Title: For This I Went to College (1/2)
Author: Cindy ()
Rating: PG-13
POV: Tobias Zachary Ziegler
Summary: Toby tries to find the best way to ask CJ out.
Characters: Toby, Sam, Josh, Leo, Jed, Abbey, Donna and CJ.
For This I Went to College
I had decided that today was going to be the day, the day that I would finally ask CJ out on a date with me. The only problem was that I didn't know how to go about doing it. Since my divorce from Andi I hadn't really much time or care to go out with any women, my job keeping me busy and all. But with CJ there has always been chemistry between us that I think I would like to delve into deeper.
I know what I'll do, I will write down what it is that I want to say to her. How hard can that be, considering I write for a living? Picking up my pen I began to feel my juices start to flow and with a quick flick of my wrist-I was ready to begin writing. Okay wrist maybe you didn't hear me-I am ready to begin writing. Hey! What is wrong wrist, why aren't you writing anything down?
My hand lay against the pad of paper yet no action was taking place. My mind was busy with all of these words but for some reason they were trapped upstairs. The communications from my hands to my brain were not in sync. How did I manage this one? Five minutes have gone by and still I have not written anything. Okay now it is been ten minutes and I have at least written 'CJ' down. It is always good to remember the object of whom you are writing to.
It was time for reinforcements. From my bottom drawer I removed my red ball and began to throw it against the wall. Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud! I didn't catch the ball as it made its way back because Sam Seaborn caught me off guard when he stormed into my office.
"For the love of God Toby knock it off!"
"Knock what off Sam?"
"The thumping Toby. Stop throwing your damn balls against my wall."
"Okay that doesn't sound good at all from over here. Let me see if it sounds any better from inside your office." Josh Lyman entered my office and stood beside Sam who was inches away from my desk. "Nope, that still doesn't sound any better in here. In fact, it kind of sounds more sick and twisted if you ask me."
Sam turned to Josh and said, "Well I didn't. So do what you do best and make trouble somewhere else. I have three speeches to prepare and the Juggler here is distracting me."
"Here is an idea," I began. "How about the two of you get out of my office so I can go back and concentrate."
"Concentrate? How can you think with that ball bouncing against the wall?" Sam asked.
"Ohhh those balls. I hear ya now Sammy." Josh said.
Sam glared over at Josh and spat "It's Sam!"
"Whatever! Toby what are you trying to do? Maybe Spanky and I can help you out?"
"My name isn't Spanky."
"CJ calls you Spanky."
"You're not CJ."
"With those eyes, those legs and that body…I'd sure like to be."
"Josh!"
"What Toby I am kidding around. Don't tell me you are against in office flirtations too. Man it was just an idea I kick around from time to time."
"I thought you had Donna in your dreams?" Sam asked.
"I do. Sometimes she is Dominatrix Donna and sometimes she is Dolly Donna with CJ." Josh was grinning. Here I am trying to find away to ask CJ out and Josh was admitting he was sick perverted dreams of her. Although if I am gonna be honest with myself, I have those same ones. Okay back to reality now.
"As a matter of fact I am trying to ask someone out. So if you don't mind can you please go so I can continue?"
Both Sam and Josh started looking around the room. Josh went so far to even lift the cushions off of my couch. With a deep sigh, "She ISN'T actually in here you two dweebs. I am writing to her, or atleast I am trying too."
"You are writing to ask a girl out and your calling us dweebs." Josh stated.
"I'd be more concerned with a speech writer having trouble not only asking a date out but writing it. Isn't that why you went to College?" Sam questioned.
"For your information it isn't that easy." I said.
"Since when Toby? When was the last time you asked a girl out by the way? Give me a time frame and I can maybe help you out. Atleast maybe lead you in the right direction." Josh said.
I leaned back into my chair and gave Josh's question some serious thought. "10 years."
In stereo both Sam and Josh yelled out, TEN YEARS?"
"Yes ten years. I was married you know."
"Yeah but not for ten years Toby." Sam replied.
"Man Toby I don't know what to say except, do you know how to ride a bike?" Josh asked me.
"Do I know how to ride a bike? What the hell does that have to do with anything? Of course I know how to ride a bike."
"Well that is important when it comes to dating Toby. Girls like-guys who can ride a bike!" I got where Josh was trying to go.
"You bet your ass I know how to ride a bike. And the girls like the way I ride too!"
"We really need to stop sharing so much. It makes me nauseous." Sam told Josh and I.
"Who's the babe?"
"She isn't a babe Josh."
"Oh my mistake sorry. Okay then who is the ugly chick you're trying to pick up on?"
"I meant she is more than a babe Josh, she is a woman."
"Oh well that explains it." Sam said raising his hands in the air and letting them drop. "He can't write for squat because it's exactly what he knows about a woman. She's more than a babe, she's a woman….Good God Toby Josh could write better than that."
Josh backhanded Sam softly on the chest and thanked him for what he mistook as a compliment. Sam looked at Josh and said, "It wasn't a bloody compliment Josh. I was trying to say that you SUCK at writing. It was an insult."
Josh come back with, "Yeah, I was on to that."
"I'm serious here guys. Toby is having a hard time because it has been awhile. You've got to take sometime on this, it isn't something you jump into." Sam told me.
"But I want to get back on my bike Sam."
"Forget the bike Toby." He responded.
"*Sam* I need the bike. Gimme the bike!" I grunted out.
"Give him the damn bike Sam before he starts foaming at the mouth man!" Josh cried out.
"Fine fine he's riding off on his bike. But it's only a ten-speed. No mountain bike for you yet. Not until you are ready." Sam ordered.
Josh looked at me with full sympathy. "That's gonna leave a mark," he said.
