One Step Too
Far
Chapter
2: Dazed, Charmed, Confused and Lots of Other Things
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“I want the ability to look into the
future, so I can avoid getting hurt every so often.”
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Charlie dragged Fred along over the street. “You know, you can’t be inside a day like this,” Charlie said.
“My head hurts,” whined Fred.
“It’ll pass,” Charlie assured him. “Watch a movie with us, you can throw up later. As long as Connie doesn’t choose the movie, because she always choose those that makes you wanna puke.”
“Why did I have to come along?” Fred asked, and moaned when a car honked the horn just next to them. “It’s like a conspiracy. ‘Let’s make noise, someone has a headache’.”
“You’re grumpy when you’re hung-over,” Charlie pointed out. “Let’s go, if the girls get there first, they will drag us to see some crap without explosions.”
When Charlie finally caught up to the rest of the gang, while Fred was a few steps behind, cursing at some flowers, they were already involved in a huge argument on what movie to watch.
“I won’t sit through a fluff-movie again. I felt brainwashed after I saw Titanic,” Cecilia objected.
Connie began jumping up and down, obviously having a second opinion. “That movie was so sad!”
“Kidding, right? Half the movie was about a loving couple; the other half was about how long it could take for the ship to sink. By the second hour I was like; ‘sink already!’. I had to be one of the few that actually cheered when he FINALLY died at the end. A movie I won’t waste time on again,” Cecilia went on. “Guess you were one of those who cried and loved Leo for six months after, huh?”
Guy laughed. “She denies it, but yes, she was.”
Connie shrugged. “The movie made a grand slam at the Academy Awards that year. For a reason, I’d like to point out.”
“‘Braveheart’ won several Oscars too...” Guy smiled.
“Yuck, I hated that movie!” Connie exclaimed. “It was disgusting. All that blood and fighting.”
Cecilia rolled her eyes. “Yes, to think that you, a hockey-player, would have to put up with that.”
“Let’s just see a movie,” Fred suggested. It won’t be neither ‘Braveheart’ or ‘Titanic’.”
“Nor,” Cecilia corrected him.
“What?”
“If you say ‘neither’, it’s ‘nor’ instead of ‘or’.”
Fred gave her a murdering look. “What. Ever,” he said slowly and made a face at her.
“And that ends today’s grammar lesson,” Guy smiled. “Don’t forget to tune in tomorrow, it’s bat-day at Yankee Stadium.”
“Yeah, that made sense,” Charlie muttered and held the door up for Connie and Fred. “Let’s just go inside.”
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
“Why do you always drag me to movies you know I won’t like?” Guy asked.
“Why don’t you go to movies you like, instead of ruining the fun for me? If you want to watch that James Bond movie, why don’t you go do it?”
Guy shrugged. “Without you? All alone?”
“You’re so needy. How are you ever going to survive out in the real world if you’re gonna brake down and cry whenever I leave you by yourself?” Connie giggled. “Maybe you should take one of those self-management classes or something.”
“Self-what? Did you just make up that word, or are there losers who actually put up with that?”
Connie reached for the popcorn. “Seriously, Guy. Maybe you should stop being so insecure. Make your own decisions, stuff like that.”
“I thought I was doing that already. Actually, I’m doing it all the time. I’m the guardian angel of this team. I’m surprised I didn’t get elected team-captain.”
“There was no election, Guy. Charlie is the captain, and he’s doing a great job. Maybe you should try to kill one of the assistant captains instead,” Connie suggested. “The chance is bigger that you’ll be the assistant captain instead.”
“Maybe I will,” Guy said. “Maybe it’s time I’ll do something to avoid being left out of the circle.”
“The circle of ruling the team?”
“Yeah, I mean, if Cecilia can do it, I can. I’ll kill her and get her position. Great plan, huh?”
“Uhu. Except from the part where she’s going to kill you first.”
“She’s a girl, how strong can she be? She’s even smaller then you. Piece of cake.”
Connie laughed. “Fine, Guy. If you want my opinion...”
“I don’t.”
“...I think it’s ridiculous to try and change something that’s working. You have a perfect existence, so why ruin that just because you think you’re over-looked?”
“Because I deserve it. I’ve stepped aside several times already, doing what I’m told, being modest and nice. What have I earned? Nothing.”
“Except from me.”
“Except from you.”
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Charlie threw an eye over his shoulder, trying to locate where he had his players.
“Look, they aren’t even looking at the movie!” Portman whined, nudging Jesse’s arm. “Connie and Guy I mean.”
“What, are they making out or what? Because that’s not a felony, you know,” Jesse sighed, rolling his eyes.
“No! They’re talking! That must be a felony! Talking during a movie? What sort of couple does that? I’ll tell you; a very lame one,” Portman ranted, totally disregarding all the dirty looks from the rest of his friends.
“You keep talking too, but we’re all keeping quiet,” Charlie pointed out. “Not that the movie is so entertaining...” He quickly turned to Cecilia, sitting behind him sipping on a Coke. “Don’t you dare make a scene, Cecilia. One little stain on my sweater and I’ll kick you out of the team, got it?”
“Jeez, I make ONE scene while we’re married, and you can’t stop talking about it,” Cecilia muttered. “Let it go, or I’ll drop something sticky on you.”
Portman got up from his seat and climbed down to the next row. Both Jesse and Charlie complained loudly when he stepped on their feet. “I think this movie sucks more then the last one we saw. You know, the one with that lion-dude, trying to save the world or something.”
“Simba,” Charlie whispered to him.
“Yeah, whatever. Wasn’t there a lion-babe too?”
“You mean Nala?” Adam said.
“Yeah... She was cool though,” Portman mumbled. “What’s this movie about anyway?”
Most part of the people in the theater made there very best ‘shush-sound’ at him. Portman sank deeper into his seat and continued mumbling things to himself. Then he turned to Fred. “Fred thinks this movie sucks too. He’s sleeping.”
“No, I’m not,” answered Fred, his eyes closed with his head resting against his arm. “I have not a clue what the movie is about, because you keep disturbing us all the time. If you didn’t want to see a movie, why did you come?”
“If you’re all here, I would be on my own. I can’t be obnoxious without an audience, can I?”
“I guess not,” Fred yawned. “I think it’s about saving the world or something.”
“Like the lion-movie!” Portman exclaimed.
Fred shrugged. “I guess.”
Portman stared at him for a second, and then he looked away. “Why am I talking to you anyway? You’re boring.”
“I dunno.”
“Why did you come here anyway, you said you had a hangover,” Portman went on.
“Charlie made me.”
Portman gave Charlie a pointedly look. “Oh, he did, did he?”
“Yep.”
“Don’t you have a will of your own?”
“Apparently not,” Fred said. “I get bossed around more then you’d think. Although I never watch bad movies.”
Portman grinned, pleased that he’d found someone to talk to, without getting yelled at. “Oh yeah? Then why are you here?”
“Because Charlie made me come, and my girlfriend said that I should.”
Fred sat up straight and looked at the screen. “Seriously, what’s this movie about?”
“A lion, I’d say,” Portman guessed. “Haven’t you ever seen a bad movie?”
Fred sighed. “The only bad movies I go to is when Charlie has occupied our room, and Sarah needs to borrow clothes from Cecilia. That takes a couple of hours, you know.”
Charlie leaned over and tapped Fred on the shoulder. “What’s your point?”
“Bad movies get high ratings not because they’re good. It’s because people has to go somewhere to make out,” Fred explained. “That’s how I ended up at the screening of Baby Geniuses.”
“We need to find a party and some alcohol, and I mean NOW,” Portman complained. “One more story like that and I’ll go mad.”
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