The Sign I've Waited For..
Author Notes: This is my first pairing with Jadeite. And, quite honestly, I hadn't planned
on posting this until I had a lot more - more specifically, until I had more of a plot
planned. But I like this so much that I just can't wait for you guys to read it. So, whether
you love it or hate it, seeing as this has been done a thousand times over, let me know
what you think! Send an email and I'll respond, too!
Thanks, Duchess ^_~
"I've had pity dates before, I'll have you know."
I sighed into my drink. "I Do know. But all your pity dates turned out to be great guys.
None of your pity dates ever left you for a man prettier than you."
Minako grimaced. "Ouch."
I groaned and put my face on my hands, hating the fact that I knew I was right. Minako
had never been dumped. My date, set up by an acquantance of mine, had bailed on
me when earlier at the bar he met a man, struck an instant chemistry, and with barely an
apology, left me stranded. It was the first time something like that had ever happened to
me. I was on the verge of sobbing in my drink when Minako showed up and tried to
consosle me. It wasn't working vey well.
"It could be worse, Rei," she offered.
I raised my head and looked at her. "How? How could my night possibly get any
worse than this?"
"You could be under 21 and be forced to drown your sorrows in Pepsi."
"Enough cheering up, Minako, you're depressing me."
"Me?" The innocence was on her face but I knew she took small pleasure in my
comment.
"Yes you. Now run along to whomever it is that's in love with you tonight and leave
me alone. Me and the bartender are going to become good friends tonight."
Minako made a face at my mention of the heavy drinking. She hated too much. Her
experiences with alcohol ended the night she got drunk on a mixture of liquors
and her choice had narrowed considerably to simply some wines and champagnes.
But I myself quite enjoy the different kinds of alcohol floating around. I don't drink
very often but when I do, it's usually for a pretty good reason.
"You know what your problem is?" Minako asked me.
"What is that?"
"You give up too easily."
I sighed again. "There. You got me." I replied, my voice dripping with sarcasm. "I
thought my secret to unsuccessful dating was safe and you've figured me out. How
do you do it."
"Okay, okay. I get the hint. Just one more thing before I go. Try just a teensy weensy
little bit to have some fun tonight for me. I don't want you to sit here all alone while
the rest of us have fun without you."
"Actually, Mina-chan, I'm so damn lonely that I think after I finish a couple of drinks I'll
go home."
"You will find him, Rei."
"Sure, and Usagi will swear off sweets for the rest of her life."
"You never know, " Minako told me. "The man of your dreams could be standing right
in front of you."
I sighed and looked at the floor as she patted my arm and walked away. "Rei"
something whispered in my head. Instinctively I looked up, although I knew I had
imagined the voice.
And in that moment, the crowd parted and revealed to me a man.
Growing up, I was taught to pay attention to signs around me. "Watch for the signs,"
my grandfather always told me. It was part of my every day life, an influence on
every major decision I ever made. It was a mantra my mother lived by.
I knew this was a sign.
His back was turned to me and my eyes traveled the length of his body from the feet up,
studying as well as I could the small details of his body despite his fully clothed state. He
took care of himself well, that much I could tell. The room around me disappeared as I
studied this man with great interest. And then he turned.
My eyes went immediately to his face and I was pleasantly surprised. When it came to
looks, this man was nothing like the sort I usually gravitated toward. Instead of the dark
looks that normally have me drooling, this man was bright. Blonde hair, blue eyes and
as smile to kill for. His hair was longer than most men but short, and I had the sudden
desire to run my fingers through it. His eyes were the same blue as Minako's but different,
a sort of dark shadow that showed what he couldn't - or wouldn't - say with words.
He was talking lightly with Makoto and a tall brown haired man and laughing as she tried to
make jokes with him. I grinned at Makoto and how she too had managed to go to him.
Of course, I noted as I watched him, his presence in the room was very noticeable.
For a brief moment, his eyes met mine, as though he knew that I had been watching.
He smiled at Mako, excused himself from their group, and made his way across the
room. At the bar, he stood beside me, his shoulder lightly touching mine.
"Having a good time?" He asked after he ordered a drink.
I smiled and shrugged my shoulders.
"Let me guess, you're here alone at the bar drinking your loneliness away while your
friends are out there having a good time?"
I took a sip. "Yes, that's it."
"Well, I shouldn't worry too much. Your friends look like very nice people."
"What? What do you mean? How do you know which ones are my friends?" I asked, instantly paranoid that this was yet another set up.
