I arrive at The Princess Bride so early that the pre-film adverts are on and the lights are still up. I really wish I’d been able to find someone to come with me to see it as being here, alone I’m thinking about how much Ben would have loved this. I miss him so much.
I pull my phone out of my bag to pop it on silent and I see that I’ve got a new Whatsapp message from Luke.
I wrinkle my nose up. I see a major flaw in his plan.
I send an eye-rolling emoji to him.
I’m actually scanning the people walking in to see how big their hands are.
Ah, yes, the restaurant photos. They were lovely, unlike the dinner itself which was stone cold by the time we got to eat it after the mammoth photoshoot. I’d talked Luke out of bringing his tripod, encouraging him to use his iPhone instead, only to die of embarrassment when he extended his selfie stick until it was hanging over the middle of the next couple’s table. In the end the guy was so pissed off with Luke that he offered to take the photos of us himself, probably so he didn’t end up with a phone in his face.
He replies with a thumbs-up, oblivious to my sarcasm. I wonder how I’m going to take this bloody photo; I’m obviously not going to ask a random stranger. I wonder if I could make an optical illusion with my own hands, holding one closer to the screen so it looked bigger. I balance my popcorn between my legs and after setting my camera to timer, I hold it under my chin and hope for the best.
The phone slips and it flashes right in my eye as it takes the photo mid-flight. I go to grab it before it tumbles to the floor and I spray popcorn everywhere.
‘Are you OK?’ asks a man.
In all the commotion I didn’t notice that a man has sat down a couple of seats away from me.
I turn to tell him in a very British way that I’m absolutely fine, despite the fact I’m mourning two-thirds of my tub of popcorn, when I catch sight of who it is. It’s Aidan from the train station. I stare at him open-mouthed for a second, but he shows no sign of recognising me.
‘I’m fine, thank you,’ I say. ‘I was trying to take a photo of my hands and it all went a bit pear-shaped.’
‘A photo of your hands?’ he says, raising an eyebrow.
‘Uh-huh.’ I feel like a ginormous dick and wish I hadn’t explained what I was doing.
‘Don’t tell me, Facebook photo?’ he says, sounding unimpressed.
‘It’s for a friend. I said I’d take a photo of my hands in a heart shape.’
‘As you do. Did you want me to take it for you?’
‘I couldn’t ask you to do that…’ I want to add that he’s done so much already, but I don’t because he doesn’t seem to realise that we’ve already met. It’s so hard to pluck up the courage to thank him because I know it’s going to catapult me back to the emotions of that day.
‘Really, what else am I going to do waiting for the film? I’ve already memorised the number of the fast-food shops from the adverts,’ he says, pointing at the screen.
I smile. Aidan is literally the nicest guy in the world, and I look down at his hands which are a size that I imagine Luke will be happy with.
‘So what are we going to do?’ he asks, sliding across to sit next to me.
‘I’ll make half a heart with one hand and you make the other with your hand.’
He gives me a look.
‘I know it’s cheesy. But I promised my friend.’
He gives me a quizzical look before he holds his hand out.
‘Like this,’ he says, making a claw shape. I laugh and go to reshape it and I feel a jolt when my fingers touch his. I look at him to see if he noticed and he’s looking straight at me.
‘Sorry, a heart is more like this.’
I bend his fingers round before I get my phone ready and make the mirror image with my left hand.
My hand is shaking with nerves and I take the photo quickly.
The flash goes off and I immediately take my hand out of the pose and pull up the photo on my phone. I’m amazed it’s worked. Our hands are perfectly silhouetted in a heart with the screen as our backdrop. I turn it for Aidan to see.
‘Nice,’ he says.
I’m about to reply when a torch is flashed in my face.
‘Excuse me, we have a no-filming policy,’ says a cross-sounding usher.
‘I was just taking a photo,’ I say, holding up my phone, terrified that I’m going to be ejected.
