean we’re going to un-ground you,” his mother said. “You can still go to your karate lessons but no other after school activities or hanging out with friends. Understood?”
Johnny and Bobby both sighed in relief at that. The other shit Bobby could get over but he would have been in big trouble if he missed anymore lessons with Kreese.
“Understood mom,” Bobby sighed.
“Good. Now you two get to bed. You still have school tomorrow.”
Bobby’s mother closed the door, dousing them in darkness. When their eyes finally adjusted and they looked at each other, they broke into laughter, doubling over.
“Ok, you can come over to watch Star Wars next weekend,” laughed Bobby.
“Listen, I’ll do whatever you like from here on out including seeing anything you want to see. It was worth it to see your parents chew you out like that,” Johnny grinned.
“Yeah, well what about you? What was with the sudden ‘pleases’ and politeness?”
Bobby was too busy chuckling to notice how Johnny fidgeted. He looked at his first friend and thought about telling him. He’d found someone else he enjoyed being with besides his mom, found someone who he could laugh with and he enjoyed making them smile. Could he have someone else to confide in? To tell the truth to?
As Bobby’s own laughter quieted and he waited for an answer, Johnny almost did. It was so tempting to but then he thought about how Sid would react if he found out. Johnny internally winced at the imaginary confrontation but on the outside he put on a large grin. “Are you kidding me?” he said. “That was all an act so I wouldn’t get in trouble. And it worked didn’t it?”
“Seriously? I wish I could have done the same,” groaned Bobby.
Johnny just forced a laugh. It sounded almost real and he could tell Bobby didn’t detect the utter relief in it. “Let’s just go to bed. If we don’t now we’ll be too tired to actually present our English project.”
Bobby nodded in agreement. “You’re right.” He let out another tired yawn and both of them quickly grabbed their pajamas. As Bobby pulled on his shirt, he glanced around his room before suddenly stomping his foot with an annoyed grumble. “Damn it, I forgot to set up your sleeping bag.”
“We can still—”
“Naw too late.”
“I still don’t mind sleeping—”
“Nope! Sneak attack!”
“Ack!” Johnny felt himself being tackled onto the bed. “Really Bobby!”
Bam!
Bobby’s father banged on the door two more times. “Go to bed you two!”
“Yes dad!/Yes sir!”
At the sound of receding footsteps, Johnny let out a tired sigh. He tried to get up but quickly found himself struggling against Bobby’s arms. “Oh come on Bobby. Isn’t this like…weird?”
“Why would it be weird?”
“I don’t know. I just thought…you know…”
“Just go to bed Johnny,” Bobby mumbled against his back. Despite the near iron grip, he was apparently already half asleep.
For a split second, Johnny thought about still arguing. Somewhere in the back of his mind, he was pretty sure his step-father would have disapproved of this. But he thought about what Bobby had just said, thought about how comfortable he was, and then decided screw it. Snuggling under the blankets, the two boys fell asleep.