The theater was dark, and almost empty. To the left sat a cluster of people, talking in low whispers and watching the film. Only two people sat to the right. The first, a girl. Not short, not tall. She had auburn hair and deep, golden eyes. Sitting next to her was a tall, black haired boy. His legs were long and he wore a troubled expression.

The seats were small and close together. The girl and the boy's legs were touching, ever so slightly- their arms brushed against each other. The two did not know each other.

It felt like they did.


The girl turned and faced the black haired boy.

"What's wrong?" She did not think it strange to ask this question for some reason; they were complete strangers, but it felt okay.

"I have a disease." The boy looked hard into those deep, golden eyes. He was unafraid, unembarrassed- he felt he knew this person. The girl knew he would not tell her what it was he was ill with. The movie was over now, but the two would cross paths again.


How many days later she met him again, the girl did not know. She was consumed with him, that something dark and hidden- he enthralled her. As she walked down the bland, blank halls of the same movie theater, she heard steps behind her. She turned around, and was met with the same troubled face- a shadow of a smile passed over it, and evaporated.

"What's that on your shirt?" the girl asked, squinting to read the dark red writing.

"Just a shirt from a trip I went on." As the boy fidgeted with his shirt, something became apparent to the girl. There was red writing under his shirt, as well. The boy knew that look of understanding across her face. He would not hide this particular secret.

"Looking for my Dad." he said enigmatically. He pulled down the front of the black t-shirt, and the girl blinked. There was writing- lots of it. Etched in his skin were red, cursive letters- swooping and twisting... the words were beautiful, but horrifying. They were not tattooed.

"They're prayers. Always with me. So I might find him someday." The boy's deep, slow voice was entrancing... before she knew it, the girl was back in the theater, in the same seat, aside Ash. That's what she would call him, in her head.

It was something of a Déjà vu. The same cluster of people sat to the left, and only the girl and Ash sat to the right. The theater was still dark; it did not seem anyone cared about lights. No one cared much about the movie, either.

The girl was still fascinated, confused, and taken in by Ash. He was a secret. Why did she feel like she knew him? He was a complete stranger, they had never met... but the troubled expression he wore, his eyes that were a different shade of blue every time she looked at him... Something was familiar. Like an old friend. She couldn't put her finger on it.

The girl stared into Ash's eyes. They were dark blue, at this moment. He stared right back. This was surreal, it was strange and peculiar and extraordinary... Ash leaned towards the girl. She was pretty, the kind of pretty that you have to take time to appreciate.

The girl did not know if Ash kissed her, if she kissed him, or if something in the stars was aligned just right, bringing the two of them together. She found the latter most believable. How many words had she said to him? Seven? They acted as though they had been a couple for years. She did not understand. She did not understand the situation, she did not understand Ash.