‘Look, no filming,’ says the usher. ‘We don’t want any video piracy here.’
‘Video piracy?’ says Aidan. ‘You do realise this film is over thirty years old, don’t you?’
‘It doesn’t make it any less of a crime.’
‘But it hasn’t even started yet,’ I protest.
The usher sighs loudly.
‘Just put your phone away. If we see it out again we’ll confiscate it and you’ll both be removed.’
‘Me as well?’ says Aidan.
‘We’re not together,’ I splutter. ‘I don’t know him!’ I don’t want him to get kicked out because of me.
‘Is he bothering you? Was your flash a cry for help?’ The usher points the torch in Aidan’s face.
Aidan puts his hand over his eyes to block out the torch beam.
‘No, no, he wasn’t bothering me. I asked him to help me with a photo, which on reflection was a very silly thing to do. Look, I’m putting my phone down,’ I say, lowering it like it’s a loaded weapon. ‘I’ll just put it in my bag.’
When the usher’s satisfied my phone is safely put away, he lowers the torch.
The lights start to fade and the first trailer starts to play.
‘No more or else you’re out, right?’ says the usher before he marches off.
‘I’m so sorry. Can I at least offer you some popcorn to apologise?’
I hold out my tub only to remember I spilt most of it on the floor.
‘Tempting, but I’m all right with my pick ‘n’ mix,’ he says, holding up his bag. ‘That was a bit intense, wasn’t it?’
‘Just slightly. I can’t remember if I put my phone on silent and I’m too scared now to check.’
He laughs at me.
‘No, I’m deadly serious. What if it goes off in the movie and he chucks me out?’
I bend down and peek at my phone in my bag and I’m relieved when I see the silent symbol on the top.
‘You’re not touching that phone again, are you?’ The usher’s voice comes booming before the torch beam shines on my bag.
‘No,’ I say, holding my hands up. ‘I was just collecting some of the popcorn I’d spilt.’
I pick up a couple of bits off the floor and I cringe as I put them back in my tub.
Satisfied, he turns and walks away again.
‘I’ve never known a cinema trip to be so stressful,’ says Aidan.
I look into my tub of popcorn, there’s no way I can eat it now. I could barely see on the floor, God knows what I put into there.
‘I know, stressful and I’ve lost most of my food.’
‘You can share some pick ‘n’ mix, if you like?’
‘Thank you, but I couldn’t. I think I’ve got some mints in my bag. I’ll make do with those.’
‘Are you really going to reach into your bag again?’
I look over in the corner where the usher is eyeballing us.
‘Perhaps not.’
Aidan opens up the paper bag he’s holding and puts it under my nose.
‘Thank you,’ I say, pulling out a jelly snake.
‘You’re welcome.’
‘Sssh,’ whispers a voice from two rows back, making us giggle.
‘I should have asked, did you want me to move back across,’ he says, leaning in closer to whisper. ‘I don’t want us to get in any more trouble. Or for you to think that I’m “bothering you”,’ he says.
‘I absolutely don’t think you’re bothering me. You and your pick ‘n’ mix can stay right there.’
It’s a bittersweet experience watching the film; it brings back so many memories of watching it with Ben, and it makes me wish more than ever that he was here with me. I manage to keep it together for the whole film but when the credits start to roll a rogue tear escapes and I hastily wipe it away.
‘You know, every time I watch the film I get sad too,’ says Aidan. ‘I always wanted Miracle Max to actually fully restore Westley. I always feel it’s so unjust that he’s left partly paralysed.’
I laugh and wipe my eyes. ‘At least he got the girl at the end.’
‘I guess so.’
The lights come back on and the rest of the cinema-goers stand up and start shuffling out.
‘You OK?’ he asks in a serious tone.
‘Yes and no,’ I say, taking a deep breath. ‘It’s just, it always reminds me of watching it when I was a kid. Brings back memories.’
