"Ellie, I am not going to talk about this anymore." Miranda walks in through the apartment door. She is more annoyed and the source of that annoyance follows in behind her. "Miranda, I am telling you that sex sweat is different than normal sweat!" Ellie is adamant about her point. She closes the door with her foot so she could keep her focus on Miranda. "I understand that and I also believe you. It makes sense since you are releasing pheromones and junk." Miranda says as if she has explained this multiple times.
"Ok, sure, but it is like more sticky and it dries differently..." Ellie says aloud but mostly to herself. She has one eye closed as she thinks it over.
"Right, that is probably because of the different things your body is releasing." Miranda doesn't even look over at Ellie as she takes off her shoes and places them in the proper rubber shoe tray.
"Alright, well we shouldn't argue since it is movie night and all. I'll start making the pop corn!" Ellie walks past Miranda with a little hop to her step. Miranda gives an uncertain glance to Ellie as she walks by.
"We weren't even arguing... I was actually agreeing." Miranda says softly to herself before she realizes what Ellie had even said. To assuage her confusion Miranda checks the calendar in the hall, she would surely have marked something like "Movie Night".
"Movie night... Movie night..." Miranda mutters to herself as she checks and sees nothing on the calendar for this week, other than a reminder to take out the trash.
"Um, Ellie, when did we decide on a movie night..." Miranda raises her voices slightly so that she was sure that Ellie could hear her, "Also, how do you know that we have popcorn? I don't even know if I have popcorn..."
Miranda walks into the living room scratching her head with the amount of information she is now receiving.
"Oh, I decided a long time ago. I used getting pop corn as an excuse to talk to the hot guy down the hall. Ya know he is single..." Ellie says with a smirk as she holds the pop corn bag in front of her in both hands.
"How many times have I told you that I am not looking to get... involved with anyone. Even if I was I am not going to date someone in the same building." Miranda sighs as she looks at Ellie. Miranda was aware that this was Ellie's way of showing that she cared in some way, like a dog bringing back a dead gopher to their owner.
"Why would that be weird?" Ellie asked. Miranda was taken back for a moment. She had not expected such a simple question to unravel her tightly knit defense.
"Umm, well... it would just be too close." Miranda taps her hand flat on her thigh as Ellie observes with a single raised eyebrow, "It feels too personal. Like, what is stopping them from just walking over and knocking on the door. Then I would have to go over and talk to them whether I actually wanted to and if they wanted to come in or go out that would mean..."
While Miranda went into a full spiraling explanation. Ellie would just nod occasionally as she slowly moved over to the microwave. Ellie popped it open, put in the pop corn bag, forgot how much time she should put it in for, took the bag out, checked the back, put it back in, and then punched in the time.
"... then if the pipes break in his apartment he KNOWS that he can stay over and then we are living together..." Miranda has been staring at her own hands drawing small diagrams in the air the entire time she was speaking.
"Alright, don't set you up with people in the apartment. Gotcha." Ellie interrupts Miranda who looks up at her with a bewildered expression, "So, let's just relax and watch a few movies. What do you want to watch?"
"Firstly, don't set me up with anyone. Secondly, why would I have a movie I wanted to watch when I had no idea that there was even going to be a movie night?" Miranda asks.
"You could have had a movie that you wanted to see that you never got to. I know that you spend a lot of time watching series and stuff. Figured that you might have to scroll past something that caught your fancy." Ellie shrugged and leaned against the kitchen counter.
"Hmm, now that you mention it there might be some things." Miranda rubs her chin as she considers what Ellie had said, "I'll go and get the laptop."
"And I'll be here staring at the pop corn bag spin around in the microwave!" Ellie says as if that was a highly crucial role that needed to be played. Miranda leaves Ellie to her important assignment and heads over to the breakfast nook. She opens up her laptop and signs in without sitting down. Seeing the streaming service pop up with all of the genres, sub-genres, recent releases, and any other number of sections to consider prompted Miranda to sit down. She fought back the instinctive urge to press on the new season of Gopher Gazebo before doing a cursory scroll through the options.
"So there are a lot of options Ellie. Is there any sort of movie that you feel like?" Miranda shouts over her shoulder into the kitchen.
"Nah, just start throwing out names." Ellie says with her face being illuminated by the off-yellow glow of the microwave. Miranda does another quick scroll and then frowns. She then chooses to simple grab the laptop and go into the kitchen with it. Miranda sits with her back against the fridge. Ellie takes a moment to glance away from the microwave to Miranda before returning to her solemn vigil.
"Alright, so do you want to just narrow down a genre or... a type of movie or something. Do you have a favorite director or actor?" Miranda asks as she looks through the recent movies for anything that jumps out.
"I don't know about directors... other than that one with the foot fetish. Oh, there is that actor I like, she is kinda hot but in the "I can break your neck with my thighs" sort of way." Ellie bites her lip for long enough for Miranda to give her a disgusted look, "You know, her."
"No, Ellie." Miranda says with a sigh, "That could be a bunch of different actresses... that doesn't really narrow it down."
