The Saturday night air was crisp, carrying the faint scent of buttered popcorn and city streets. In the heart of the town, there was a "cinema" just for anime lovers.
Jessica stood outside the large building, checking her phone for the third time in two minutes. 7:02 PM.
Steven was late.
Not by much, but enough for Jessica to feel slightly uneasy. It wasn't like this was a real date, just two classmates watching an anime movie together, but something about the whole thing felt… different.
She shifted on her feet, adjusting her oversized hoodie and baseball cap, her attempt at staying low-key. If Chloe or Ava found out she was at the movies with Steven Greece, she'd never hear the end of it.
A voice interrupted her thoughts.
"You know, for someone who wanted to pick the seats, you seem pretty lost."
Jessica turned to see Steven approaching, hands stuffed in the pockets of his hoodie, his hair slightly tousled like he'd just run a hand through it one too many times.
"You're late," she said, crossing her arms.
Steven gave a half-smile. "Technically, you said the movie starts at 7:10, so I still have eight minutes."
Jessica rolled her eyes but couldn't help smirking a little. "Fine. You're not late, just barely on time."
Steven held up a bag. "Also, I stopped to get us snacks. I figured theater popcorn would be overpriced, so I may have smuggled in some extra candy."
Jessica peeked into the bag and let out an impressed whistle. "Okay, I officially forgive you. You brought Skittles. Respect."
Steven grinned. "I know my audience."
As they walked inside, the reality of the situation hit Jessica. She was at the movies, with Steven Greece, watching an anime film.
If someone had told her a month ago that she'd be willingly spending her Saturday night with the school's quietest nerd, she'd have laughed.
But here she was.
Inside the Theater
The place was half full, mostly with other anime fans,some wearing Demon Slayer hoodies, others already debating whether the movie would live up to the hype.
Jessica followed Steven up the stairs, settling into the seats she had insisted on, middle row, perfect view.
As the lights dimmed, she turned slightly. "Just so you know, if this anime makes me cry, we're never talking about it."
Steven smirked. "Noted."
The film was incredible. The animation, the fight scenes, the emotional weight, everything was exactly what Jessica had hoped for.
But somewhere in the middle of it, she noticed something strange.
She was comfortable.
There was no pressure to impress anyone, no expectation to act a certain way. She could react naturally, laugh when something was funny, get excited when an epic fight scene happened, and, yes, even tear up when the anime hit its saddest moment.
She stole a glance at Steven. He was fully immersed, eyes locked on the screen, fingers absentmindedly tapping against his jeans.
When a particularly emotional moment struck, Jessica felt herself tense, trying to hold back any obvious reaction.
And then, she heard a sniff.
She turned her head slightly, eyes widening. "Steven… are you crying?"
Steven cleared his throat, adjusting his glasses. "No."
Jessica bit her lip, fighting a smile. "You totally are."
Steven sighed. "Fine. But if you tell anyone, I'll deny it."
Jessica grinned. "Your secret's safe with me."
As the credits rolled, Jessica felt something settle between them, a new kind of familiarity.
This wasn't just some forced school partnership anymore.
It was something else.
Something that, if she wasn't careful, could start feeling dangerously more than friendship.