He chuckled and pointed to my far left. The girls were huddled together waving at me.
I grimaced. "I'm sorry."
His smile turned into a confused look. "For what?"
"For any embarrassment they might cause you in the future."
He laughed and I couldn't help but join in. He had a nice laugh. "I'm Jed. Well, Jadeite
but everybody calls me Jed."
I shook his hand. "Rei."
"So, Rei, tell me something."
"Yes?"
"How is it that a beautiful woman such as yourself is alone on a Friday night?"
I frowned, recognizing a pick up line when I heard it. "I'm alone because I wanted to be."
Jed paused for a moment and then broke into a grin. "You think I'm hitting on you, don't
you?"
I took a sip and for a second enjoyed the slight burn of the alcohol as it went down my
throat. "What do you expect me to think when I get a line like that?"
"What would you say if I told you that I think you're the most beautiful woman I have ever
seen?"
"I'd tell you that you're full of it."
"From friend to cynic all in five minutes. You're good."
I smiled wickedly. "You bet I am."
Jed took his drink in his hand and leaned on the bar. "What are you doing tomorrow
night?"
"It depends."
"On what?"
I smiled again, realizing that I was beginning to flirt with this guy. "On how much money you
plan on spending on me."
Jed grinned at that. "You have no idea what you just got yourself into with that response."
*************
I knew exactly what I was getting myself into. It was what I wanted, what I so desperately
needed in my life. It was making plans knowing that if one date was missed, another
would be sure to follow; it was making out with someone, making love when we
reached the next step of our relationship. It was romantic days followed by sleepless,
tear filled nights, it was me wondering when the next four words out of his mouth
would be the ones I've waited all my life to hear, and it was me wondering whether or
not I would be able to respond with a yes.
I needed this. I knew it too. I'd been single for six months after that debacle Chad and I
called a relationship ended. I had been heart broken at first, but soon after he and I
had a good friendly heart to heart and we were forced to realize that it was a doomed
relationship from the start.
I tried dating. I dated every type there was. Short, tall, fat, skinny, I dated it. And while
there seemed to be an abundance of new friends, I never found exactly what I was
looking for in any sort of a romantic way.
When Jed came, I was ready for it and yet at the same time, it caught me
completely off guard.
Author Notes: This is my first pairing with Jadeite. And, quite honestly, I hadn't planned
on posting this until I had a lot more - more specifically, until I had more of a plot
planned. But I like this so much that I just can't wait for you guys to read it. So, whether
you love it or hate it, seeing as this has been done a thousand times over, let me know
what you think! Send an email and I'll respond, too!
Thanks, Duchess ^_~
"I've had pity dates before, I'll have you know."
I sighed into my drink. "I Do know. But all your pity dates turned out to be great guys.
None of your pity dates ever left you for a man prettier than you."
Minako grimaced. "Ouch."
I groaned and put my face on my hands, hating the fact that I knew I was right. Minako
had never been dumped. My date, set up by an acquantance of mine, had bailed on
me when earlier at the bar he met a man, struck an instant chemistry, and with barely an
apology, left me stranded. It was the first time something like that had ever happened to
me. I was on the verge of sobbing in my drink when Minako showed up and tried to
consosle me. It wasn't working vey well.
"It could be worse, Rei," she offered.
I raised my head and looked at her. "How? How could my night possibly get any
worse than this?"
"You could be under 21 and be forced to drown your sorrows in Pepsi."
"Enough cheering up, Minako, you're depressing me."
"Me?" The innocence was on her face but I knew she took small pleasure in my
comment.
"Yes you. Now run along to whomever it is that's in love with you tonight and leave
me alone. Me and the bartender are going to become good friends tonight."
Minako made a face at my mention of the heavy drinking. She hated too much. Her
experiences with alcohol ended the night she got drunk on a mixture of liquors
and her choice had narrowed considerably to simply some wines and champagnes.
But I myself quite enjoy the different kinds of alcohol floating around. I don't drink
very often but when I do, it's usually for a pretty good reason.
"You know what your problem is?" Minako asked me.
"What is that?"
"You give up too easily."
I sighed again. "There. You got me." I replied, my voice dripping with sarcasm. "I
thought my secret to unsuccessful dating was safe and you've figured me out. How
do you do it."
"Okay, okay. I get the hint. Just one more thing before I go. Try just a teensy weensy
little bit to have some fun tonight for me. I don't want you to sit here all alone while
the rest of us have fun without you."