‘Painful ones?’
‘Happy ones, which is almost worse,’ I say, looking him in the eye.
‘I’m sorry, this is going to sound a little nuts,’ he says, screwing his face up. ‘But have me met before? God, that sounds like such a line. It’s not a line, I’m not trying to hit on you or anything. Not that I wouldn’t want to hit on you, there’s nothing wrong with you, you know, looks-wise, it’s just – oh crap. Have we met before?’
He’s cute when he’s flustered but I put him out of his misery and nod.
‘It was a couple of years ago. You helped me at the station to catch a train, I—’
‘That was you? You look so different – your hair.’
‘Yeah, it’s straight now. I mean, it’s still curly, but I straighten it.’
‘Those curls were cool. Not that your straight hair isn’t nice. It’s all glossy and shiny… but I meant, the curly hair’s a bit more fun and…’ He looks pained. ‘I’m not usually like this. I’m usually quite articulate.’
‘I’m really glad I ran into you, actually. I’ve been wanting to thank you for that day.’
I feel bad lying that I haven’t seen him since then, but I don’t know how I would explain not thanking him on those occasions. It didn’t feel right then, but it does now.
‘I always wished I’d been able to check afterwards that you were OK,’ he says. ‘I wish I’d gone with you in that taxi to make you sure you’d got to your mum’s.’
‘You did so much,’ I say, letting out a small breath. This was always going to make me feel emotional. ‘Thank you.’
‘I did what anyone would have done.’
‘Ha, I think most people were running in the opposite direction. But seriously, I wouldn’t have made it without you.’
He’s smiling and his cheeks are reddening.
‘So, what are you doing in Newbury? I thought you lived in London?’
‘After the day I met you, the day my brother… died, I moved back to Basingstoke to be closer to my parents. And Newbury’s not that far of a drive, you know, to see a film like this.’
‘Your brother?’ I see his shoulders sag, like the enormity of what happened that day hits him. ‘That’s what happened. I’m so sorry. I couldn’t imagine.’
‘Nor could I,’ I say, blinking back the tears that want to fall. ‘That’s why this film made me happy sad. It was our film.’
‘Shit,’ says Aidan.
‘We used to watch the film over and over as kids. And we’d act out the sword fight scenes and pretend we were running away from Humperdinck.’
‘Sounds fun.’
‘It was. I know I should feel grateful that I have good memories to look back on, but it doesn’t make up for the fact that I can’t reminisce with him about them. Like the time we pretended to be Buttercup and Westley and I pushed him off the end of the sofa and he did an over-the-top fall knocking over one of my mum’s expensive china figurines. We spent weeks trying to hide the fact that we’d snapped the arm right off. It was one of those you-had-to-be there moments, but whenever we talked about it we’d end up in hysterics.’
Aidan nods.
‘I can imagine. As much as my younger brother is a pain in the bum, I’d really miss him if he wasn’t around.’
‘Do you get on well?’
‘Well enough. We were always at each other’s throats when we were kids, though. He’s quite a bit younger and had terrible taste in movies. He was obsessed with the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle movies.’
I pull a face.
‘Yeah, his taste isn’t much better now, his favourite franchise is The Fast and the Furious.’
‘Ohhhhh, that’s rough.’
‘Tell me about it. I mean, the first couple weren’t that bad, but if, like me, you’re not into fast cars, it all gets a bit same-same.’
I try and keep the sadness out of my smile, but I can’t. It’s this film and seeing Aidan. So many emotions are swilling round me.
‘I’m sorry, I’m upsetting you,’ he says softly.
‘No, you’re not. It’s actually refreshing to talk about it. So many people either change the subject or go to great lengths to avoid talking about their siblings around me. It’s nice that you’re being so normal about it.’
‘Not many people call me normal; makes a nice change.’
He smiles and dimples appear in his cheeks. I didn’t get to see his smile the day that Ben died, but it lights up his whole face.
