He smirks, giving my hand a light squeeze. “Patience. We’re almost there.”
We drive past multiple town establishments, and every time I think Reed is going to make a turn, he doesn’t; he just gives me a devilish smirk. There’s a mischievous twinkle in his eye, like he’s enjoying toying with me by not giving me the answers I’m looking for. The houses fade in the distance, and the wooded area around us becomes thicker and denser by the minute.
He turns us down an old dirt road, rocks and dirt kicking up behind the tires. The car slows, and my nerves flare as we roll past a set of iron gates. Directly above them, curled metal spells out the wordsSullivan Estate Theatre. My brows pinch together as he drives through. Just past the gate, sits a stone booth lit by a warm golden lantern, the inside of the glass fogged slightly from the cool air. A man in a grey coat and a funny hat leans out the window, smiling and waving us through.
“Evening, Mr. Sullivan.”
“Evening, Henry.” Reed cracks his window open. Henry hands him two glossy tickets, black with a silver embossing, and Reed passes them over to me.
Tonight’s Feature: Pride & Prejudice.
The Sullivan Family Drive-In
My head snaps to him. I must be beaming because he lets out a howl at my excitement. “I had a feeling you would like this.” And he’s right; I’ve always wanted to go to a drive-in.
Thick trees line the road, and as Reed makes another turn, we emerge into a clearing that steals my breath away. It looks like something straight out of another era. A massive white screen glows softly against the trees. Rows of cars fill the spaces around the lot, each spot marked with vintage lamp posts with numbers engraved into them, wrapped in dry autumn flowers.
We continue rolling through. Couples sit on truck beds with blankets, popcorn in hand, waiting for the movie to begin. We pass a small snack stand as Reed pulls into a space at the very front, with the best view of the screen that saysReserved for the Sullivans.It’s a little secluded from the rest of the parking spaces, granting more privacy. “You have your own drive-in theatre,” I whisper, mostly to myself.
He shrugs, like it’s nothing. “It’s been in the family for years.”
Reed changes the radio station, and the sound from the commercials playing on the screen fills the car. I follow his line of sight. Standing at the snack booth outside his window is a small group of students I’ve seen Reed hanging out with. One stands with her arms crossed over her thin frame, glaring at Reed’s car and not listening to a single thing her friends are saying. She has light blonde hair and bright blue eyes that I can see even from the distance between us. Her outfit screams wealth. The girl looks like she was plucked straight from the cover of a Forbes magazine. Next to her is one of the studentsI’ve noticed Reed hanging around the most, Jenkins, I think his name is. He leans casually over the counter of the stand, flirting with the staff member behind it. He’s the type to get what he wants with nothing but a charming smile.
Reed shifts uncomfortably in his seat, returning his soft gaze to me. “I’m going to go grab us some snacks before the movie starts. Do you want anything?”
I give him a soft smile. “Sure. Surprise me.”
“Be right back, beautiful,” he reassures me, giving me a quick peck on the cheek before slipping out of the car and shutting the door with a soft thud.
I watch him approach his friends and see the woman’s face light up as he greets them. Jealousy whorls inside of me when she wraps her arms around him in a hug, and I can’t help but think I’m not the first woman he’s taken on this date, and if she was one of them.
I look forward, while some horror movie preview flashes on the screen, screams echoing through the car speakers. Loxen was right. Why would someone with Reed’s status want to waste his time with someone like me? He should be entertaining a girl like her, someone who doesn’t tiptoe through life terrified of being too much or not enough. I suddenly feel too overdressed in my attire, like I’m a fraud. Why do I care so much? I don’t even know what this is between us. It’s new, undefined, and I shouldn’t be jealous.
Inhaling slowly, I unclench my hands from where I unknowingly balled them into fists.You don’t care. You’re fine,I tell myself, but I don’t feel fine.
Reed returns just as the opening credits forPride and Prejudicebegin. Soft piano notes waft through the vehicle as he returns to his seat, arms leaden with an assortment of snacks. He places a bag of popcorn between us, a bag of spider-shaped gummies in the cup holder and holds out a drink for me to take. “Please tell me you like cherry soda.”
His face is laced with worry, and I huff a laugh, feeling my frantic heartbeat calm in his presence. “It’s perfect. Thank you.”
My skin grazes against his as I take the cup from his hand, and his brows pinch together. “Are you still cold?”
“Maybe a little,” I admit, and Reed reaches into his back seat, grabbing a grey hoodie for me to wear, sporting the academy logo.
“Here, put this on,” he instructs, and I pull it over my head. The smell of expensive cologne wraps around me like pine, leather and something sweet that has me craving another lungful.
“Better?” he asks, offering a warm smile.
“Yeah,” I breathe, “much.”
Settling into our seats, his fingers skim mine, and I let my hand fall into his. He runs his thumb over my knuckles with easy, tentative strokes.
We watch in silence for a long while, sharing glances between scenes and eating popcorn.
“I like Darcy,” he says with a chuckle, breaking the silence.
I turn to him in disbelief. “YoulikeDarcy? As in, the emotionally unavailable, rude and judgmental Darcy?”
Reed grins. “He’s just misunderstood, Gravenhurst.”
