Chapter 2
The weather was clear now. Rain in California, in general, didn't last too long. Drips of water gathered at the ends of gutters and dripped down into the spouts, pouring out into the sewers on the street. The only evidence left were the patches of moist pavement. The sun practically beamed through, creating miniature rainbows on the windows of cars and shops that lined the streets of Los Angeles. It was there that Cory found himself. He planned on driving home and eating some take-out that his roommates didn't bother to polish off. Instead, he somehow found himself at a nearby Starbucks. Not many people liked to venture out into the rain, thankfully. It was oddly peaceful considering its location; it was adjacent to many of the studios in Hollywood, and on any given day hoards of people were usually around to snag autographs or pictures. But, today was different.
He sipped on his coffee and ate his bagel with low-fat cream cheese. Lea had convinced him that, if he was still insistent on eating dairy, he at least take the healthier route. He caved, making it a routine thing. The bell on the door of the shop rang; the clicking of the boots on the linoleum floors was unmistakable. "Saw her talking to you before she left," said Theo flatly. Cory rolled his eyes a little. He and Theo got along…for the most part. Until Theo started up with his crazy theories again. That was when it became more of a burden on him. "We have lines to run through tomorrow," Cory said simply. Theo pulled out the chair across from him. It was rare that they got to have these man-to-man moments. "You like her?" he asked plainly. It was as obvious as just about anything, especially from another guy's perspective. Cory scoffed. "We're co-workers. She's like a sister to me, that would be really unprofessional." Theo looked at him incredulously; he wasn't buying the "unprofessional" bit. That was a matter of morals, and those varied upon personality. "Look, man," he started off. He wanted to make it as easy as possible for him. "I love her. She loves me. We have…" He trailed off. "We have a lot in common," he finally offered. "We understand each other, and she's opened up to me like no one else." Cory exchanged a curious glance. He and Lea knew no secrets, but that, he assumed, was strictly between them. "I just want you to respect that," he finally said. "I know you guys are close…" He scratched his nose. "And believe me, being close to friends is something I respect more than anything. But there's a fine line between closeness and, well…too close." He nodded once. Cory scoffed again. He wasn't a home-wrecker. He would have never ruined Lea's life like that…her reputation, anything. Clearly, Theo was a little misinformed about him, but he played it cool. "You have nothing to worry about," admitted Cory. It was the truth. As far as Theo was concerned, Cory was…well, just a co-worker.
Later that night…
Lea stood at her window. Theo had inexplicably left earlier. Something about getting her Starbucks, he wasn't divulging too much. She waited patiently. She worried a lot, about Theo, and Cory. She sent out two text messages. Are you staying safe? Careful, it's a mess out there! She didn't need to send one to Theo. She assumed he would be safe. She didn't hear back, though, and that fact slightly worried her. Cory always got right back with her. She continued to wait at the window as the door swung open. Theo shook off the brisk air. "Whew!" he said, acting as if nothing was wrong. Lea turned to him with a small frown. He had forgotten the very thing he said he left for. "You forgot it!" She pouted cutely. It was her way to making him feel bad without acting like she meant to. His eyes widened. He really had wanted to go out and get her coffee; he knew how much she loved it on nights like this. "I got a little distracted," he admitted. He slid his hands on his hips. That was never a good sign from him. A look of confusion overtook her. This was…unusual. Theo, like herself, was very attentive most of the time. It was hard to get side-tracked. She walked over and sat on the sofa. "Distracted? By what?" she chirped. He sighed through his nose a little and rubbed his neck.
Cory had always been a touchy subject between the two of them. "Cory was there," he finally admitted. She perked up a little, playfully clapping her hands. "He was? So he was okay?" He looked at her, a bit confused by her question. Of course he was okay, he thought, but he shrugged instead. "Yeah, seemed okay. We uh…" He paused at his next words. He had to approach it carefully. "We had a discussion." He took his spot next to her, folding his hands, hunched over. She frowned again, suddenly not so excited by the news. "Did something happen?" She affectionately rubbed his back. He stressed himself too much, and she could tell when he was meeting his filling point. "I told him to back off a little." He looked at her. She stared back, blankly. "What the hell?" she finally asked. She wasn't saying it threateningly, but she was a bit angry. It was his only real flaw; jealousy. It was a sign, that, to her, meant he couldn't trust her. He sighed lowly, rubbing the spot between his eyes. "I just…worry about you two sometimes. You're just…close." His nose wrinkled in distaste. Lea was close with everyone. Her personality was practically infectious; it was a well-known fact. "He's like my brother," she said, surprisingly calm. "Our characters have grown so close…we almost have to be that way." Her arms folded. Perhaps it was her hormones, or maybe the fact that Cory and her were developing something more than a friendship. She couldn't be sure. Without allowing him to say another word, she simply got up, grabbing her purse and jacket before leaving. She decided to take his car. He wasn't going anywhere for a while.