"Just start throwing out names then. Whatever looks good to you." Ellie shrugs. Miranda starts to slowly look through the recent releases.
"Oh, this looks interesting." Miranda says before she reads the description aloud, "I think I remember hearing some good things about it. It is this industrial horror called "Churn". It is meant to sort of delve into the horror of industrialized capitolism by making the audience have to interact with the machinery that makes their products outside of the context of an efficient work force or consumption."
"What?" Ellie looks over to Miranda with a look of utter bewilderment.
"What? It is not the first modern horror movie to be set inside of a factory. I mean, it really is just sort of spiritual sequel to "The Smoke still Burns" but that was more like in a foundry or mine." Miranda takes a moment to think, "It has been a while since I have seen it."
"Yeah, too bad." Ellie says with feigned interest as her eyes dart quickly to timer. Seeing as the timer was about to flip over to only showing seconds Ellie's eye light up. A stillness came over her like a cat looking at a bird out of the window, minus the chirping.
"Oh, there is also "Things That Scream"." Miranda pipes up after a moment of scrolling, "It is kind of a sleeper slasher flick that came late to the genre but it really sort of held its own. A lot of people sort of over look it because its main selling feature was that it had 3D moments in it. It sort of did a lot with the perspective being that you get to see through the eyes of the killer a lot more than other movies. Also, it does an interesting thing where it focuses on the before and after of..."
"Ssshh." Ellie has a single finger up towards Miranda as her eyes are locked on to the microwave timer. As the last second flips over Ellie presses the button to open the microwave, beating the alarm. With a large smile from her great success she takes out the pop corn and opens up the bag.
"ELLIE! YOU ARE GOING TO BURN YOURSELF!" Miranda shouts as she starts to get up. Ellie just looks over perplexed as she fishes a kernel of popcorn out of the bag and pops it into her mouth. She begins chewing and raises a single eyebrow. She points at her horns as she looks at Miranda.
"Oh... right. You are a demon from hell." Miranda reminds herself and settles back into her seat.
"In the flesh. Also this popcorn needs more butter." Ellie scowls as she looks into the bag and shakes it a bit. Ellie turns around and grabs the butter that is on the counter, a knife and a bowl.
"Just don't put too much. I want to have some too." Miranda says as she watches Ellie measure out the butter. Ellie, who had the knife hovering over the half-way point of the stick of butter, scoffs and rolls her eyes. She cuts a smaller portion off and puts it in the microwave to being staring as something else spins around in it.
"Alright, so there is also "Full Moon Craze" or "Truth or Dread" or even "Intrusive" if you are more into psychological horror." Miranda lists off the movies. Every time Miranda said a title the look on Ellie's face becomes more and more uncertain.
"Why are you choosing all of these movies where people get killed by maniacs and stuff?" Ellie says as she takes out the now melted butter from the microwave and begins to pour it into the popcorn bag, "Do you even like those movies or are you trying to mess with me?"
"Oh, I love horror movies. I used to watch a bunch back in college, I was even in a little movie club." Miranda seems confused with the response from Ellie, "I thought you would like those too. Also there are usually hot people in them. Is there something you don't like about horror movies?"
"Umm, no. Not really. I just thought you would like a rom com or a cop drama or something." Ellie gets more quiet as she speaks. She avoids eye contact with Miranda after she finished speaking. Miranda just looked at her and let the awkward silence linger in the air. After a few seconds Ellie began to crack under the extreme pressure of nobody saying anything.
"Ellie..." Miranda chided knowing that Ellie would cave given that she has not gone a minute since she has known her not saying something.
"ALRIGHT, alright." Ellie throws up the arm that isn't holding the pop corn, "I just... don't like getting scared. Are you happy? The big powerful demon from hell that steals souls shouldn't be scared of anything especially not ghosts or monsters or murder men or whatever!"
"Whoa, calm down! This is why I asked if there was a type of movie that you didn't want to watch." Miranda is frustrated for a moment but then takes in a breathe and calms down, "Ellie, this is not a big thing. Lots of people don't like horror movies or think that being scared is even that fun. I mean, I don't really watch horror movies for that. I just like that they usually talk about difficult subjects or emotions."
"So... you do want to do movie night?" Ellie barely gets these words out as her embarrassment washes over her.
"Well, it wasn't what I figured I would be doing today. Now that I am here reading through these movies and smelling the popcorn I am kinda excited for this." Miranda smiles to Ellie who shoots a small smile back to her.
"Alright, so can you choose a normal movie? Something that isn't "Murder Gore: The Stabfesting" or something." Ellie is back to chomping away on popcorn.
"Hey, the "Murder Gore" series has a lot more going for it than a lot of people think." Miranda doesn't even looks up from the laptop as she speaks.
"What?! I just made that up, that isn't real. Don't bullshit me Miranda, I am not in the mood to be bullshitted!" Ellie is completely frazzled as she threatens Miranda. It was not until the stifled laughter of Miranda comes out that Ellie realizes what is happening. Ellie throws a pop corn kernel at Miranda who fully starts cackling at her deception.