Twisted Universe

6

Carly entered Kelly's and looked around warily. She was really hoping that she wouldn't run into any Quartermaines today.

"Caro-Carly!" Brenda smiled and waved her over, "Why don't you join us?"

Carly knew that Brenda and Caroline had once been best friends and she had tried to be as nice as possible to the other woman. Brenda in turn had given her the space she needed and supported her desire to get away from the Quartermaines.

Brenda had also taken the time to get Carly involved in that martial arts class to use as an outlet for her anger and frustration. It had originally been yoga, but once Carly had tried that and quickly vetoed it, Brenda had suggested other options.

Smiling uncertainly as she approached the table, noticing that the girl sitting next to Bren was the same one that had been clinging to Jason the other night.

She didn't like her.

Pulling out a chair she sat down and looked over at Brenda when the other woman began to speak to her.

"Carly, have you met Robin? I know Caroline knew her, but I wasn't sure you guys had been introduced." Brenda said nodding over at Robin. Actually she thought, crossing her fingers, she hoped this version of Carly would get along with Robin because the other one had hated her with the passion of ten flaming suns.

Robin smiled sweetly, "Hi Carly. It's so nice to meet you. I was sorry to hear about the accident, your parents must be so happy that you are ok."

Carly gave Brenda a 'Is she serious?' look and shrugged, "Whatever."

Bren quickly waved over Liz to get their order taken. She could already feel the storm clouds brewing.

After ordering, Bren turned to Carly, "I just got back in town yesterday. How's everything going?"

Carly shrugged again, "Good I guess. I'm working at Luke's now."

Robin gave her that obnoxious smile again, "That is so nice of Luke to hire you. Are you washing dishes or just bussing tables?"

Instantly detecting the condescending attitude, Carly went on the defensive, "Actually I am a bartender and sometimes I waitress. He also wants to try me out doing the books."

Turning away from the annoying girl, she looked intently at Brenda, "I- uh, I actually have been spending some time with this guy. Well, we really just have sex, but-."

Brenda choked on her drink, "You what! Oh my god! Carly- that's- Wow! Who is he? Anyone we know?"

Carly decided to keep that information to herself since Jason obviously had something going with the annoying one. "No. You don't know him. He, um, he asked me what our relationship was and I kind of just told him we were friends with benefits. That's where friends sleep together, but aren't dating or in love, right?"

Before Brenda could answer, Robin interrupted, "Oh Carly, someone should have told you that sleeping with someone you aren't in a committed relationship is wrong. You should only have sex with someone that you love."

Looking at Robin skeptically, Carly questioned, "So... how do you know if you love someone? Since I have no problem having sex with him, does that mean that I love him?"

Robin shook her head, "Honey, that's just lust. If you love someone you want to be with that person all the time. He will treat you with respect and take you places. You want to be with someone who is sweet and kind. My boyfriend, Jason, is amazing like that."

Brenda choked back a laugh, "Jason is many things, but sweet is not one of them. Carly, I can't tell you what you are doing is right or wrong, but you need to be careful. Are- are you being... uh, careful?"

Carly thought about it and tried to figure out what Bren meant, "Sure. I'm always careful."

She replied thinking that Brenda meant that she should be careful as it pertains to danger.

"Always? Please Carly, tell us you aren't sleeping with a bunch of guys!" Robin whispered dramatically.

Arching an eyebrow, Carly smirked, "I don't think that's any of your business."

Robin gasped, "Monica and Alan must be heartbroken by what you have become!"

Looking over at Brenda, Carly bit out between clenched teeth, "Good to see you, Bren, I have to go..."

"But-" Brenda began and was interrupted by Carly, who grinned wickedly, "I like this lust stuff."

Brenda laughed at the expression on Robin's face. It was a cross between shocked and disgusted.

Sighing she looked down at her plate that Liz had just dropped off. She would have to talk to Emily about this mystery guy that Carly was involved with.

