The next chapter! Dinner at Tooth's house...
"Let me in!" Aster called through the door. "It's freezing out here in the snow!"
The door swung open.
"Asterrrr!" Tooth squealed, leaping at Aster throwing her arms around him. "You're here!"
"I am," Aster grunted. "Now please disentangle yourself from me!"
Tooth obeyed, but a grin was still plastered on her face. "Soooooooooo?" she asked.
"Sooooooooo what?"
"Jack Frost," Tooth winked, and Aster groaned.
Just then, their other friends came to the doorway: Nicholas North, although they all called him just North, and Sandy Anderson. North was a big, beefy, muscular man with a snow-white beard. He lived in St. Petersburg, Russia, but often came to visit Burgess. Aster and Tooth often teased North, saying that, in an alternate dimension, he could be Santa Claus.
Sandy was mute. He was short and somewhat stout, with spiky blond hair and one of the kindest smiles on the planet. He always seemed to dress in yellow, for some inexplicable reason.
North swept Aster up in a bear hug. "Aster, old buddy!" he cried. "How you doing?"
"North, you're crushing my ribs," Aster gasped.
"Oh, sorry." North released him.
Sandy grinned at Aster, then lifted his hands. How are you, Aster? he asked in sign language.
Before Aster could respond, Tooth jumped in to answer. "Aster's doing very well right now," she grinned and winked at Aster. "C'mon, let's go and eat."
~~Page Break~~
"Spasibo, Tooth," North chuckled as he put down his knife and fork. "That was a fantastic dinner."
Aster murmured in agreement and Sandy bobbed his head enthusiastically.
"Thank you, thank you," Tooth trilled. "Just remember you all remember to brush your teeth afterwards! Don't want those beautiful teeth to get dirty now, do we?"
Aster rolled his eyes.
"Now, Aster," Tooth said, a smile creeping over her face, "tell us about this waiter."
Aster felt his cheeks flushing.
"Come on, tell us!" Tooth wheedled. North and Sandy leaned forward, interested.
Aster sighed. "All right," he said, and he told them everything. He told them how Jack Frost had winked at him, how he'd smirked and made conversation with Aster, and then how he'd written his phone number on his paper napkin.
Tooth was having a little fit by the time he was done with his story. "Adorable!" she squealed. "500% adorable!"
"Tooth, calm down," Aster instructed her.
"Okay, okay." Tooth smoothed down her brightly coloured dress. "What does this waiter look like?"
North nodded, and Sandy leaned even further forward.
Aster sighed – again. "Well, he's got white hair, which is weird. I don't know why he has white hair. But he's tall, lean, has the bluest eyes you'll ever see, and a nice smile as well."
Tooth bounced up and down on her seat. "Stop, you're killing me!" she cried. "He's perfect for you!"
"Tooth, stop," Aster said seriously. "Every time I see a cute guy or girl, you instantly believe that that person is made for me, and you go out of your way to arrange dates between us."
"That's so not true," Tooth protested. "I've set you up with lots of great people. Like Eva."
"She was a lesbian who used me as her beard."
"Okay, then Ashley."
"She cheated on me with four other guys."
"Stanley?"
"He moved to Alaska."
Tooth slumped. "Okay, maybe I haven't found the right one for you yet. But just you wait, Aster!"
Aster raised an eyebrow, and Tooth sighed. "Okay, you're right. I won't meddle this time."
"Thank you." Aster nodded in appreciation.
The rest of the dinner passed with North regaling the other three with hilarious tales of his life in Russia. Aster's sides began to hurt after a while, he was laughing so hard.
When it was time for them to leave, they all hugged. When Aster went to hug Tooth, she said, "Aster, are you sure…?"
"Yes, I am, Tooth," Aster said gently. "He's probably around 21. And I'm 36. There's a huge age difference between us."
Tooth nodded. "Yeah, you're right." She sighed. "It's a pity, though. It's been so long since you went out on a date with someone, Aster."
"I'm too busy. In fact, I'm so busy I have to skedaddle to do some paperwork at home." Aster kissed Tooth's cheek and then he was off.
On the bus ride home, Aster's phone vibrated. He took it out.
He'd just received a Facebook friend request from Jack Frost.
Aster smiled, and accepted. Jack's profile picture was one of him smiling at the camera, revealing cute dimples and a set of snow-white teeth which Tooth would probably coo over for hours on end.
Aster frowned. He'd been serious when he told Tooth he didn't have time for a relationship in his life. He worked 6 days a week, and when he wasn't at work he was so busy catching up with paperwork that he didn't have a lot of free time at all. He couldn't have a relationship now, he simply did not have time.
But he couldn't deny it – the memory of those blue eyes and bright smile was intoxicating.
So what did you guys think of this chapter? :P please review!