Double Date Dare -7- by Melanie E. (Patreon)

7.

Movie first, then dinner was the plan, as it always had been whenever I’d joined Sandy and Butch for a night out, and just because we had an extra body in tow didn’t mean that was likely to change. We made our way toward our regular movie place, discussing what to watch on the way.

Sandy wanted to see the new political drama that was out about some ex-senator who’d gotten framed for a scandal and lost her office before making a big comeback. Still, Butch and I poo-pooed that idea, neither of us wanting to sit through two and a half hours of boring lectures and legal drama. Butch wanted to see the new Danny Kun martial arts film, but neither me nor Sandy really felt up to a cheesy action flick. I almost changed my mind when I caught Ted’s eyes flash for a moment at the idea of the movie, but since he didn’t bother to speak up to share, I didn’t feel it was worth it.

After going back and forth over the eight options the theater had, including a couple we’d already seen weeks ago when they were new, we all finally decided on a new CG animated film that was out. We all acted a bit ambivalent about the choice, but I knew that I was personally only putting on an act: I knew we were at the age we weren’t supposed to like cartoons anymore, but I was really looking forward to the movie, and I knew that despite her own protests Sandy had been too. Even Ted had a slight grin on his face at our choice, so I didn’t expect any of us really minded forgoing the more mature options.

We had our choice settled just in time as we pulled into the theater. To my surprise, when Butch got out of the truck and started to walk around to get Sandy’s door, Ted only hesitated a moment before following.

Butch opened Sandy’s door, and Ted followed suit with mine, copying Butch yet again and offering me his hand to help me out. I didn’t really need the help since I wasn’t wearing a skirt or heels or anything, but I accepted his hand graciously anyway.

“Thanks,” I said, quietly but cheerily, making sure to look him in the eyes as I smiled.

“Uh, no p-problem,” he said, looking away and blushing again.

I watched Sandy and Butch heading toward the movie theater holding hands, and argued with myself for a couple of seconds before reaching out and gently taking Ted’s hand as we followed. The poor boy flinched and stopped walking, but after only a moment seemed to calm himself, and with only a tiny tug, I got him moving again.

I looked at my date, confused. What was his issue anyway? He was tall, handsome, and from what I’d seen at games, seemed to be a good team player in the sports he played. I didn’t think he was an idiot, and Butch had assured us he was straight.

So why was he so nervous around girls?

Was he really straight, though? I mean, outfit be damned, he was technically going to the movies with another boy on his arm and holding hands too. Then again, the first was at Butch’s nudging, and the second was at mine, so maybe they didn’t really mean much.

Plus, I had to admit, I didn’t exactly look much like a boy at the moment.

Did I ever, though?

I shook that thought out of my head. Me and mine was a train of thought for another time. Tonight was supposed to be about Ted, and about Ted it would be.

Turning my attention back to our surroundings, I realized we had made it to the front of the ticket line. Butch talked to the attendant, and after a short exchange, turned around and offered Ted our two tickets. When Ted didn’t reach for them, I gave his hand another little tug, drawing him out of whatever realm of thought he had been lost in even more than I had.

“Huh? Oh. Sorry,” he said, taking the tickets from Butch with an embarrassed blush.

“No big, man,” Butch shrugged, then took Sandy’s hand again and began to walk toward the screen where our film would be playing. Once again, there was a split second of hesitation before Ted started to follow, his grip on my hand surprising me when it tightened slightly.

“Hey, you okay?” I asked, looking up into his nervous face.

“Y-yeah,” he mumbled, looking away. “Just, ah, nervous.”

I gave him my best smile and gave his hand a gentle squeeze right back. “Don’t be. We’re just out as friends, and to get to know one another before Prom,” I assured him, hoping that taking some of the ‘date’-ness out of the equation would help him. “So, no pressure to charm me or anything tonight. Pretend I’m Butch if it helps.”