"Tell us who it is Toby that you want to help out? I will help you." Sam asked.
"It's CJ."
"CJ!" Josh choked out. "Oh Toby man, I am so sorry for the comments I made earlier."
"What comments?" Sam asked Josh.
"You know, CJ does Sicily, CJ does South America-"
"You never made those comments Josh," I said.
Josh turned about three shades of red, I thought he was going to burst. "Oh I didn't? Well I must have been thinking of them then. Well no harm no foul gotta scoot."
"Not so fast." Sam shouted. "We have to help Toby because I don't think I can take anymore of him throwing that bloody ball at my wall anymore Josh."
"Fine I will help him," Josh whined. They both came back to my desk. Sam planted his fingers on my desk and leaned over towards me. I thought at first he was going to try and kiss me but he didn't.
"Okay what plans have you already arranged for your date?" Sam asked me.
"Plans?" I repeated.
"Plans, arrangements. Oh Toby don't tell me you are winging this?" Sam asked.
"Well-"
"Sam, we better order dinner in. This could take awhile." Josh said. Sam agreed and Josh stepped out to make the order. Sam backed up from my desk and sat on the sofa.
"Okay Toby we need a basic game plan. Before you ask a woman out, especially a woman like CJ you need to have a slight idea as to where you are going to take her!"
"I hadn't put much thought into Sam. I have enough troubles coming up with the words and the guts to ask her."
"Well we'll leave that to last. Let us work on the arrangements first shall we." I waved my hand off to Sam letting him know he had control which made him excited.
"Okay, now where would be a good spot for you and CJ to go on a first date?" Sam began to think. A good three minutes later he came up with an idea.
"Oh! I got it! How about tickets to the basketball game. Courtside seats maybe?" He was grinning from ear to ear.
"You have got to be kidding me right?" Josh was hanging in the doorway as he normally does when he visits one's office. I put my feet up on my desk and placed my hands on my lap. So far having Sam in control was working just golly swell. Sam turned to make eye contact with Josh.
"What's wrong with that? They are both fans of the game?"
"Toby whatever you do, don't take dating advice from this guy. Keep in mind he dated a call girl."
"I didn't date her, we were friends."
"Friends? Must be nice Sam, I don't have many friends who I sleep with." Josh stated.
"You don't have many friends that's why." Sam argued back.
I was afraid to ask this of Josh but somehow I managed to. "What do you suggest I do for a first date with CJ then Josh?"
"Easy. You go plain and simple. Something traditional maybe."
"It's a first date Josh not a wedding," Sam answered back.
"I know that hooker boy. But it works. You go to a nice dimly lit restaurant, have some wine, French food and afterwards you take her to a movie. It is a great date because you can talk during dinner and then sit beside each other at the movies and if you're lucky you can maybe hold her hand.
"Hold whose hand?" Leo the Chief of Staff was standing in the doorway where Josh had once stood before him.
"Nobody," I called out.
"CJ," dumb and dumber answered honestly.
"You're holding hands with CJ?" Leo inquired.
"Not yet but I'm working on it." Josh retorted.
"Toby wants to ask CJ out on a date but he hasn't any idea what to do with her once she says yes." Sam filled Leo in on our little situation.
"That is if she says yes Sam. She hasn't said yes yet."
"That is only because you have not asked her yet," Sam debated.
"You're making plans for a date you don't even have yet?" Leo asked.
"Yeah, let's listen to the guy who hasn't had a date since Kennedy was in the house." Josh said.
Leo turned his attentions to Josh and pointed his finger at him. "Keep it up and you won't see the outside of this building to date for a long long time pal." Josh gulped.
"This is sad," I mumbled.
"Let me hear what you have so far," Leo said.
"Well my idea was dinner and a movie and Romeo here wanted him to take CJ to a basketball game of all places."
"Basketball Sam? You are such a romantic." Leo said to Sam who looked as though he was going to cry from humiliation.
"Well Leo what do you suggest?" I dared him.
"Personally I have always been a big fan of the disco decade. So if it were me I would take her dancing." As hard as I tried not to it couldn't be avoided and I bust out laughing. I was joined by Sam and Josh who were about to start rolling around on the ground.
"What is so funny about dancing?" Leo asked.
"There is nothing wrong with dancing persay Leo, but disco? Come on. That is so 70's." Josh snorted out.
"Yeah really, who-" Leo cut Sam off before he could say what he was about to.
"Listen hooker boy, I don't need any wisecracking responses from you. Atleast my girl would get some action on the court as opposed to yours who'd probably be nursing her nosebleeds from the crappy cheap seats you'd have purchased.
"There you are Josh, I have been looking—hey what's everybody laughing at?" Donna asked.
"Sam just got slammed by Leo. I guess you had to be here." Josh said to Donna.
"Why, what's going on. Tell me tell me what did I miss?" Donna pleaded with Josh.
It was Sam who answered her finally after she repeated herself umpteen times.
"Toby is trying to get ideas for a nice date."
"I have only one word for you Toby-*Broadway!"
"Broadway?" Josh snickered.
"Yes Josh, Broadway. CJ is a woman of class and one who can appreciate the fine arts that the theatre has to offer."
"Our CJ?" Leo doubted?
Donna gave Leo a wicked look and he backed up a few steps. For some reason Sam too followed Leo's idea. "There is nothing wrong with Broadway shows you know. You can all stand to see one, it wouldn't hurt."
I was beginning to get a headache. Where did these people come from? I was beginning to doubt my judgement in friends.
"I guess Broadway isn't such a bad idea," Sam offered.
"Ah Sam do you always have to take the role of the whipped boy? Josh asked curiously.
"Well, I mean what is wrong with culture? Donna has a point."
Oh boy, this could get bad if that was at all possible.