‘Popcorn,’ said Millie, snapping her fingers in front of my face. ‘Full disclosure: there will be rivers of butter on my popcorn. Lakes, in fact. I’m getting popcorn with my butter, OK? Is that what you want to hear? I’ll be drowning in a vat of my own buttery shame. And don’t you dare look at me with those judgy eyes, Sophie Gracewell, don’t you dare judge me.’
‘Moi?’ I protested, clenching and unclenching my fist around the switchblade and offering her a blithe smile. ‘I would never. I actually think that decision is very inspired. I may even copy you.’
Millie twirled her hands. ‘And that is why I’m the trailblazer.’
I bristled as the woman behind me brushed against my back. I stood a little straighter, and flicked my gaze over my shoulder. Not a threat. ‘And what am I?’ I asked Millie, keeping up with the flow of conversation while my brain whirred.
‘You’re the sarcastic one.’
‘So you get “trailblazer” and I get “sarcastic”?’
‘OK, then. You’re the one with the little face dents.’
‘I prefer the term “dimples”. And that’s still terrible.’
‘Fine.’ She studied me in quiet contemplation. ‘You’re …’
‘The moron who walks herself into danger?’
‘You’re the moron who walks herself out of danger!’ She clapped her hands in celebration. ‘That’s a good one, actually. You’re slippery.’
I moved my gaze over her shoulder. A woman with plum-coloured hair was hovering across the foyer. It was cut short, styled into a severe bob with the heaviest bangs I’d ever seen. My recent love affair with America’s Next Top Model had attuned me to hairstyles, and as far as dramatic cuts went, this one was hard to miss. It covered her eyebrows and hung low over theatrical eye make-up.
Millie noticed my distraction. ‘Cute boy?’ She followed my gaze. ‘You’re being woefully obvious.’
‘See the girl with the purple hair?’
Millie turned her whole body around. ‘Who? Lego-head over there?’
I pinched her. ‘Stop being so obvious. I swear she’s watching us.’
‘She probably can’t even see us through her fringe.’
‘I’m serious. There’s something up with her.’
Millie rolled her eyes. ‘Soph, come on. We’ve been over this a hundred times. Nobody is out to get you. You’re safe.’
We edged closer to the till. ‘Just hear me out,’ I said, still keeping an eye on the purple-haired girl. She was pacing now, looping around the theatre in a circle. If she was trying to play it cool, she was failing; I was on to her. ‘She was in the parking lot the same time we were. She was staring at us so hard I thought she was going to hit on you. Then she was standing behind us the whole time we were getting our tickets, and now she’s lingering here but she hasn’t bought one thing.’
Millie was gaping at me. ‘Soph, has it really gotten this bad …’
‘I know what you’re going to tell me. You’re going to tell me it’s a movie theatre and there’s loads of people here and that’s the whole point and I’m being paranoid …’
She nodded along with me.
‘But Mil, the more I think about it, I’m pretty sure she was driving a black Mercedes in the parking lot. That’s the same type of car that’s been driving by my house!’
Millie opened her mouth like she was going to say something. She stopped, closed it, and swallowed. She sighed. ‘OK, well, what do you want to do about this? Do you want me to go over there and talk to her? Would that make you feel better?’
I thumbed the closed blade in my pocket. ‘Just watch her. Let’s see what she does.’
‘OK,’ she resolved, looking around. ‘I don’t even know where she’s gone.’
‘She’s by the windows over there. Don’t look now. She’s doing something on her phone.’
‘Right, well, just forget about it for now. I bet she’s just waiting for a date, or an adequate hairdresser.’
The couple in front of us moved off. We took our place at the counter. Millie ordered our food and we made our way to the screen, carrying obnoxiously large buckets of popcorn.
I waited for Purple Hair to follow us in, but she didn’t. I kept my other hand in my pocket, clenched around the closed switchblade. Calmness trickled over me. Deep down I knew I was just being paranoid, but outings like this would help it ease over time. I just had to push myself. After a while my heart rate settled to a steady pace. I popped a handful of popcorn into my mouth and revelled in the taste of butter on my tongue. The lights dimmed and the screen flickered to life.