For as well as he and Dani somehow got on, Max knew they didn't have a lot in common. He wasn't exactly surprised that she wasn't as familiar with Star Wars as he was but that was one of the things he loved about their friendship; they complemented each other in being such opposites. While he would never dream of boring her with a long dissertation on the superiority of nature over technology in the films, Max could listen to Dani wax poetic on any number of topics she'd be so kind as to illuminate him to. But, then again, Max could listen to her read the phone book and he'd be enthralled.
"I think I knew I was never going to be able to pull off the too-cool-for-school Han Solo act," Max said with a laugh. "But even if I could, I always was more of a Luke kinda guy. Something about saving the day, being the epitome of goodness and heroism and all that. I can say with full certainty that I haven't exactly lived up to that childhood dream, but I always wanted to."
Max cleared his throat awkwardly. Why must he always highlight how low in life he had sunk in Dani's eyes? Even if he knew he was exactly where he wanted and needed to be for the first time in his entire life, he felt like he was a constant disappointment. He tried to change the subject.
"Tell you what though, this is very thrilling for me," Max said with a chuckle. "This is only the second time I have sat in the back row of a movie theater with a girl. The first time was...God, it's hard to remember, it was so long ago. I think I was...13? Had to be. Me and Jenny Gildenhorn came to see the first Harry Potter movie. We held hands and everything but, alas, our young love wasn't meant to be. Moved on to Matt Cohen the week after my Bar Mitzvah. Broke my poor, teenage heart."
He looked around the ramshackle theater. Thought there were obvious signs of the times they lived in, it was all too easy for Max to lose himself in rosier days gone by.
"I'm sorry, I'm not sure what's gotten into me. I'm very nostalgic today. I'm out of your sight for a few months and see how out of line I get?"