“I’m not going to lie about that!” Maggie said, exasperated.
“Why not?” Malcolm asked.
“Because it’s a stupid reason to lie?”
“But if they think we’re a couple, we’ll get the couples discount!”
Maggie glared at him. “Malcolm. It’s two dollars. Just cough it up.”
Malcolm sighed. “Just have to be a goody-two-shoes, don’t you,” he muttered as they moved forward in line…
She punched him lightly on the arm. “I am not a goody-two-shoes. I just don’t like lying, and not for something stupid like two dollars off movie tickets we can both afford. If one person can lie, then the whole system falls apart, since anyone could be lying and no one would trust you either way.”
Malcolm rolled his eyes, rubbing his arm. “Don’t start on all the moral imperative, philosophy crap. Just admit that you’re a rule follower. Own it.”
“I am not a rule follower! I am an honest person, there’s a difference.”
“Oh yeah, honest? What about when you told Mary you liked that yellow shirt, even though I know you think it’s hideous?”
Maggie blushed slightly. “That’s not lying. That’s being nice. Clearly she wanted someone to comment on it. I was just keeping the peace.”
Malcolm snorted. “Just keep telling yourself that.”
“And what does that mean?” Maggie bristled.
“It means that you are so concerned with keeping the status quo, and making everyone like you, that you hide the real you. You be the person you want everyone to see you as. It doesn’t work on me because I’ve known you too long,” he finished, smugly.
Maggie was speechless.
“What, no witty retort? Not going to try and smooth things over? Say I’m right and move the conversation along to something simpler?” Malcolm smirked, taking another step forward in line.
Maggie straightened, her expression determined. “You think all I care about it keeping the status quo?”
“Maggie, we’ve been friends for eight years. In all that time, I’ve never seen you take a real risk. Even if you wanted to…” He trailed off, looking away from her to the screen showing movie times.
“I think you are projecting,” she said softly.
“What?”
“We’ve been friends for eight years. I’ve only ever seen you make choices you knew would work out in your favor. Sure, some were risky, but you never really had anything to lose.”
Malcolm shrugged, finally looking back at her. “So?”
“So,” she said, “I’m not a rule follower.”
She took his face in her hands, and kissed him, pulling close to his body. He froze, for a second, then wrapped his arms around her, puling her even closer. They heard a slight cough behind them, and broke apart, remembering where they were.
The guy at the ticket counter coughed again, drawing their attention. They shuffled forward.
“Two tickets for the 5:45 showing, please,” Malcolm said, trying to compose himself.
“With the couples discount, that will be $14.”
Maggie and Malcolm looked at each other, but didn’t say a word.
Inspired by a writing prompt from The Character Comma’s prompt generator.
© The Lightning Tower, 2020