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"What's a guy like you doin' in a place like this?"
The sound of another voice in the dim theater Billy had thought was empty catches him off guard and he probably snaps his head to look back a little too quick to pretend that the sudden sound of another person's voice didn't give him the jolt of panic that's still fizzling through his nerves. The owner of the voice is Robin, that mousy girl he's seen Harrington hanging around before and she grimaces behind the cup of soda in her hand, likely realizing that she'd scared him. Even worse she gathers up her stuff and the big bucket of popcorn she'd had in her lap and shimmies down the row of theater seats and steps down to Billy's row to settle a few seats away from him.
"Sorry for scaring you. Just didn't expect to see Billy Hargrove coming in to watch a horror movie on a Saturday afternoon by himself," she says. She shows no sign of leaving either as she settles into the seat and empties a handful of popcorn into her mouth.
"Do I know you?" Billy mumbles.
She giggles, mouth open and full of popcorn and is like, "Oh please, don't give me that cool tough guy pretending like he doesn't know anyone beneath him bullshit. You know my name. I'm in like 4 of your classes, asshole."
"I'm trying to watch this."
If he were being honest, he doesn't even remember the name of the movie he bought the ticket for. The movie is just an hour and a half of meditative time where he can force stillness and quiet on himself and be away from whatever's triggered one of his father's sudden bouts of rage that inevitably lock onto him even when he's just existing quietly in his room. He hates Saturdays. His dad being off work and lurking around the house sets his nerves on edge and he figures he's better off anywhere else but home for as long as possible.
"It's a trailer. The movie hasn't even started yet," Robin points out. "So why are you here?"
"Why are you here?" Billy counters.
Robin dramatically scoffs as if she's offended he'd even ask, but she says, "I didn’t think you would have the same social live as me. See, I like watching movies by myself."
"And yet you're over here annoying me instead of watching it. Why are you even talking to me?"
"Still on the previews," Robin says. She picks up her soda and takes a long drink before she offers the tub of popcorn towards Billy. "I dunno why I'm talking to you. I guess because being alone with a stranger is uncomfortable and idle conversation makes it a little less awkward. So are you gonna answer my question?"
The thing about his dad's rage that really gets to Billy more than anything is the fact that he can feel the same kind of rage simmering inside of him for things he knows are irrational. He knows the anger he feels towards about being asked why he's anywhere is irrational, but it doesn't stop him from feeling that heat rising up inside of him, furious that anyone would want to know why he is where he is when he's simply trying to exist peacefully without being the recipient of someone else's anger.
In place of an answer, Billy stands up from his seat and leaves Robin alone in the theater.
-
Thankfully, the same movie is still in theaters the Saturday after because it's pretty much guaranteed that he'll be able to just sit in the theater on his own. He remembers loving movies as a kid. They served as short pockets of time where reality was suspended and he could live countless other lives through different characters, but now it's just a place to go that doesn't involve talking to anyone else. That is, until he sees Robin wander in, holding another big tub of popcorn in her arm.
He sinks into his seat a little, but being the only one in the theater means she spots him immediately and he can see a giggle bubble up from her when she recognizes him. He sighs as she takes her seat a couple away from him and offers the tub of popcorn to him again.
"We gotta stop meeting like this. People are gonna talk," she jokes.
"Look, I just want to watch the movie."
"You left without watching it last time."
"Yeah because someone wouldn't leave me the hell alone."
Billy gives her his fiercest glare, but she looks right back at him, munching away at her popcorn and looking unimpressed by his attempt at intimidation. In the brief moments of light on he sighs again and looks forward, trying to focus on the movie trailer onscreen instead of his frustration.
"It's pretty good, actually. That's why I picked it again this week. Are you into horror movies?"
"Sure."
"Which ones?"
When he looks over again, her curious look surprises him. It usually feels like when people are looking at him, they're looking through him, focused only on their own desires and how he can fulfill them. He can't remember the last time someone just asked him a genuine question about himself or something that isn't the traumatic mess of his life. He actually considers the question for a moment and answers.
"Nightmare on Elm Street," he says with a sort of noncommittal shrug.
"Really?" she asks, her eyes lighting up. "I honestly thought you'd be more of a Jason kinda guy."
"Huh?"
"Big guy with the hockey mask?"
Billy scoffs and says, "I know who Jason is. Just not sure why I'd be a Jason guy."
"Freddy's got a little more wit than a big bulky guy wandering around with a machete," Robin says. She offers the bucket of popcorn to Billy again. "Sure you don't want any?"
Billy hesitates for a moment before reaching over for a handful of popcorn.
"The Nightmare sequel was kinda weird, though," Billy muses.
Robin bursts out laughing, nearly causing the popcorn to tip over onto the floor.
-
Next week, Billy finds himself idling in the lobby of the theater, waiting. He figures if Robin doesn't show up, he'll just buy a ticket for whatever's been out the longest that week and sit alone in the theater. He'd feel like an idiot if he left now.
The longer he stands there, though, the more shame and disappointment begin to creep into the back of his mind and the burn of anger starts to rise up into his chest at the thought that anyone would dare to make him hope for something and then subsequently disappoint him. He doesn't even know why, after two interactions, he'd be waiting for some weird chick that only talked to him because there was no one else there and that's enough to force him to get up and walk towards the ticket window, but he stops when he hears his name behind him. He glances back to see Robin smiling up at him and he's surprised that it's instant relief from the anger, but decides to not think too much about it.
When they're settled in an empty theater again, he's the first to talk.
"I beat the shit out of your friend," he says.
Robin looks confused for just a second but then she realizes who he's referring to and shrugs, staying quiet. Billy wonders if it was the right thing to say, but it probably had to be said at some point. He thinks of that again for a moment, wondering if this is some sad attempt to make a friend and he almost gets up and leaves again but Robin interrupts his thoughts (almost as a habit she’s becoming very good at).
"Sometimes I wanna beat the shit out of Steve too," she says deadpan, clearly attempting to joke around. Like they’re friends, or something.
Billy is nearly giddy at the genuine laugh that spills out of him as if he hadn't smiled in years.