The One With the Exploding Ship

 

Chapter Fourteen

A ray of sunlight shining right on my eyes woke me up the next morning, making me groan and roll over. I didn’t want to do anything! It was a Saturday!

Wait. Saturday, the twenty-sixth?

Hooooly s**t.

I shot out of bed and checked the time�"good, it was only ten! I raced into the bathroom with clothes crumpled in my arms and showered quickly, hopping out of the bathroom with my hair dripping wet, old clothes haphazardly pulled on, and trying to pull on my left shoe. I toweled off my hair in a hurry and hoped fervently the malls hadn’t been completely cleaned out during Black Friday�"what if I couldn’t find Sam a gift? Why the hell did I have to wait until the last minute?

I shoved my wallet into my back pocket and ran into the living room to look for my keys, almost knocking over Brandon as he walked out of the bedroom to see what was going on. “Damn, boy�"what’s got you running around like a bat out of Hell?” he asked, rubbing a bleary hazel eye.

“Sam’s birthday is today, and I haven’t even gotten a present for her,” I said, snatching my keys up from the kitchen counter. “I might go into Rockwall to find something, if I can’t find anything in Greenville,” I called out as I left the house, hoping Brandon didn’t chase after me and say I couldn’t.

I jumped into the car, relieved I filled up the day before, and sped off to Greenville in search of a gift.

On the way, I mulled over what to get her. A CD? I had no idea who her favorite band was. I’d never seen her wear much jewelry, aside from a few pairs of earrings and a watch. I could always go the easy route nd get her a gift card, but Mom had pounded into my head that gift cards were impersonal, so I decided against that.

With a sigh, I pulled into the Greenville mall and walked inside, raising an eyebrow at the small amount of stores inside�"there were open spots! I couldn’t really imagine it�"the Fort Worth malls were always full and as soon as one store closed, it reopened not too long after that selling some other things.

I roamed around aimlessly, wondering what I could possibly get. I stopped at looked at earrings, feelish foolish, in a small store and walked out quickly when I saw a group of guys walking towards the store, feeling my cheeks burn. I wandered around and spotted a jewelry store and a familiar blonde-headed chick inside behind the counter.

“Hey, Brooke,” I said, walking inside the empty store. Brooke looked up and smiled, putting down a notepad and pen.

“Hey Aiden, what’s up?” She smiled widely at me, drumming her fingers on the counter aimlessly. “What are you doing in the lovely town of Crapville?”

I chuckled. “Well, it’s Sam’s birthday and I have no idea what to get for her,” I said, hoping Brooke had some idea what Sam liked. I saw a confused, pitying look in her eye and added quickly, “I don’t want to buy her expensive jewelry! No promise rings… I promise.”

She breathed a small sigh of relief and smiled. “Good,” she said, her hand over her heart. “I thought I was going to have to remind you of the James fiasco! I really like you, and you’re good for her�"I didn’t want you to ruin that by scaring her shitless.”

“Oh. Um… Thanks, I guess,” I muttered, feeling my cheeks burn slightly yet again.

Brooke smiled in response and tapped her pursed lips lightly, her forehead scrunched in thought. “I know she likes movies,” she said softly, almost to herself.

“So, is there a movie out that she’s been wanting?” I asked, shifting from one foot to the other.

Brooke bit her lip and looked at me apologetically. “I know there’s an older movie out that she’s been wanting, but I can’t remember the name of it,” she answered. “I think it was a nineties crime drama, or something like that. I know she said Kevin Spacey was in it… Her mom’s ex-boyfriend rented it, and she couldn’t stop talking about it for days.”

I pulled out my phone and got ready to write down what Brooke remembered. “Okay�"nineties, drama... What else do you remember?”

Brooke shrugged. “I think she said something about a ship… Oh! The ship blew up! I remember her saying that, and saying something about millions of dollars… I wish I could remember more, but I don’t. Sorry, Aiden,” she said regretfully, turning to greet a customer that had just walked in. I waved goodbye and left, wondering where I could go that could help me figure out this movie.

What if Sam already had it? I looked at my watch�"eleven thirty. I had time. I left the mall and went to Wal-Mart, wandering around in the DVD section hoping that something matching Brooke’s description jumped out at me.

Nothing. The employees were no help, either. One recommended I go to Hastings, so I got back in my car and drove down Wesley street, looking for Hastings and finding it easily.

I wandered around the movie section until an employee came and asked me if I needed anything.

“Yeah, I’m looking for a certain movie, but I don’t know what the title is,” I said.

The chick nodded. “Okay, I’ll do what I can�"oh, and Edward’s here today. He’s our resident movie buff. If I can’t figure it out, I’m sure he’ll know.”

“Well, I know it’s a nineties movie, a crime drama, there was a ship that blew up in it, and something about millions of dollars,” I said, reading it off the notes feature in my phone. “Kevin Spacey is in it.”

The chick snapped her fingers. “Oh, crud… I know what movie you’re talking about, but I can’t remember the name of it�"follow me, I’m sure Edward knows.” She set off at a brisk pace towards the back of the store, walking towards a tall skinny guy with bleach-blonde hair.

“Hey, Kira,” he said easily, turning to face her. He smiled at me briefly before looking at her inquisitively. “What’s up?”

“I can’t remember the name of this movie�"it’s a nineties crime drama with Kevin Spacey. There’s a ship with the ninety-one million doll�"“

“The Usual Suspects,” Edward answered, cutting her off. “I think it’s a ‘ninety-fiver.” Kira snapped again, nodding.

“That one! Oh, it’s a great movie. You should ask your friend if you can borrow it sometime,” Kira said to me, waving to Edward as we strode back down the aisles in search of the movie.

I paid for it and a gift bag, walking out and feeling like a huge weight had been taken off my shoulders. I pulled the price tag off the movie quickly and shoved it into the shimmery gift bag, wondering when I should give it to her. I figured I’d call Sam and make sure she wasn’t busy doing something else.

“Hey. What’s up?” she answered, her voice almost surly.

“Happy birthday!” I answered, flailing an arm out stupidly�"as if she could see! An old woman crossing the parking lot jumped and glared at me as I slid into the front seat of my car.

Sam laughed. “Thanks,” she said, sounding less perturbed.

“I have something for you. Are you busy today?”

Sam sighed explosively into the phone. “Doesn’t seem like it�"Veronica’s studying for some major test, so she can’t come home and visit, and my mom’s camping with her boyfriend,” she answered. “Seems like Jess forgot, too.”

I checked my watch. “It’s still early,” I said, backing out of my space and heading home. “Your birthday’s all day,” I teased.

“Well yeah, but Jess had this tradition of calling me at eleven ten, since that’s what time I was born. The latest she’s been before now was eleven fifteen. She forgot.” Sam sighed again, more softly this time. “Stupid Ethan. I bet he terrorized her into not calling me.”

I didn’t know what to say, so I said, “I’m sorry, Sam. Give me some time to get back to Meadow Grove and I’ll come over and keep you company today. Sound good?”

“Sounds great. Call me back when you’re on your way here,” she answered. “I’ll see you later.”

“Later,” I agreed, snapping the phone shut.

I got home and changed quickly, deciding to stop at Dairy Queen and pick up a sundae for her as well. Brandon was nowhere to be seen�"I figured he had to work today, since the truck was missing. I called Sam to tell her I was stopping by Dairy Queen and walked out the front door with her present tucked under one arm and butterflies in my stomach.