DOUBLE DATE

Tommy had let it slip one night, after a couple of beers, that he was in a very serious relationship with Carrie White. His face had paled almost instantly. Not because he was ashamed of dating her, but because it was a secret. His best friend, George Dawson, stared at him for a long moment before making the comment "I thought something was going on." It was such a simple, and unexpected reaction, it threw Tommy off.

George didn't mention it until he was leaving to go home. "Talk to Carrie. Maybe the four of us could go on a type of doubled date. Erika has been wanting another couple to hang out with but she hates all her friends boyfriends." (George had mentioned in the past he wasn't a huge fan of Erika's friends anyway.)

Tommy had brought it up to Carrie, just because he liked the idea; he never expected her to say yes.

"Are you kidding? Of course!" She beamed a smile as she pulled away from the hug she had thrown on him. "I've been dying to go on a date with another couple. I - I just never knew who to ask."

Since George had insisted he drive, they all met up at Tommy's house. Carrie was nervous, he could see it in her face despite the fact she constantly denied it. It put her at a bit of ease that Erika didn't go to Ewen High. But the words "What if they doesn't like me? What if she is like all the other girls?" many times.

Tommy reassured her that he had met Erika and she was nothing like the girls they went to school with. If he was being brutally honest, there were not many decent people at their school, one of the reasons George was one of his best friends because the guy was one of the nicest people Tommy had ever met.

As soon as the doorway rang, Carrie tensed, he saw her drawing into her quiet place. Tommy turned to her, placing both hands on her shoulders and forced her to look him in the eyes.

"Carrie," He said gently, offering a kind smile. Her features were pale, he could see the fear in her eyes. "I promise you that this is going to be one of the best dates of our lives. George is an amazing guy and Erika will love you. If there is any reason you want to leave; just touch my ear and we will make an excuse to leave."

"How did I get so lucky, Tommy Ross?"

The words left her mouth with a smile and Tommy felt the tension he had himself fall off his shoulders.

The doorbell rang again before Tommy opened the door a second later. "Dawsooon!" "Ross!" A second later, the two boys were embraced in a strange looking hug.

Carrie laughed, slightly rolling her eyes at their foolishness. A girl pushed passed them, almost holding the same expression on her features as Carrie.

"Idiots." She chuckled. "You must be Carrie! I'm Erika." And then the girl was giving Carrie one of the warmest hugs she'd ever experienced. Erika pulled away, still supporting a smile.

Carrie opened her mouth to speak but the boys came in, done with their weird hug or handshake. "Well, we should get going because I am starving!" George breathed, wrapping an arm around Erika.

"I hope you guys like the place I picked." Carrie finally said. "It's nothing too special, but - but they have great deserts."

"That's really all I need." Erika smiled.

Tommy mimicked George's action, wrapping his arm around Carrie's shoulder and pulling her in. "Lead the way, Dawson."

About twenty minutes later, the four of them were walking into a small restaurant and sitting down in a booth.

"So, Carrie. What would you recommend?" Carrie twisted her mouth to the side for a moment.

"Uh - Everything is pretty good. Accept stay away from the sea-food, I might love this place but even I can admit that shit looks sketchy."

The four of them exchange a laugh before their waitress comes and takes their orders.

Tommy watched as Carrie interacted with George and Erika, each minute passed and she was opening up, becoming the Carrie he knew and was slowly falling in love with.

"Excuse me," He muttered before giving Carrie a soft kiss on her cheek and getting up to use the bathroom.

The two of them had had a number of dates here, Tommy could have found the bathroom with his eyes closed. That wasn't what drew him off course. His eyes fell on a tall blonde he would know everywhere. It was too late to act as if she hadn't seen them. Their eyes had met and Sue was suddenly walking over to them, her hips waying back and forth a little too forcefully.

Fuck.

"Tommy!" She embraced him but he didn't move to return the action. "I didn't know you knew this place."

"Yeah… What are you doing here?"

"It's my mom's birthday, she loves this place. Always insists on this place for dinner."

