Chapter Seventeen
Olivia stood outside the old Alice Cinema, nervously adjusting her dress.
She looked around, searching for Edward, whom she had been given a very detailed description of by Theo an hour prior.
Long black jacket, tall, pale golden hair and blue eyes.
Aka, half the men in London. She did not want a repeat of her previous date, where she had looked like a complete idiot for not knowing who he was.
A few moments passed, and a tall man with messy blond locks approaches her with a wide smile, wearing the very outfit described by Theo.
Mustering up a smile, Olivia stopped smoothing her hands along her dress as the man stopped a few feet from her.
“Olivia, it’s a pleasure to meet you. I’m Edward.” He leaned forward, cupping her shoulder in a firm grasp and placed a kiss on her right cheek.
“Nice to meet you too. Theo has told me great things.” Why did she just bring up Theo? She’d only just met Edward, and she was already talking about another man. Noting his polite smile, he nodded towards the popcorn counter.
“Should we get some snacks? The movie starts soon.”
Olivia smiled her agreement. She had said many times before that she hated first dates, and nothing had changed.
They were always awkward and unrelenting.
To her pleasant surprise, however, Edward had chosen to see one of her favourite movies for them to watch, and so she would be able to sit in the dark in Edward’s company without too much chitchat and not worry about maintaining the same level of conversation and show of interest she had in her previous dates.
“Yeah, that sounds good. Theo told me they had good popcorn here, so to say I’m excited would be a major understatement.” Olivia skipped towards the counter, her khaki green coat and skirt flowing around her bare legs.
“Do you like sweet or salty popcorn?” Edward pointed towards the huge case of popcorn, the metal pan popping as corn kernels fell over the edge onto a large pile.
“Salty.” Olivia hummed, licking her lips.
Cinema popcorn hit different than other popcorn.
It was elite. Especially the salty, buttery goodness that was less popular here in England.
It was often incredibly difficult to find the savoury snack, and the times she had, her dates had just ordered the sweet popcorn by default.
Glancing at the counter, she drew her lips between her teeth.
Edward had already overtaken her previous dates by asking what flavour she wanted, and in her head, she mentally checked the box for considerate on her leading man criteria list.
“I thought you would pick sweet,” Edward said, his eyes piercing with their bright blue irises.
Olivia quirked her eyebrows. “Why’s that?”
“To match your personality.” Edward winked, leaving her standing there in the line while he approached the counter. She watched him carefully, looking over his features with interest.
Letting out a gentle laugh, she felt her cheeks blossom with heat as the attendant called them over.
Flirting. He was flirting. A behaviour she was, apparently, not that good at, according to the men she’d speed dated weeks ago.
The old timey cinema was decorated in art deco-inspired architecture.
Musty reds and patterned green carpets made the place feel as though you had walked back in time, right back to the golden age of cinema, and sit too close to your neighbours on the small red fold-out chairs.
She liked to think Edward might have the same taste in movies as her, and smiled when he leaned over the small marble counter and ordered.
Maybe this date wouldn’t go as poorly as she originally thought.
“One salty, one sweet popcorn, please.” Edward handed over a sleek black bank card before Olivia could blink.
“Oh, are you sure? I can pay for mine.” Reaching into her handbag, she rummaged around and began to lift the bright pink purse out.
His hands covered hers, and he looked right at her. “I’m the one taking you out, I’m paying.”
Chivalrous. Another box: ticked.
Olivia allowed herself a shameless swoon as she threw the pink purse back in the old leather bag and closed the zip.
They entered the dimly lit theatre of the old cinema.
The flickering marquee lights cast a warm glow on their faces as they made their way to their seats.
The theatre was nearly empty, besides an elderly couple sitting at the front, the man’s arm slung over his partner’s, whispering sweet nothings to each other in the dim light, and a rowdy group of five teenagers sitting right up front, their feet propped on the top of the seats in front of them.
Popcorn was being thrown high into the air before they tried and failed to capture it in their mouths.
The red velvet seats creaked under their weight as they settled in, the old narrow chairs making their shoulders brush slightly as they sat side by side.
“So, Theo told me this is one of your favourite films. I must admit, I’m not as familiar with it. But I’m excited to watch it with you.” Edward spoke while folding his jacket and laying it across his lap.
Olivia was surprised at his admission. She didn’t even remember telling Theo such a small, obscure fact about herself. “Oh, really? Well, it’s a classic. I haven’t met anyone that doesn’t like it so far, no pressure or anything,” she joked.
Edward turned to her and grinned just as the lights went down.
Over the course of the film, Olivia occasionally stole glances at him, and each time he’d glance back at her, and they’d share smiles like shy teenagers.
She noticed his genuine interest in the film, despite his earlier confession of not knowing much about it.
She began to relax, and by halfway through the movie she had mustered the confidence to lay her head on his shoulder as they watched.
Despite the first two dating blunders, Theo had found her someone she could finally envision being her leading man.
After the film ended, Olivia and Edward exited the old cinema, warm night air greeting them. Olivia couldn’t help but smile as they stepped out of the gold-lined double doors and onto the bustling street. The date had gone well. It had been the best one yet.
She couldn’t wait to tell Theo.
“It was just as fantastic as I remember,” Olivia said excitedly. Grasping Edward’s arm, she turns her gaze towards him. “What did you think? Rebel Without a Cause, did it live up to the hype?”
Edward grinned at her gleeful tone. “You know what? It did. I can see why you love it so much.”
Her smile widened when he insisted on walking her to her tube line to go home. They continued to talk; the awkwardness of the blind date had completely dissipated, leaving only a warm tug in her stomach, and a bunch of butterflies.
For first dates, this one hasn’t been that bad, she thought, glancing up at the blond man with blue eyes who had been respectful, and kind, and so far, everything she wanted.
Edward was more than just a contender for her leading man; he had all the makings of a genuine protagonist in her upcoming novel.
The way he made her feel, the way he looked at her, it was all too perfect to be discarded.
When she got home, Olivia outlined three chapters, left a voice message for Theo and wrote a new name at the end of her list.