Meeting Rob
Cha-Cha was backstage at Ma Vie En Rose, removing her long blonde wig and talking with a few other performers. She'd just finished dancing and her feet were killing her. The heels were the next item removed. Slipping on a pair of sandals, she made her way out to the main room in search of Rusty and the girls.
Unable to find them in the crowded club, she changed directions and headed for the dancing room instead. She bumped and twirled her way to the middle, always one to be the center of attention, and waited. She never had to hunt for a partner, for within minutes she always had several interested men approaching her.
Whoever got to her first was who got the dance, and with some of the regulars it had become a game. Cha-Cha giggled when she saw John and Chris look at her, then each other, and back to her before both started to move in. The two boys were adorable, but strictly friendship material, and they agreed. But they loved the chase just the same. John was only a few paces away, and Cha-Cha grinned as she turned to face him, but she jumped suddenly when she felt a hand on her arm. Glancing to her left she saw one of the most gorgeous guys she'd come across in quite a while. She looked him up and down, smiling in approval.
John stepped away, not surprised Cha-Cha had been approached by someone. She always was. He'd get her next time. Chris caught up to him, put a hand on his shoulder, and nodded in the direction of the bar.
Cha-Cha and her new dance partner really hit it off. After only a few songs the drag queen reluctantly left his arms to get ready for her next performance. She noted with a smile he'd managed to talk his way to the table nearest the stage.
Her last song of the evening was a little slower than the other ones, and much more sensual. She disregarded some of the choreography at the end, and perched on the edge of the stage, hardly a foot away from his table. She moved her upper body slowly and seductively as she sang, and though she was paid to thrill the entire room, she couldn't keep herself from continuously looking back to him.
As she neared the end, she leaned forward to swipe the man's drink, finish it off, and throw the glass back down with a wink as she stood. He laughed, noticing the jealous glares he was receiving. Cha-Cha hardly ever interacted with a member of the crowd.
Well, during the show, anyway.
As applause filled the room, he got up and headed for the door. Cha-Cha paused mid curtsy, surprised he'd take off so soon. How disappointing. But then he turned to face her, a small smile in place, and nodded toward the exit. Cha-Cha grinned, and after she gave a quick wave to the audience, she darted backstage and out the first exit.
Cha-Cha rounded the next corner and almost ran him over in her hurry. She flushed, realizing her eagerness was showing. She shook her head, flipping her hair over her shoulder in a very diva-ish, yet surprisingly attractive, manner.
"For a second I thought you were leaving," she admitted, crossing her arms as she narrowed her eyes playfully. "Not even a good bye." He was inches from her now, a hand on each of her upper arms. "Kind of thing that makes a girl insecure."
"Even you?" he asked.
"Not really," she said the second before he pulled her close, mouths meeting, hungry for something new.
"Not often I meet a headliner in an alley," he said, pulling back for a moment to breathe, but Cha-Cha stood on her toes to reach him again. There was something about him that left her aching for more.
"You already know my name," she said between kisses, aware it was posted all over the club. "You must know yours too."
He slowly moved her a few steps back until she was pressed against the wall. "Mhmm," was all he could get out.
After a few moments she asked, "You gonna make me guess?" Cha-Cha released his lips, allowing him to speak without fighting her off.
"Rob." He laughed as Cha-Cha's fingers danced up his chest to wrap around his neck.
"Well...Rob," she smiled wickedly, "it's a pleasure to meet you."
It went unsaid that they were dating. There was no first date, no official starting, if you will. Looking back they supposed it had begun that moment, and it had only gotten better from there.
Rob was adored by the girls, and he loved them just as much. Rusty was worried they'd burn themselves out after a few hot and heavy months, but over a year later they were still going strong. He and Cha-Cha couldn't get enough of each other.
He liked to surprise her as often as he could, whether it was with dinner, a picnic, or just a cozy night at their apartment. 'Their apartment' was actually Rob's with a few of Cha-Cha's things around. They'd never bothered to actually transfer her stuff, and she'd stay at hers occasionally, but usually at the end of the day they'd end up at his together. So it was theirs.
She'd come home to her own once after a horrible night at the club to find a romantically set table for two. It had been just the thing she needed.
"I know I'm supposed to say, 'Oh Robbie, you shouldn't have,'" she smiled as she sat down. "But honestly, I need a nice evening after today." She playfully waved a fork at him. "And if you hadn't," she teased, "you would have been in trouble."
