V is for Videos #atozchallenge #ShortStory

My theme for 2021 is a Young Adult short story. A double-date in the 1990s. An established teen couple sets up their best friends with each other, but it doesn't go well.

Content warning: Today's post includes some pandemic snark about the movie Outbreak. It came out on VHS in August 1995. I quarantined for a year, and got my second Covid vaccine on April 15-- that should tell you where I stand. 😷

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Today's word count is approximately: 460 words

V is for Videos 

We head to the video rental in Phar-mor. Lance grabs one off the wall as soon as we get there.

"Oh cool, they've got Billy Madison! Adam Sandler is hilarious." 

Yohann pulls it away. "We're looking for a make-out movie, remember? Girls."

Lance shrugs. "Don't need a movie to get to make-out with my girl. Right, babe?" 

I grin and kiss him. "Damn straight. But I have seen that movie already."

We find Madelyn looking at Star Trek or Star Wars or whatever. I drag her away. "The point isn't to actually watch the movie."

"Yeah, but—  "

"Nope. You get those, you pause every five minutes to nerd out and explain things no one knows or cares to know."

"I do not." 

I stare at her. She sneers. I stick my tongue out.

"Keep doing that, it'll freeze that way."

I shrug. "Lance my darling, do you care if my mouth freezes with my tongue sticking out?"

"That would make kissing interesting. But it could be handy at other times." We both laugh. Madelyn shakes her head and walks away.

"Has anyone seen this movie?" Yohann walks over holding Outbreak.

I shake my head. "No. But I heard about it. Some virus breaks out and the government has a hard time quarantining the infected people. As if anyone would willingly spread a deadly virus."

"Some people are selfish, babe. Or they'd be like my father, saying it's all a government conspiracy to get our money and track our movements."

"Yeah, right. Even when they see sick people?"

Lance shrugs. "You know what a dick he is. Probably would say they're faking. Or that the government is infecting them on purpose."

"There's no way people would ever be that dumb. Maybe your dad. But not many people. We should watch the movie, see if there's even a character like him."

"I bet there will be."

"Ohh, what are we betting?" I wiggle my eyebrows. Lance leans in and whispers that we should bet oral sex. Winner receives. "You're on."

"What'd you bet?" Madelyn asks. 

"Make your own," I wink.

"I'll wager for your pink butterfly hair clip that there will be a happy ending."

"And if the ending isn't happy, you have to convince your parents to let these guys come to your birthday party. Or let us take you out for the night."

Yohann wraps his arms around Madelyn. "Out. I definitely vote for talking them into letting you run away with us for the night. So we can celebrate properly." 

Madelyn nods. I'm not sure she's even aware of what she's agreeing to right now. He could say anything as long as he held her like that and pointed his lips toward hers.

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Thank you for reading! 

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My Twitter would be @PenMinion - but I'm suspended right now. I used a quote from a comedian to threaten my self-critical inner voices. I didn't know that voices in my head were protected by Twitter's TOS. But they are. And even though the comedian has a Twitter account, and the quoted joke is available as a gif on Twitter, it was still a violation of the TOS. (And possibly racist?) Feel free to scroll this blog to learn more. I have several posts about it. In the meantime, never threaten inner voices of self-doubt, because you can be kicked off of social media for such an action. 

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