Payback
| Payback | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| (Book-exclusive) | |||
 | |||
| Published | August 1, 2016 | ||
| Page count | 6 | ||
| Major characters | Jasmine, Paulo, Mina, Amaya | ||
| Minor characters | Cassidy | ||
| Locations | Roseville cinema | ||
| Collected in | Volume Four | ||
| Appears between | |||
| |||
Payback is a book-exclusive chapter appearing in Bittersweet Candy Bowl: Volume Four. A girls’ night out at the Roseville cinema hits a snag when Jasmine discovers her money is no good there: her ex has quietly picked up the tab. It’s a sweet gesture from Paulo, who unfortunately can’t actually afford it.
Synopsis
For once, movie night is happening at an actual cinema, and Mina couldn’t be happier about it. She teases Jasmine that she wasn’t looking forward to “another dad lecture” at her place, which Jasmine hotly denies (her dad is not THAT strict, thank you).[1] At the ticket counter, Mina floats “Ultimate Zombie” as their pick. Cassidy puts on her primmest voice to object that such violence is far too inappropriate for girls their age, and an exasperated Jasmine tells her to shut up. In the end they settle on seeing whatever’s up first, which turns out to be the zombie movie anyway.[2]
Jasmine loads her friends up with popcorn and drinks, cheerfully announcing that it’s all on her. They just have to cover her next time.[3] At the register, however, Amaya won’t take her money and only offers a placating palm. Jasmine slowly puts it together and slams her head onto the counter with a wail. She breaks the news face-down: “Guys. Paulo was here. He’s paying.”[3][4]
Mina, for her part, thinks free snacks are pretty cool, and she has some comforting words for her mortified friend. “Better a guilty ex than a mean one!” Jasmine can’t really argue with that, and she heads off to the movie blushing, a hand to her cheek.[5]
Once the coast is clear, Paulo pops his head over the counter to thank Amaya for covering for him, then asks what the damage is. She types up the total, and his grateful smile drops right off his face. He pleads to pay her back later. Amaya, serene as ever, hands him a broom instead. Paulo grips it, grits his teeth, and says only “Fine.”[6]
Character dynamics
- Jasmine and Paulo: This is their first warm moment since the breakup, after months of frost. Paulo went into their New Year’s split in Ten Seconds to Midnight already in love with another girl,[7] and in Study Buddy Jasmine told him to his face that she’s glad they broke up.[8] He can’t remotely afford the treat here, but Jasmine is visibly touched and walks into the theater blushing.[5][6]
Trivia & observations
- The title works twice over. Paulo pays Jasmine back for the breakup with a grand gesture, then has to pay the cinema back with a broom when the bill turns out to be more than he has.[3][6]
- Amaya doesn’t say a single word in the chapter. She gets by on smiles and gestures until she types up Paulo’s bill and hands him a broom.[2][3][4][5][6] That’s par for the course for her, and she was already working this cinema’s snack counter in Off to the Movies.[9]
- Cassidy’s prim complaint that zombie violence is “clearly inappropriate for girls our age” keeps the teasing about Jasmine’s lecture-prone dad going for one more page.[1][2]
- Mina calls Jasmine “Jazz” on the opening page. Paulo also used the same pet name during their relationship, so it wasn’t exclusive to him.[1][10]
Related chapters
- Back and Forth: Paulo and Jasmine’s first date took place at this very cinema, with Amaya on duty and sending Paulo an encouraging thumbs-up. “Payback” brings all three of them back to the same cinema after the breakup, with Amaya once again lending Paulo a silent hand.[11]
- Ten Seconds to Midnight: The New Year’s breakup that made Paulo a guilty ex. The split looked mutual and even friendly on the surface, but Paulo had fallen for another girl,[7] and Jasmine cried alone in the hallway once he’d gone.[12]
- Take Heart: In the very next chapter, Paulo greets Jasmine at her locker, and she leans away with an uncomfortable frown.[13]
- Boy Toy: Amaya is still smiling pleasantly when Paulo begs her to let him into an NC-17 movie, and she answers with a firm thumbs-down.[14]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Bittersweet Candy Bowl: Volume Four, “Payback”, page 1
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Bittersweet Candy Bowl: Volume Four, “Payback”, page 2
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 Bittersweet Candy Bowl: Volume Four, “Payback”, page 3
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Bittersweet Candy Bowl: Volume Four, “Payback”, page 4
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 Bittersweet Candy Bowl: Volume Four, “Payback”, page 5
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 Bittersweet Candy Bowl: Volume Four, “Payback”, page 6
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 Chapter 73: Ten Seconds to Midnight, page 24
- ↑ Chapter 77: Study Buddy, page 18
- ↑ Chapter 12: Off to the Movies, page 2
- ↑ Chapter 56: Up to Bat, page 2
- ↑ Chapter 54: Back and Forth, page 23
- ↑ Chapter 73: Ten Seconds to Midnight, page 25
- ↑ Chapter 81: Take Heart, page 17
- ↑ Chapter 87: Boy Toy, page 13