"I know, babe," he grinned, picking up his own fork, "and you deserve it, you were great tonight."
"Everyone else thought so too," she mumbled sarcastically.
Rob frowned a bit, seeing her mood. "I don't know how those guys got in, or why, but don't listen to them." He hoped the comments and drag jokes would soon be forgotten. She'd performed just fine, but apparently some jerks who found drag queens ridiculous decided going to drag run bar was a good idea. "You're beautiful, talented, perfect in every way."
"I know, I've been saying that for years!" They both paused for a moment, then burst into fits of laughter.
Cha-Cha snuggled into Rob's lap, her long legs stretched out over the other couch cushion, head on his shoulder. Her fingers trailed lazily along his arm, chest, up to play with his short hair. He batted her hand away playfully as it got in his face, and when she realized she could tease him, it went right back up. He watched her hand as she walked her fingers over his nose, going crosseyed and making her giggle. Quickly he grabbed her hand and tried to swiftly hold her arms behind her back, but he spooked her with the sudden movement and together they tumbled to the floor, laughing.
They exaggerated their roll to make it more fun, and when they hit the coffee table a few feet away Cha-Cha was on top of him, grinning victoriously.
"What are you smiling about?" he asked with a chuckle.
Cha-Cha wiggled around a bit more to lay down on his chest, folding her arms to use as a pillow, and looked at him with shining eyes. "Pinned ya."
"Oh really?" He prepared to flip her over while she seemed comfortable and unsuspecting. "Is that a fa-" But she'd sensed it, and in a second she had her hands on his shoulders, holding him down firmly.
"Ha. Gotcha again."
"You aren't the fragile little girl you appear." She smirked. "Come here, you," Rob growled playfully, grabbing her waist as best he could. She let him go and allowed herself to be tugged down to the floor beside him. He pulled her as close to him as possible, her back pressed against his chest. He kissed her neck, and continued to wherever he could reach.
"Mmm," she purred. She tried to roll over to kiss him back, but he kept her facing forward. Fine with her. She didn't mind if she got all the attention. Eventually, though, she was able to wriggle around halfway, enough to take his mouth with her own.
Well, time flies when you're having fun. A while later they lay sleeping on the floor, Rob halfway on Cha-Cha from when he had finally beaten her. In her defense, she'd been distracted.
The phone rang, and Rob's hand thudded along the section of coffee table within his reach. With a sigh he sat up, careful not to nudge the napping drag queen beside him.
"Hello?"
"Hello, this is a voice recorded message from-" He hung up. He hated those.
"Who was it?" slurred Cha-Cha. Rob glared at the phone for waking up his girl.
"No one, babe. You wanna move to the bed?"
In her drowsy stupor, she blinked curiously, trying to focus. "You mean we aren't there?" To her, sleep equaled bed.
He chuckled. "We're on the floor. But I can see how you'd mistake it for the bed." She nodded, unaware he was teasing her. "Come on, hon, I'll help you up."
Rob pulled her up slowly and walked her back to the bedroom. Cuddling under the covers, he kissed her forehead tenderly.
Cha-Cha smiled sleepily. "Mmmloveyou."
He draped an arm over her side. "Love you too." She was already sound asleep.
Cha-Cha finished up at Ma Vie En Rose early, but was too tired to go to Rob's that evening. She'd been there everyday the last two months, he'd understand. She'd probably see him tomorrow anyway.
She woke up late the next morning, which was very unusual for her. She checked for messages, but her machine had none. She thought nothing of it, even though every other time she stayed at her apartment, he'd always call her in the morning to say he missed her.
"It's only been a few hours, honey," she'd laugh. "How can you miss me?"
"It's only been hours? It feels like years."
She would roll her eyes and giggle. "You're too much."
But this morning it didn't occur to her to wonder as she hurried about. She had plans with Rusty, and only had so much time to get ready. She hated when she slept in like this.
She hurried to Carmine's pizzeria to meet with Rusty, glad to hear that she had only been waiting five minutes.
"Rob didn't come with you?"
"I didn't know you wanted me to bring him."
Rusty laughed. "You two are practically joined at the hip, I just assumed he'd come too."
"I stayed at my place last night, he probably would've come if I'd gone to his. But you'll accept me solo, won't you?"
"Sure sweetheart," the older queen smiled. "As long as you promise to bring him next time."
