Hey guys, won't be able to update for a while, I am really swamped with school but I'll update as soon as I can. Reviews are always welcome.
Did he have feelings for Annie?
That was a question he'd be avoiding ever since the end of summer after the whole tranny dance incident. He'd ignored everything that had happened between the two of them because it was easier than admitting the truth.
That somewhere along the way he'd come to develop feelings for Annie.
It wasn't supposed to be this way. It was supposed to be either Britta or Slater not Annie. Those were the two women he'd been caught between, the two women he was supposed to have feelings for and to have made a decision about that night. Annie shouldn't have even been on his mind that night but when she'd pulled him aside to tell him she was going away with Vaughn and not coming back he hadn't been able to think about anything else.
He'd felt a mix of emotions, but mostly an overwhelming sense of anger. Vaughn had no right to take Annie away from them . . .from him. He'd grown use to her being there for him, scolding him whenever he did something wrong and constantly pushing him to be better. As much as she irritated and annoyed him sometimes he liked having someone to fight with about the decisions he made.
He couldn't talk about anything with either Britta or Slater, they just didn't get it. . .get him as much as Annie did. It was just different with her than with them. With Slater it had pretty much been about sex which had been great at first but then something weird had happened. He'd actually wanted . . .more. To talk like he talked with Annie but the second he'd tried to she'd broken up with him and with Britta, they fought so much they never really talked about anything. Things were just so much easier with Annie, he couldn't explain it. It was like he didn't want to ever let her down or hurt her, like it was impossible for her to do.
He blamed it on those damn bambi eyes of hers. He caved in every time when she stared at him with those wide eyes, a pleading look in them and it unnerved him. He never, ever let anyone do that to him, get to him like that. He was the one who changed people's minds, could talk them out of doing anything but Annie was the only person he knew who could make him do anything and the thing was. . .he didn't mind. So when Vaughn was taking her away and Britta and Slater professed their love for him he just . . .he couldn't take in everything so he'd done what he always did when things got hard or when he felt overwhelmed. He walked away.
When he saw Annie outside he'd felt so incredibly relieved, glad that she hadn't run off with the stupid hippie and again, he had someone he could talk to about what had happened with Britta and Slater and they had but then it had escalated, turned into something more. One minute they were talking and the next thing he knew Annie was kissing him and he was kissing her back just as eagerly. She was the last person he'd though he'd end up kissing that night but it had been amazing and he forgot about everything and just focused on her.
Unfortunately reality came crashing back down around them after a few minutes as they both pulled away, Annie quickly stammering out an excuse as to why she had to leave and then fled, leaving him standing there as he tried to wrap his head around what had happened. In that moment he realized he didn't want Britta or Slater, he wanted Annie but he couldn't. . .it wasn't right and he couldn't involve himself with her. She deserved a hell of a lot better than him and so he'd acted like nothing had happened between them, ignoring her for most of the summer until she'd asked to meet to talk about it and he'd had to agree but he'd had to do the worst possible think he could think of to keep anything from developing between the two of them. Crushing her by saying it meant nothing and their kissing had been a mistake. He knew it had hurt her deeply but he just figure if he stopped things here it would be a lot less painful than later on down the road. He hurt people around him that was what he did but he'd be damned if he let that happen with Annie.
But everything Abed had said was right. . .he did have feelings for her but he couldn't admit it. This was something he'd just have to get over and besides, telling the group would be a huge mistake. They'd almost all been ready to kill him a few minutes ago, he couldn't imagine things going over any better if he said he actually cared for her. Pierce would never let him hear the end of it, Shirley would just keep scolding him and telling him how he'd disappointed her and what he was doing was inappropriate and Britta would be all over him with her righteous indignation while Abed would keep comparing them to every TV couple under the sun. Troy would probably be the only one in the group who wouldn't care because he'd be too confused as to what was going on and so Jeff kicked his feet up onto the table, looking around at everyone as he gave them his patented smirk.
"I don't know what Abed has been reading into between me and Annie but there is nothing going on at all between us okay? I like her as a friend. A really good friend and that is all. Strictly platonic and nothing more, sorry to disappoint everyone. There's a better chance of Shirley saying yes to going on a date with Pierce then for me and Annie to become involved." Jeff finished.
"Well then. . ." Pierce began as he turned to look at Shirley, a grin on his face.
"What Jeffery meant was there is no chance in hell." Shirley replied firmly, narrowing her eyes at Pierce as he shrugged his shoulders.
"You're loss." He said.
"Seriously doubt that." Troy muttered, Britta smiling to herself as Jeff looked at Pierce.
"Something tells me that Pierce was the one who started the issue of me and Annie being together." Jeff said.
"He did go there right away." Troy admitted as Pierce looked at him.
"Way to rat me out. Pff, can't trust you people with anything. Look Jeffery. . ." Pierce began as Shirley and Troy both looked extremely angry.
"Anyone else finding Pierce to be even more insensitive than usual today? Anyone?" Britta interrupted as Pierce just continued on.
". . .we had a lot to go on. I just thought you had finally taken my advice to. . ." Pierce continued as Jeff removed his feet from the table and slammed his hands down on the table hard.
"If you say pork her and move on I swear to god I will walk over to you and beat you with your casts." Jeff growled as Pierce decided to shut up.
"Finally." Britta said, letting out a breath of relief.
"Jeffery, we are sorry for assuming you and Annie were. . .together and we apologize for accusing you." Shirley said in an apologetic tone.
"Thank you." Jeff replied, leaning back in his chair.
"So if Annie's not with Jeff where is she then?" Troy asked curiously.
"Well seeing as she'd never be late except for Jeff convincing her to be the only other conclusion is some extreme circumstance has come up to prevent her from being here." Abed replied.