Luke's was busy that night. The music was playing loud and everyone seemed to be in a good mood. Carly was enjoying it. No one bothered her and she was able to work and observe the people around her.

Leaning down she picked up the pen she had dropped. A familiar voice ordering a beer and a glass of white wine and directing her to put it on his tab, caught her attention.

Standing up slowly, she was smiled to see Jason standing on the other side of the bar.

His attention was elsewhere, so he hadn't noticed her yet.

"Would that be bottle or draft?" She swallowed back a laugh as his head swung around so fast that she thought it might fly off his neck.

"Carly? What are you doing here?" He asked, even though it was obvious.

"Um, working." She bit back a grin at the expression on his face.

He leaned toward the bar with a smirk, "I guess I'll be seeing a whole lot more of you then."

Cocking her head to the side she replied cheekily, "I think you have seen all there is to see, don't you?"

Seeing his eyes take on the aroused light that sent shivers down her spine, Carly leaned toward him and whispered, "I'm about to get off. Too bad we aren't at Jake's."

Reaching out and touching her lips with his finger tip, Jason lifted an eyebrow in challenge, "It's good thing my brother has an apartment upstairs then, isn't it?"

"Jason?"

Groaning, Jason stepped away from the bar. He had completely forgotten that he had come to the club with Robin. Carly just seemed to have that effect on him.

Carly rolled her eyes as Robin approached. It would figure that she would have to see that twit twice in one day and this time it was obvious that she was with Jason.

Robin looked back and forth between them in question, "Oh! Caroline. I didn't know you knew Jason."

Straightening at the sound of the other girl's name, Carly bit out, "It's Carly. Now you know."

Jason cleared his throat nervously. He was so busy picking up the hostile vibes coming from the women that he didn't even notice Robin use of Carly's original name.

"Uh, we met the other day. I was just ordering us a drink." He said lamely, shooting an apologetic look toward Carly.

Shrugging Carly went over and pulled out his beer and then fixed a glass of wine for Robin. It wasn't her business what he decided to do when he wasn't with her. Even though at some level it bothered her, she refused to acknowledge it.

Taking of her apron. She picked up her back pack and yelled over to Luke, "See ya tomorrow."

Luke was busy talking to someone so he waved toward her distractedly and continued his conversation.

She hoped that Jason and Robin had moved off to a table. Unfortunately, she wasn't that lucky.

Groaning, she tried to pass by them unnoticed only to have Robin stop her by putting a hand on her arm.

Carly would have loved to rip it off and beat her silly with it, but instead she stared back at the other woman blankly.

"I wanted to apologize if I said something that upset you today. I know you are still having a hard time adjusting. It really is good to see you out in public again."

Jason looked over at Carly curiously, and then back at Robin, "How do you two know each other?"

Before Carly could say anything, another voice interrupted.

"They don't."

Carly sighed and turned to look at her baby sister, "Hey Em."

Jason's brow wrinkled in confusion as he looked over at Carly, "I thought you didn't know anyone."

"I don't." Carly responded in growing agitation.

Emily looked at the group, "We have to talk, Carly. Brenda told me-."

Robin didn't like the way Jason and Carly were staring at Caroline and frowned, "Jason, don't tell me you don't remember Caroline. Caroline Quartermaine?"

His eyes widened in surprise as several things clicked into place, "Carly- Caroline. You are Caroline Quartermaine?"

Carly shook her head angrily, "NO, I am NOT."

Taking her arm, Jason pulled her to the side, "So what? You must have been laughing at me behind my back this whole time. Or was that all part of it? Classy Caroline slumming it?"

Pulling her arm out of his grasp, she snarled, "I am NOT Caroline Quartermaine. Caroline is DEAD. I am Carly. What part of that do you not understand?"

"OH MY GOD!" Emily shouted, bringing the growing argument to an abrupt stop.

Both heads snapped toward her as they shouted in unison, "What?"