I have decided to repost this story with some changes and revision. Please revert back to Chapter One in order to begin this story again.
Chapter 2: Nice Skin
It had been two whole weeks since Carly met everyone and they all were getting to know each other as well as becoming fast friends. Carly spent more of her time with Penny, as they seemed to click the easiest. Penny and she had gone out shopping at one point and Carly ended up buying some tops she would have never considered had she been by herself.
Leonard and Penny had also gotten together. Carly had heard of their past get togethers, and still found it to be an adorable pairing. Bernadette did hang out with Howard more often than not, but she had spent time together with Penny and Carly as well. Raj still didn't talk to her and she wished she could help him feel more comfortable.
And then there was Sheldon. He had taught her how to play Halo 3 and just as he had said, they won each game, much to the dismay of the other players. Since Carly spent most of her nights with them, she was becoming used to spending time with Sheldon. They did their laundry together each Saturday night; both enjoying each other's company. Sheldon would speak about nonsense things and Carly was surprised to find that she was learning a lot by just being around him. However, some of the time though she would just smile and agree with what he said, not at all understanding what he was saying when he began talking about science.
Carly soon saw the vulnerability in Sheldon and how he reacted towards others. He didn't understand things out of his comfort zone and he would come off as a jerk, but Carly knew that he wasn't. The others didn't seem to understand that - instead, misinterpreting his words like she had to begin with and mocking him.
She found he was quite funny as well, if you understood his humor. It also didn't go unnoticed by her that he was handsome. His smile was adorable and he got excited over the silliest things. There was a twinkle in his light blue eyes whenever he was about to speak about something he knew or found interesting. And Carly couldn't help but find that his choice in t-shirts was endearing.
oO0Oo
It was a Tuesday night and the gang was all around a table at the Cheesecake Factory, where Bernadette and Penny worked. Penny chose to be their waitress and Bernadette had the night off so she was sitting next to Howard. Carly found herself sitting in-between Leonard and Sheldon, so she couldn't have been happier.
When they had all got their food and began eating, Leonard spoke up. "So I was over at the comic book store earlier today and Stewart said that he would give us a discount on Comic Con tickets. Isn't that awesome?"
Howard and Raj grinned and were chatting to Leonard excitedly, but Sheldon interjected. Like usual. "Hold on! You mean you went to the comic book store without me?" he looked completely appalled at Leonard.
Leonard shrugged uncomfortably under his roomemate's gaze. "Yeah… I needed to go pick up my Ultimate Spiderman book before someone else took it."
"That's why they have subscriptions, Leonard. How many times have I told you? That way on new comic book night Wednesday, we all can go pick up all our new ones at the same time since Stewart had put them back for us," Sheldon explained.
"That is true, Leonard. Raj and I have had subscriptions for a while now," Howard said, raising his eyebrows up at his friend from across the table. Raj nodded.
"I have been meaning to, I just keep forgetting when I go in there," Leonard explained, shifting in his seat.
Sheldon shrugged in hopeless defeat. "Well if you keep forgetting, then you will be out of luck and new comic book-less."
Leonard glared up at Sheldon but Sheldon was on a new subject now and had turned to Carly, who had been eating uncomfortably in between Leonard and Sheldon.
"Carly," Sheldon said suddenly, making her look up at him and swallow her mouthful of food. "How would you like to join us at the comic book store tomorrow night?"
Carly's eyebrows rose in surprise and the others leaned in with curiosity at the two. Even Penny stopped cleaning the table off next to them to listen in.
Carly tilted her head, thinking. "Well I get off work at 6 tomorrow night, so I am sure if my schedule coincides with yours I could go," she said with a smile up at him, ignoring the stares from the rest of the table.
Sheldon smiled back, "Great. We go at seven, Leonard can drive us."
Carly remembered the arguement between the roommates the other day, after Sheldon had practically demanded Leonard take him to the train store. "I could drive," she suggested politely.
Sheldon waved her off. "Oh don't worry, we can all carpool."
Leonard would have normally been annoyed with Sheldon for assuming he'd drive, but because it sounded as if Sheldon was asking Carly out... in a way, he said nothing and was silent with anticipation.
Carly nodded then and smiled happily. "Oh okay, cool. I'll come over to your apartment after I get home from work and we can all leave then."
Sheldon nodded and went back to his burger. The stares immediately adverted from the two and Carly stood.
"I'll be back; I need to use the restroom," she explained.
"I'll come with you," Bernadette smiled up at her and the women walked away from the table.
oO0Oo
Howard watched his girlfriend leave with Carly and then shook his head, looking back at his friends. "I will never understand why women go to the bathroom in packs."