"And here I thought you wanted to have lunch with me."
"Gracie!"
Amazing Grace came through the apartment door, carrying two plastic bags. In one was a delightful mix of sweets, the other filled with movies she'd grabbed from the video store down the street. Cha-Cha dove right for the first.
"Calm down girl, I haven't even gotten in the room!" She surrendered the bag and dropped the other on the table, then proceeded to take her jacket and shoes off. "What do you want to watch first?" she asked.
"Did you bring that one with the incredibly long title?"
"To Wong Foo, Thanks For Everything, Love Julie Newmar?"
"That's the one!"
"You've seen that a hundred times, Cha-Cha!"
She pouted. "But it reminds me of us!" She waved the box in front of her friend. "Come on, is that us, or is that us?" She opened the box and popped the DVD in. "Besides, I'm crazy for Swayze."
"Aren't we all?"
The two sprawled out on the couch and got a good start into the movie before they realized they hadn't ordered the pizza yet.
"I can run down and get it," offered Cha-Cha, eyes brightening.
"Carmine is mine," Amazing Grace insisted, moving for the phone. "You have Rob, you can't get both." She dialed and ordered, then agreed to let Cha-Cha come along. "It would be pointless to leave you here alone if we're supposed to be bonding, and I don't want to risk them sending that new delivery girl." Any chance to see Carmine was taken when it came to Amazing Grace.
The two were back within half an hour, and the movie was turned on once again.
Ring. Ring.
"Oh for crying out loud," Cha-Cha wailed. "I want to watch the movie." Amazing Grace grabbed the phone, but it wasn't for her. "Hello?" asked Cha-Cha.
"Hey Cha-Cha."
"Robbie," she beamed. "It's been ages!"
"Yeah."
Cha-Cha noticed the lack of enthusiasm in his voice. "You alright, baby?"
"I'm...Well, I wanted to talk to you, are you alone?"
"Gracie is here, and we're watching a movie, but I can talk for a bit, I've seen it before."
"Good. I mean, well, if you're..."
Cha-Cha waited a moment before asking, "Should I come over there?"
"No," he answered a little too quickly. "Cha-Cha, I wanted to tell you...this isn't easy to say...I never thought I'd be in this sort of..." Rob searched for words as Cha-Cha tried to convince herself it wasn't what it sounded like.
But it was. "I met a woman last night," he finally got out.
"W-what?"
"I can't explain what happened. I didn't go out looking for her, I honestly didn't. We just ran into each other and...sparks flew."
"No..." Cha-Cha couldn't believe what she was hearing. Her eyes filled with tears, and Amazing Grace sat up, alert. She started to get up to move to her friend, but Cha-Cha held up a hand, signaling for her to stop and stay where she was. "Robbie no..."
"I'm sorry Cha-Cha," he said, his voice obviously filled with pain. "But there's just something about her that I know I won't be able to forget. I knew the minute I met her. It wouldn't be fair to you if I had her on my mind."
And this was much better? Cha-Cha choked and began to cry. She couldn't believe it. It was all too...familiar. Rob said he'd fallen in love with her the moment he'd kissed her. Before that even, when he talked to her. Danced with her. Saw her. She'd fallen in love in the alley. She thought it was a once in a lifetime love. How often did love at first sight actually happen?
Apparently twice for Rob.
"One night, Rob. One night is all you've spent with her, how can through away two years for one night?"
He had to pause a moment to collect himself, the sound of her crying tearing him up. "I love her, Cha-Cha. Please try to understand."
Cha-Cha refused to try to understand, and at the same time understood perfectly that what had happened with her two years ago had happened with this other woman the night before. Woman? Her kind of woman, or did he mean...female. She couldn't deal with that question now.
Rob waited for her to say something, or scream something, but she was at a loss for words, and crying too hard to get anything out anyway. He didn't know how to end this kind of call, so he hung up without another word.
Amazing Grace watched Cha-Cha lower the phone. "Cha-Cha what happened? What did he say?" The Hispanic coughed and choked and sobbed until her throat ached. Until she could get the words out.
"He says he loves her."
A/N: Has anyone been catching the random quotes I've been throwing in? Aside from the very obvious RENT one :) If not, that's okay. It's just a wierd thing I do. There was stuff from Reba McEntire, Montgomery Gentry...the two guys were named after the dudes from Miss Saigon...pointless, but keeps me entertained :)
Part three is halfway done :)
