It was late on a Monday night and Thirteen was dancing on the high wire of dreams and reality. However, she was brutally shoved off by the powerful force known as a ringtone. Rolling over and smacking her hand on her nightstand a few times to find her phone, she successfully picked up a small rectangular figure assumed to be her iPhone. Her vision, blurred by exhaustion, kept her from reading the caller ID, but still allowed her to touch the answer button of the touch screen.
"Hello?"
"Thirteen….hey," a voice, confident yet meek, trailed out on the other end.
"Who is this?" she replied, her brain still half shut off by the sheep that stomped on it, mistaking the pink mass in her skull for a fence to skip over.
Obviously the least bit startled, the voice hesitated, "It's me…Chase."
Suddenly, the brunette stood up in her bed. The sheep had gone and had taken their spell of sleep with them. The room felt cold and she pulled up her sheet to cover her bare body.
"Chase? W-Why are you calling me? It's nearly one in the morning," she said in confusion. She looked to the alarm clock on her night stand just for confirmation, but she was right.
"Do you want to go out? Like…now?"
Why yes, yes I would. It's one in the morning, you just woke me up, and it's freezing in my room. So yes, I would so enjoy getting up JUST for you. "Chase, I said no twice already," she said. "Asking me to sleep with you the first time was cute, but you obviously won't take me seriously when I say no!"
And with that, Thirteen ended the call, with jaded eyes staring down the phone that lay in her hand. "Go to sleep Chase," she said to herself, slouching back in bed. "And leave me alone."
Why can't you leave me alone? Why can't anyone leave me alone? Alone is where I belong. It's where I've been and where I always will be. So don't disrupt the universe.
She's been thinking so much lately. She knows she's on a time limit for life, but it mostly made her stupid. Now that she's gotten past the first stages of numbness, tears, and stupidity, she's stuck roaming through the maze in her mind.
What could he have possibly wanted from me? A night in my pants for sure, that's what everyone wants. They deny it, but I see it in their eyes. People lie, but their eyes can give them away. You just have to be good enough to pick up on the technique.
Another ring in her ears.
She picked up the phone quickly. "Go away you intolerable twit!" she yelled into her phone's microphone.
"That's no way to speak to the man who controls the time you stay employed," a much deeper voice called back. This definitely wasn't Chase. More like House. And if you just screamed at House and called him an intolerable twit you are either going to piss him off or impress him with your edginess. Either way, crap! I'm screwed!
"Right…House. Sorry, thought you were someone else," she admitted bluntly.
"An ex? Man? Woman? I'd prefer a woman to be honest. And a very attractive one at that. It's much more enjoyable to picture when you tell of your conquest in graphic detail to me," House replied, obviously smirking on his end.
Thirteen couldn't help but to roll her eyes, "When have I ever told you about my 'conquests'? Men or women? And why would I tell you now? And what makes you assume it was an ex?"
"Well, you could start telling me now for a bonus in your next salary? And it was kind of obvious to be an ex. You really only talk to exes in that way. Well that and your family, but you don't have a family so that leaves the ex. So who is she?"
My mother and brother are gone, thank you for the reminder. But need I remind you that I have a father and sister still around? I haven't seen Amy in a few years, mainly since I left med school, but I saw my father a few months ago and he seems to be fine with me. I wouldn't dare talk to him like that.
"She is a figment of your imagination. Goodbye House."
Another call dropped by an overworked, young doctor.
Go to sleep. Don't disturb the universe. Don't disturb my universe.
Another phone ring. Luckily, Thirteen was already up. About to lift up a cup of peppermint tea, she reached for her phone instead. Who is calling me this early in the morning? If it's House trying to convince me to leak my sexual tales, I'll snap his cane in half, figuratively and literally. But as she checked the Caller ID, she saw a different figure. "Chase" appeared at the top with a picture of him making his "stupid" face filled the screen. She couldn't help but to crack a smile. With eyes crossed and tongue stuck out, he really did look stupid, but he was handsome enough to pull it off. Oh crap! The phone!
She answered it on the second to last ring.
"You reached Thirteen. Either I show interest in talking to you by not imitating a voice recorder or I do imitate one and show no interest in talking to you. Please leave a message. Bye-"
"Wait! Don't hang up!" the young Aussie said, his voice increased a note higher than its usual non-panicked octave.
The shock of hearing his plea kept her on the line. Curiosity struck her like a harpoon to the stomach and she stayed quiet to listen to his words.
"House said he went off to California with Wilson. Some conference or something. I think they're going to an MMA fight though. But the moral of the story is that we have a week off."
"Yes? We get time off all the time. House isn't exactly the most eager person when it comes to work."
"I was just thinking that we should grab a coffee maybe," he replied, trying to be patient with the disinterested brunette.
"You want a coffee, you have to ask me to my face like a decent person. If you're gonna make a date, at least make it a good one," she replied in her famous sarcastic manner.
"I know."
"What?"
"Open your door."
The three words threw her off guard, but she followed his orders. As she turned the doorknob, her piercing green eyes widened and her finger hung up her phone without her even thinking of it. "Y-You're here."
Chase, who had been leaning against the wall across from her door, stood up, holding a single rose. As he offered the vivid red flower to her, she took a step back. His voice softened, but still kept the confidence Chase always had. "Here. It compliments your eyes."
Artistically, yes. Red is the complementary color of green, but a bit cheesy don't you think?
"How do you even know if I like roses?" she asked, still refusing the flower.