‘It’s rare to find another fan of The Princess Bride,’ I say.
‘It’s an underrated classic. Have you read the book?’
‘I think I tried to when I was younger, Ben must have had a copy.’
‘It’s definitely worth a re-read if you get a chance.’
Everyone else has left the room and the usher is glaring at us again and I take it as our cue to leave.
I stand up and Aidan does the same and he follows me out of the cinema.
The usher gives us a look as we pass and I keep my bag close to my chest in case he’s still got designs on my phone. We quickly walk through the lobby and out into the fresh air.
‘Well,’ I say as we stand on the pavement. ‘It was really nice to see you again.’
‘You too,’ he says.
Marissa was right, he is cute. He’s not classically handsome like Luke, but his hair is messy and his facial hair is more beard than stubble, but less beard than hipster. Not that I should be thinking about him in that way. It’s hard enough having a fake boyfriend let alone entertaining the idea of anything else.
I turn and see a poster on the theatre wall that catches my eye.
‘Ah, look, The Goonies,’ I say, pointing at it. ‘Now that I haven’t seen in ages.’
It’s next month’s cult classic movie, on for one night only.
‘I haven’t either.. I never thought they’d beat The Princess Bride,’ he says.
‘Perhaps we could watch it together?’ The words tumble out my mouth before I can stop them. ‘I mean watch it as friends, not as in a date. I don’t do dating.’
I want the ground to open up and swallow me.
‘Dating too good for you?’ he says, looking amused.
‘No, it’s just, I’m single through choice at the moment and that’s how I want to stay.’
Much better way to protect my heart.
‘Fair enough. Goonies it is then, as friends.’ He looks at his watch and frowns. ‘I’ve actually got to go. I’ve got a train to get.’
‘Back to Reading?’ I say then realise that he hasn’t told me where he lives.
He looks at me like I’ve caught him off guard.
‘Is it that obvious that I don’t come from Newbury? Do I not look posh enough?’
‘I um, no, it’s just I met you that time in Reading, so I assumed that was where you were from,’ I say, thinking on my feet.
‘Oh,’ he says, nodding. ‘Good detective work. I do indeed live in Reading. And you’re going back to Basingstoke?’
‘Uh-huh, although I work in Reading.’
‘Oh, OK, where?’
‘At McKinley’s Insurance.’
‘I have a café near there, Sombrero’s? My partner Saskia runs it day to day.’
My cheeks instantly flush; firstly with embarrassment of the time I saw him there and didn’t thank him and secondly at the thought he has a partner. I went to such great lengths to stress that I wasn’t interesting in dating him and all along he wasn’t single. I think of the woman with the dark brown hair and luscious lips and it only makes me feel more stupid for thinking that there was something between Aidan and I.
‘Yeah, I’ve eaten there, it was great,’ I say. ‘So I should let you get the train.’
‘Did you want me to walk you to your car? I presume you drove?’
‘I did, but my car’s just over there,’ I say, pointing in the direction of the car park. ‘It’s well lit, I think I’ll be fine.’
I desperately just want to run away now.
‘Thanks again for that day on the train,’ I say.
‘I’m so pleased to know that you’re OK. I’ll see you for The Goonies,’ he says.
‘Indeed,’ I say, giving him a goodbye wave.
I’m about to turn and walk away when he steps forward and wraps me up in a hug. My head instinctively comes to a rest on his chest. It’s so intimate, yet it feels completely normal. When he pulls away it feels like we’ve been standing there for ages when in reality it can only have been seconds.
‘I still don’t even know your name,’ he says.
‘Izzy.’
‘I’m Aidan. Take care, Izzy, and I’ll see you next month.’
I turn and walk away.
Seeing The Princess Bride without Ben was always going to be emotional, but meeting Aidan properly and being able to thank him made it even more so. Yet, instead of feeling sad I’m happy because I feel I might have found a new friend.