His eyes glanced back, barely able to see Carrie around the corner but he could see her. If Sue found out about the two of them, that would be Chris would know before midnight. She was the last person Carrie or Tommy wanted to know about their relationship. This was going well, they had an amazing thing going and Tommy didn't even want to think about what might happen if the kids at school found out.

"Who are you here with?"

"Just George." And as soon as he said Dawson's name, Tommy regretted it.

"You two on a date?" She teased. But he didn't answer and her face fell a bit. "You two are on a date but I'm guessing with other people."

He still said nothing.

"Who is it?"

"None of your business." He replied calmly. "It's no one you know, anyway."

Her eyes narrowed slightly, before she moved around him, slipping past him with her small frame.

"Oh… You're just the pathetic third wheel."

Tommy moved, glancing to see George and Erika eating quietly with the booth in front of them empty. Sue was sounding so much like Chris it scared him. She was never this way when they were dating. She normally had an effortless sweetness to her voice but tonight was all spite.

Carrie wasn't going to lie, there would always be a small part of her that would be jealous of Sue Snell. She was beautiful, tall, and popular. She was almost the opposite of Carrie in every way. How Tommy decided to pick her over Sue, Carrie would never understand. But, Carrie always feared Tommy would soon realize he liked being with Sue better and go crawling back to her.

He was quick at going to the bathroom, normally back within two minutes. And time passed and he wasn't there. She cranked her neck, trying to see around the corner and almost gasped aloud at the sight of him speaking to Sue. Teeth sunk into her bottom lip lightly, a nervous knot forming in her stomach.

Erika was speaking, telling a story about some kid in her English class pulling a prank on the teacher. Carrie was sure she'd laugh her ass off if she were paying attention.

"I'm sorry… I need some air." A light, very weak, smile fell on her lips as she scooted out of the booth and quickly walked out of the door.

"Where is Carrie?" Tommy asked the moment he got back to the table.

"Outside. Oh, Tommy. I'm sorry! I think I scared her or something. I just wouldn't shut up. I thought the story was funny but ..." Erika trailed off, eyes falling to her plate.

"Trust me, Erika - it wasn't you."

Tommy walked out the door, feeling a blast of autumn air that felt goosebumps on his skin. Carrie was standing a bit down the sidewalk, her arms wrapped around her. Tommy slowly walked up to her, studying her face to see if she was mad - but she wasn't - it looked like she was about to cry.

"Carrie."

"Did you ever bring HER here?" Her words were harsh it almost knocked Tommy off his feet. "Before me, did you bring her here?" Her eyes lifted and Tommy saw the shin of tears swimming inside them.

"What? No - never. She's here because it's her mother's birthday."

Carrie sighed, not whipping the tears as the fell down her cheeks. "Why is she everywhere? She is always around and - and I can't stand it. She is this goddess and I'm nothing more than a mortal." Tommy didn't understand what she was saying and how she came to this conclusion. "I feel like I am competing with her. I remember you talking about her when you guys were dating. I - I know I can't compete with her."

Instantly he was in front of her, closing the gap between them and looking her in the eyes. Gently, he pressed both his hands on either side of her face and brushed the tears away with his thumb.

"Don't you DARE say that. What I had with Sue was nothing like what I have with you. Carrie, Sue never crosses my mind because all I can ever think about is you."

She said nothing, just breathed, trying to control so she didn't cry anymore.

"Carrie White, YOU are my girlfriend, you're the one I care about. No one else matter and you have no one to compete with because you leave everyone in the dust."

She nodded, and he dropped his hands to her arms. A laugh then lightly passed her lips as she said "You're kind of cheesy."

Tommy chuckled before he pulled Carrie into a kiss. His hands moved to her back, pressing her into him like the piece of a puzzle he'd been missing. This kiss was to reassure her that, despite how cheesy it might have been, he meant every word of it.

When they pulled away from each other, he rested their foreheads together. It was only a moment later Carrie gently touched his ear.