He looked at her and raised his meek expression to a half smile, "I don't know for sure. But who doesn't like roses?" He held the flower out for her once more. With an observant glare into his eyes, she took the flower. "Come in," she said, opening the door and stepping back for him. "I have to go put this in a vase before it dies." His smile raised a bit more and he entered her apartment. Apartment 3 belonging to Number 13. It wasn't half bad. He always knew where she lived, but this was the first time he'd ever set foot in her apartment. If House ever asked his team to go search her place, he'd back down for the assignment, even though he did want to know what her living style was like.
She shut the door behind him and gestured him to go to the living room. "Go sit on the couch while I find a vase," she said, trying not to sound forceful. He did as he was told and sat down on her couch. It was surprisingly more comfortable than he expected. Actually, it was more comfortable than any couch he'd ever sat upon. Where did she even get this? He almost trailed completely off into thought, but Thirteen's throaty voice shot him back to reality. "You do know that bring me a flower does not get you a one-way ticket into my pants right? If that's what you came over for, you can take your so-called 'coffee date' and leave."
"You really thought that coffee was my secret code for sex?"
"Usually is."
"Not this time. I want a coffee. And I want you to have one with me if you wouldn't mind," he said, trying to stay cool, but obviously reflecting the slightest bit of assertiveness. He'd been rejected so many times. Does she not realize that if he just wanted to get in her pants, he would've gave up a long time ago?
I wonder how long it takes for him to realize that I don't drink coffee that much. I don't like caffeine and even decaf still seems off.
"Fine," she said as she found a vase to put the rose in. The emerald eyes focuses on filling the glass vase to the right amount and then placing the rose in with delicate hands. Why did I just handle that rose like a baby? It's a flower. Not like there's a million other just like it out in the world, or even out in New Jersey. Her sarcasm invaded even her thoughts. "I'll get coffee. As long as it doesn't lead to whatever funny business coffee dates usually lead to."
"It won't," he said, getting up from the fluff ball of softness. "I promise."
Promise. I've heard that word so many times that it's lost any and all meaning to me.
"Let's go," she said, grabbing a sweater and forgetting her cup of tea on the counter. Let's hope this turns out to be just coffee.
Thirteen couldn't help but stare into Chase's eyes. What's his plan? Surely he's up to something.
"I know I have nice eyes, but it'd be nice to have a conversation," he replied after a brief moment.
She didn't realize just how long she'd stared at him and when she awoke from her trance, she found herself slouched a bit and her decaf coffee was at a tolerable temperature for drinking. Without hesitation, her back straighten back up and she drank coffee. "Sorry, just thinking," she mumbled.
"You're always thinking," Chase laughed in reply.
You know, it wasn't that funny. Actually, it wasn't funny at all. But I don't really care about your take on my word choice anyways. "I guess so," the brunette gave a quick chuckle back, even though she found no humor in the matter. She was terrible with keeping conversations with this man. They don't really talk at work unless they're debating over a diagnosis. Besides medicine, she had no idea where to start. "So…how did you know I drink decaf? I've never drank coffee of any sort around you."
Chase looked into her eyes, an odd gesture for someone of his flirtatious type. "You don't seem like a caffeine kind of person."
"How so?"
"Well like you said, I never see you with coffee. Which when you think about it is quite strange because working with House isn't exactly the most carefree job in the world. Also, when I walked into your apartment, I thought I smelled peppermint. I think I've seen you drink tea before, but the non-caffeine ones. I just assumed you didn't like caffeine."
The "date" went on a bit awkwardly, but it didn't take long to finish the coffees. Chase paid for the two and they headed off.
"So uh….thanks for the coffee. We're already on the road and you know where I live so it won't be much of a probl-"
"Stop right there. I'm not done."
Thirteen's eyes widened and stared into Chase's aqua blue eyes. "You said coffee." This better not turn into date rape or else I'm hopping out of the car.
"I said coffee, but coffee only lasts so long," he replied, managing to focus on both her and driving. "Let's go out for a drive. Just to nowhere and anywhere."
She sighed, but reluctantly agreed. As much as this would seem to be crossing the line, Chase didn't seem like the type of guy to hurt her. He was a bastard, that's for sure, but he still had his code of honor.
Luckily, Thirteen was right and Chase kept his word. They drove around with no destination in mind and even stopped and grabbed a few things to eat. When their "date" drew out to sunset, Chase suggested he drive her back home, obviously followed by an agreement by the somewhat tired girl.
When they got back, it seemed almost too silent, even for Thirteen. "So um…thanks for the coffee," the brunette spoke up, breaking the silence. "I had fun…" Did I have fun? I mean, really have fun? Maybe, maybe not. It's so hard to tell as of now.
Chase smiled, "I'm glad that you had fun too. We should go out another time."
"Another time?" she thought aloud, covering her mouth with her hand and widening her eyes after she realized what she had just said.
"I thought you had fun," he replied, genuinely puzzled. "What's wrong with another date?"
The words struck her hard, probably harder than they were meant to. Why is it so wrong?
"I…I don't know," Thirteen replied, her eyes moving back and forth as if they were trying to find the answer somewhere in her apartment. "It's just you and me…w-we work together. It wouldn't feel right. House would ridicule us."
"Since when have you been concerned of House's opinion of you?"
"I'm not! It's just…" she mumbled, pausing to find the real reason of her constant rejections.
"It's just what?" he answered back, more demanding the answer rather than asking for one.
"I just can't!" Thirteen yelled out. She felt her heart twisting and she shut her eyes. "You should go."
"Why can't we talk this out?"
"Just go!"