"Actually, Mina-chan, I'm so damn lonely that I think after I finish a couple of drinks I'll
go home."
"You will find him, Rei."
"Sure, and Usagi will swear off sweets for the rest of her life."
"You never know, " Minako told me. "The man of your dreams could be standing right
in front of you."
I sighed and looked at the floor as she patted my arm and walked away. "Rei"
something whispered in my head. Instinctively I looked up, although I knew I had
imagined the voice.
And in that moment, the crowd parted and revealed to me a man.
Growing up, I was taught to pay attention to signs around me. "Watch for the signs,"
my grandfather always told me. It was part of my every day life, an influence on
every major decision I ever made. It was a mantra my mother lived by.
I knew this was a sign.
His back was turned to me and my eyes traveled the length of his body from the feet up,
studying as well as I could the small details of his body despite his fully clothed state. He
took care of himself well, that much I could tell. The room around me disappeared as I
studied this man with great interest. And then he turned.
My eyes went immediately to his face and I was pleasantly surprised. When it came to
looks, this man was nothing like the sort I usually gravitated toward. Instead of the dark
looks that normally have me drooling, this man was bright. Blonde hair, blue eyes and
as smile to kill for. His hair was longer than most men but short, and I had the sudden
desire to run my fingers through it. His eyes were the same blue as Minako's but different,
a sort of dark shadow that showed what he couldn't - or wouldn't - say with words.
He was talking lightly with Makoto and a tall brown haired man and laughing as she tried to
make jokes with him. I grinned at Makoto and how she too had managed to go to him.
Of course, I noted as I watched him, his presence in the room was very noticeable.
For a brief moment, his eyes met mine, as though he knew that I had been watching.
He smiled at Mako, excused himself from their group, and made his way across the
room. At the bar, he stood beside me, his shoulder lightly touching mine.
"Having a good time?" He asked after he ordered a drink.
I smiled and shrugged my shoulders.
"Let me guess, you're here alone at the bar drinking your loneliness away while your
friends are out there having a good time?"
I took a sip. "Yes, that's it."
"Well, I shouldn't worry too much. Your friends look like very nice people."
"What? What do you mean? How do you know which ones are my friends?" I asked, instantly paranoid that this was yet another set up.
He chuckled and pointed to my far left. The girls were huddled together waving at me.
I grimaced. "I'm sorry."
His smile turned into a confused look. "For what?"
"For any embarrassment they might cause you in the future."
He laughed and I couldn't help but join in. He had a nice laugh. "I'm Jed. Well, Jadeite
but everybody calls me Jed."
I shook his hand. "Rei."
"So, Rei, tell me something."
"Yes?"
"How is it that a beautiful woman such as yourself is alone on a Friday night?"
I frowned, recognizing a pick up line when I heard it. "I'm alone because I wanted to be."
Jed paused for a moment and then broke into a grin. "You think I'm hitting on you, don't
you?"
I took a sip and for a second enjoyed the slight burn of the alcohol as it went down my
throat. "What do you expect me to think when I get a line like that?"
"What would you say if I told you that I think you're the most beautiful woman I have ever
seen?"
"I'd tell you that you're full of it."
"From friend to cynic all in five minutes. You're good."
I smiled wickedly. "You bet I am."
Jed took his drink in his hand and leaned on the bar. "What are you doing tomorrow
night?"
"It depends."
"On what?"
I smiled again, realizing that I was beginning to flirt with this guy. "On how much money you
plan on spending on me."
Jed grinned at that. "You have no idea what you just got yourself into with that response."
*************
I knew exactly what I was getting myself into. It was what I wanted, what I so desperately
needed in my life. It was making plans knowing that if one date was missed, another
would be sure to follow; it was making out with someone, making love when we
reached the next step of our relationship. It was romantic days followed by sleepless,
tear filled nights, it was me wondering when the next four words out of his mouth
would be the ones I've waited all my life to hear, and it was me wondering whether or
not I would be able to respond with a yes.
I needed this. I knew it too. I'd been single for six months after that debacle Chad and I
called a relationship ended. I had been heart broken at first, but soon after he and I
had a good friendly heart to heart and we were forced to realize that it was a doomed
relationship from the start.
I tried dating. I dated every type there was. Short, tall, fat, skinny, I dated it. And while
there seemed to be an abundance of new friends, I never found exactly what I was
looking for in any sort of a romantic way.
When Jed came, I was ready for it and yet at the same time, it caught me
completely off guard.