"Ooh I don't like the sound of that." Shirley said in concern, an anxious look on her face.
"Look Annie's a big girl. Wherever she is I'm sure she's fine but I'll send her a text to see where she is." Britta said as she pulled out her cell phone.
Shirley shoot an anxious look towards the study room doors, doing a double take as her eyes widened in surprise.
"Britta, I don't think you have to do that anymore, look!" She said, excitement in her voice as Britta looked to her left.
"Well, well, well. . ." She said, a smile on her face as she leaned back in her chair, folding her arms across her chest.
"Ooh tough luck Jeffery. Should have jumped on that while you had the chance." Pierce said, grimacing slightly.
"I didn't see that coming either. Why am I so outta the loop?" Troy complained.
"This was inevitable, but it's a good thing Jeff doesn't like Annie otherwise things would get complicated and messy and would turn into a rom com where the male lead competes for the female lead against another male antagonist. The only good thing is that the audience usually hates the antagonist and roots for the male lead to end up with the girl. Like in Leap Year or Made of Honour." Abed stated.
"What are you talking about Abed? What is everyone. . ." Jeff began as he turned around in his seat to see what they were all looking at, immediately wishing he hadn't.
Annie was standing a few feet away outside of the study room along with stupid Rich from pottery class. His hands were on her waist as hers were around his neck, the two of them kissing as Annie was standing on her tip toes to reach him.
Jeff immediately felt his stomach clench up as he turned away from the sight, anger beginning to build quickly. Rich? Of all the guy at this stupid school she just had to go and pick the one he absolutely hated? She kept dating these losers and idiots and it was really starting to piss him off.
"Looks like Annie likes to play nurse to the doctor." Pierce commented as Troy snorted in laughter, Britta smirking as well, Pierce looking pleased with himself for finally making them laugh.
"I think it's nice." Shirley said brightly.
"What do you think Jeff?" Abed asked in curiosity as everyone turned to look at him.
"Can we stop doing that? Analyzing every move I make? I'm fine with it." Jeff snapped.
"Seems pretty pissed to me." Troy commented as Jeff clenched his fists tightly.
"I think it's just because he hates Rich so much." Britta said.
"But they're practically the. . ." Pierce began as Shirley shook her head at him.
"Mm mh!" She said, shooting him a warning look.
". . .the same." Pierce finished as everyone groaned, Jeff standing up, his face going red.
"Should the vein in his neck be sticking out like that?" Troy asked.
"We are not the same. The guy is a pretencious windbag and uses his stupid charm and good looks to win people over. He's an arrogant bastard and I don't trust him." Jeff said through clenched teeth.
"Gee, sound like anyone we know?" Britta said dryly, a smirk on her face as Jeff shot a sideways glare at her.
"Sounds like jealousy to me." Pierce said, raising his eyebrows.
"I am not jealous! Do I wish Annie would date someone other than doctor douche. . ." Jeff began as Pierce and Troy looked at each other, both of them grinning.
"Doctor douche. . ." Pierce said as Troy laughed.
". . .yes but Annie is fully capable of making her own decisions and doesn't need any of us to say otherwise. She wants to date him then she can date him, it's her life. We learned from meddling last time that it's better to leave things alone." Jeff said, feeling his whole body tense up as he hated every single word he was saying. All he wanted to do was go out there and punch Rich right in the face.
"Wow Jeff, color me impressed. I really thought you'd be more upset with this, seeing as you can't stand the guy." Britta said as Jeff took his seat, letting out a deep breath as he smiled tightly at her.
"Nope, I'm fine with it." He said as the door opened seconds later, Annie rushing inside quickly as she took her seat, looking slightly flustered.
"I'm sorry I'm late, it won't happen again." She promised as she neatly arraigned her books in front of her.
"Oh don't worry about it sweetie! Now tell us all about the cute doctor man." Shirley demanded as Annie turned to look at her, practically beaming.
"Okay well we'd been talking a lot ever since the Halloween party and when we were talking he mentioned the fact he volunteers his Saturday's at a free health clinic. Anyways he invited me to come along and I did and now we volunteer there together. We just really connected and he asked me out last week." Annie said as Britta and Shirley were smiling at her.
"Annie! That's great." Britta said enthusiastically.
"I know, I'm really happy. Rich is an amazing guy, he's handsome and nice and so incredibly brave. He's saved so many lives. . ." Anne said dreamily as Jeff felt his anger building again, a scowl on his face as he opened his text book, staring down at the content as he tried to block out the sound of her gushing about Rich.
"What's this? Jeff Winger actually studying without being prompted to? Abed's right isn't he? You're jealous of the doctor." Britta said in a low voice as he looked over at her, seeing a smug look on her face.
"No, I'm not." Jeff snapped at her as she raised an eyebrow, clearly not buying it.
"I'm not. Whatever, look we can we just please get back to studying? You wanna talk boy talk do it later on your own time okay? The rest of us would rather not hear about it." Jeff said as he looked at Annie, who flinched slightly at his words.
"Jeffery, that's not very nice." Shirley scolded him.
"Shirley's right, you are acting more irritable than is usual." Abed commented as Jeff whipped his head around to look at him.
"Enough Abed, okay? We all get that you cannot connect to real people and so you use television and movie references to do it. Well guess what it's a shtick. . ." He said, using air quotes for the word shtick.
". . .that's getting old really fast and is getting really annoying. Can you not just be normal for once in your life and go two seconds without pulling out some stupid reference? Please, just try it or get some help." Jeff snapped.
"Jeff!" Annie said sharply.
"And I thought I was the insensitive one in the group." Pierce added as an uncomfortable silence filled the room, everyone opening their books as they all started to study.