Raj raised his eyebrows and smiled. "Well, in their defense, it can be quite a social event."
The guys all looked up at himin annoyance, causing Raj to eat his food uncomfortably while avoiding their eyes. It didn't last long though because Leonard rounded in on Sheldon, making Raj and Howard look up at them as well.
"Sheldon, why did you ask Carly to come with us to the comic book store tomorrow?"
Sheldon frowned, glancing up in thought before looking down at Leonard. "I don't understand. I thought you liked Carly."
Leonard shook his head. "Of course I do. I don't care if she comes; I am just wondering why you decided to ask her."
Sheldon raised his eyebrows, leaning back in his chair to ponder Leonard's words. He was silent for a moment before explaining slowly. "Well, she likes books and comic books are a part of literature. I thought she might enjoy herself there."
Howard huffed in frustration. Sheldon wasn't answering them the way they wanted him to. "Sheldon. Are you sure there isn't another reason why you asked her to come with us?" He looked up at Sheldon from underneath his eyebrows, trying to make the man see what he was trying to say.
Sheldon stared blankly at Howard, trying to grasp what Howard was going for. But then he gave up. "I don't understand. Why are you all interested as to why I asked her to go? Was it supposed to be a just guy's hang out day tomorrow and I wasn't aware of it?"
The guys rolled their eyes and then Raj gave it a try. "Sheldon, let me ask you something. When you look at Carly, do you think she is attractive? And if so, is that why you asked her to come?"
Sheldon opened his mouth to speak but Leonard cut in. "I already tried that Raj, he just told me she had nice skin."
Howard laughed at that. "Skin? Well… I suppose that is a step forward on the Sheldon's asexual record."
Sheldon glowered at them. "I'm not asexual. I just haven't felt the need to become tied down by someone who is cranky once a month, demands emotional affection, and apparently needs coitus at least once a week."
Leonard scoffed and was about to say, that is called asexual, but Howard interjected. "Until now right?"
Sheldon was confused and he started to twitch. Leonard noticed and glanced towards the bathroom doors, realizing they were running out of time to pull information out of Sheldon's head. "Sheldon, we were just wondering if the fact that Carly has nice skin might be why you asked her to come."
Sheldon stopped twitching and looked over at Leonard. He thought for a second. "Well it's a contributing factor, I suppose. I wouldn't want to engage myself around someone that was unhygienic. Their germs would be too hard to stand next to."
The guys all grinned to each other, realizing that Sheldon might be hardheaded and oblivious, but he might be having some physical attraction to the brunette librarian.
"Should we be talking about germs when we are supposed to be eating?" Carly teased as she and Bernadette returned back to the table, making all the guys (except Sheldon) jump in surprise and eat hastily.
Sheldon glanced up at Carly and admired her smile, his own lips curving upwards at it.
Bernadette noticed and winked at Carly when the brunette looked at her, making Carly look down with a blush to continue eating.
oO0Oo During the Restroom Break oO0Oo
Carly had washed her hands and began fixing her hair as she waited for Bernadette to finish in the stall. When she did, Bernadette grinned. "So Carly, do you think Sheldon was asking you out?"
Carly looked at the blond girl who was about the same height as her. She was surprised at the question. She thought though. "Probably not. He was just being friendly."
Bernadette shrugged and washed her hands. "I am not so sure. Leonard told Penny and Penny told me that Sheldon thinks you have nice skin."
Carly blushed and stopped fixing her hair. She turned to Bernadette. "He thinks I have nice skin?" She chuckled but felt flattered. "Well that is a good thing, I suppose."
Bernadette smirked knowingly. "I think it is. It was surprising because from all the time I have known Sheldon and from what I have heard about him, he has never been with anyone before."
Carly raised her eyebrows. "Never? Not even a preschool fling?"
Bernadette shook her head. "He has never been interested in women. And I don't mean he is a homosexual. He just thinks he is too evolved for intimate relations. So for him to say you have nice skin is a pretty big thing."
Carly was shocked to hear this. She hadn't thought about Sheldon liking her or anything, simply because she didn't want to confront him about her own feelings towards him. She thought he was highly intelligent and was handsome, two things that were appealing to her. Plus, he had this way about him that she liked deep down. She just couldn't figure it out yet.
"Hm," Carly said thoughtfully, following Bernadette to the paper towels. "So do you think he likes me, then?" she asked after a moment.
Bernadette shrugged. "Maybe in his own way, I think. Sheldon isn't normal so anything he does isn't going to be either. Plus, I don't think he realizes it yet."
Carly thought about Bernadette's words as they exited the bathroom to join the others for the rest of their dinner.