“Pretend you’re Butch?” He said, giving me a quizzical look with, again, just the slightest hint of a smile.

Seeing my opening, I took it, dropping his hand and throwing my shoulders and elbows out in a tough-guy walk. “Yeah, dude,” I said, in my deepest voice. “Just, like, bros, y’know?” I gave him a punch in the shoulder for good measure.

To my surprise, and Butch and Sandy’s too, judging by their sudden freeze just ahead of us in the hallway, Ted actually started to laugh. It began as a soft chuckle, then grew until it was a guffaw, then a full-on belly laugh as he stopped walking and just cackled.

Butch and Sandy both gave me disbelieving looks, but all I could do was shrug my shoulders as we waited for Ted to calm down. Finally, he did and shocked all three of us yet again when this time it was he who reached out for my hand, giving me the first full, brilliant smile I’d ever seen on his face.

He really did look like Superman when he did that.

“We good now?” I asked him not wanting to ruin his good mood.

“Yeah,” he said, more confidently than he’d spoken all evening. “I think so, yeah. Thanks.”

“No problem,” I said back, no less confused than before but happy that I seemed to have finally broken through his nerves.

“Come on, the movie starts in like five minutes,” Sandy said from ahead of us, giving me an encouraging grin.

We followed them through the double doors and into the theater, all thoughts of conversation put on hold ‘til the film was over.

I mean, we’re teenagers: not Philistines.

-==-

“...and the little rabbits were SO CUTE!”

“I know!” I squeaked, bouncing on my heels. “That was so much better than I expected it would be.”

Sandy nodded happily. “It was! I almost teared up, though, at the end when….”

I nodded emphatically enough to cut her off, not needing to be reminded. “I know, right? That was… wow.”

We were still gabbing about the movie, well, me and Sandy were, when we got to the doors of Chan’s, the Chinese restaurant a few doors down from the theater in the shopping strip. It was where we always went after movies, and I, for one, was very much looking forward to a few egg rolls and maybe some coconut shrimp.

The only concern I had was the twinge of nervousness that had returned to Ted’s actions. Our bit of fun before the film had given me hope that he would loosen up and enjoy our evening out, and he at least hadn’t flinched when I had grabbed his hand again on the way out of the theater. That said, he also hadn’t joined in with our movie talk at all, not even when Butch would chip in with a laugh or interjection, and what small smiles I had seen on his face had borne a twinge of anxiety behind them.

The food at Chan’s was good, as it always was, and despite Ted’s quietness, I had a good time, chatting away with Sandy and Butch instead while Ted just watched, not in a creepy way, but more timid. It reminded me of when we’d first met Emily, and she had seemed so withdrawn and mousy until we’d gotten her to open up but amped up to a level I just couldn’t understand.

Nervous, I could get. This?

After we finished eating, I was sure it would be time to head home, but when we pulled up to my house, Butch had one last surprise in store.

“Hey Donna, do you think your folks would mind if Ted hung out with you here for a bit? I’d, ah, I’d like some time just Sandy and me tonight, if that’s alright, and Ted’s staying over at my place tonight and--”

I cut him off. “Blah blah, give us a chance to talk more, just the two of us. I’m fine with it,” I told Butch, giving him a wink and a grin in the rear-view mirror and getting the same back. “So long as Ted is.”

“Hmm? Oh, uh, yeah? I guess?” Ted said, seeming unsure but more relaxed than I’d expected with the idea.

“Alright, I’ll be back in about an hour then, okay?”

“Sure!” I said cheerily, hopping out of the car on my own and looking back across the seat at Ted. “You coming in or what?”

Ted climbed out, and I waited until he came around the car and took my hand again, without so much as a prompt from me, before starting for the door.

I had no idea what I’d say to Mom and Dad when – not if, but when – they saw us.

My concern over that was slight, though, while my curiosity about just what made Ted tick was growing by the second.

I had an hour to find out.