Note: Thanks for the reviews! I'm trying to decide what I want to do with Lux. Right now I'm thinking one of three things.
1. Lux won't enter the picture and this will just be about Cate and Baze
2. Lux will show up on Baze's doorstep exactly the way she did in the show, but this time Cate will be there, too. It will unfold differently from there. I already know what I would do with that.
3. Cate will open up to Baze about her pregnancy and giving Lux up and they'll decide to look for their daughter together.
Let me know what you think or if anyone has other ideas! Thanks!
Baze watched angrily as Math got ready for his date with Cate. Math was going all out. He was wearing a suit that looked more expensive than Math could possibly afford on a teacher's salary. He even had roses.
Baze had spent the better part of the last few days being angry. Mostly he was furious with Math. How could one of his best friends go on a date with his girlfriend?
Baze didn't care how much Math had liked Cate in high school. It was sixteen years ago. Math needed to get over it and go on a date with someone who wasn't already in a relationship.
He was also mad that Cate was going through with it. Cate was barely speaking to him, which made it even worse. She never answered her phone when he called and she didn't call him back. He'd even tried the station. He thought for sure Alice would put him through, but she'd apologized and said Cate would kill her if she did. Baze didn't know what to do.
Baze watched helplessly as Math took off. Baze considered following, but decided against it. He didn't want to do anything to make Cate even angrier.
Cate was still getting ready when the doorbell rang. "Great," she muttered sarcastically as she hurried to finish her eye make-up. "This is already a disaster."
She'd been dreading going out with Math. She didn't even like him. And this stupid date had ruined everything with Baze. Things had been going so well, too. Better than Cate had ever imagined.
Cate forced herself to smile as she opened the door. "Hi Math."
Math smiled nervously. He went in for an awkward hug and then held up the roses. "These are for you."
"Thank you," Cate said politely. She filled a vase with water and put the flowers in before they left.
Math opened the passenger door for Cate before getting into the driver's seat. Math tried to make conversation as they drove, but they didn't have much in common. Eventually he gave up. He turned the volume on the stereo up and glanced at Cate. "I made this mix for tonight. I remember you sang this song in the talent show freshman year."
How did this kid remember what she'd sung over a decade ago? Cate didn't even remember what she sang! Granted, Cate had intentionally blocked out most of her high school memories. She didn't have a lot of good memories.
She forced herself to smile. She didn't really know what to say in response to that. She supposed it was kind of sweet that Math remembered. In a weird, creepy way.
Cate remembered Baze's words the night everything went horribly wrong. He's practically stalking you. Surely Baze had been exaggerating because he was angry.
But what if he hadn't been? Why had Baze been so against her going out with Math? Cate had been trying to figure that out for the last few days.
It couldn't simply be jealousy, could it? She'd told him in no uncertain terms that the date was a stupid promotion and it didn't mean anything. Baze knew she didn't have feelings for Math! She hadn't even remembered him.
Cate was so lost in her own thoughts that she didn't even notice they'd arrived at the restaurant until she noticed the sudden silence when the stereo shut off.
Cate looked up in surprise. She couldn't help but feel bad when she realized Math was taking her to one of the nicer steakhouses in Portland. It would be expensive and teachers didn't make that much. She felt even worse knowing this would be her first and last date with Math.
Cate flinched slightly when Math put his arm around her to guide her into the restaurant.
"We have a reservation," Math told the maitre de.
"What's the name?" The maitre de asked.
"Rogers," Math replied.
Cate smiled slightly as she remembered her first date with Baze. He hadn't had reservations, but he'd been able to talk his way into a table. That was so typical of Baze.
He didn't think anything through, but everything always worked out for him. Cate chalked it up to his charisma. Everyone liked him.
It had been one of the things that annoyed her most about the popular quarterback in high school. Now it was one of the things she found most attractive. When she was with Baze, she never knew what would happen, but they always ended up having a great time.
Math was the polar opposite of Baze. He'd planned every last detail of their date, but it still felt awkward. He wasn't nearly as much fun as Baze. No one was, Cate realized.
No one ever would be. She loved being with Baze. Sure, he was fun and they had a lot in common, but she wouldn't have as much fun with anyone else because she didn't like anyone the way she liked Baze. She never had.
"What are you gonna get?" Math asked conversationally once they'd both had a chance to look at the menu.
"Salad," Cate replied. She hated salad. She wasn't a healthy eater. She usually ate whatever sounded good. She'd mainly chosen salad because it was the least expensive thing on the menu and she felt bad.
"I remember you used to eat the same sandwich for lunch every day. Ham and cheese," Math commented.
Cate frowned. OK, remembering what song she sang in front of the entire school was one thing, but remembering what she ate for lunch at a table with her friends was another thing entirely. How did Math even know what she ate? This was getting weird!
"You always drank a Sprite," Math continued.
"OK, Math, let's not talk about high school. I hated high school," Cate said, her tone slightly harsher than she intended.
"Not a lot of good memories?" Math said knowingly.
"Let's see I got knocked up in the back of a minivan at sixteen. That would be a no," Cate said sarcastically. Not to mention the fact that she'd been forced to wear hideous head gear. As a result, she'd been one of the biggest dorks in school. There were plenty of bad memories to choose from, but Baze was the one who had hurt her the most back then.
"This isn't high school. And I'm not Baze," Math said.
Cate stared at Math. "Baze has changed. He's not the same guy he was back then."
Cate realized she meant what she'd said. She'd lashed out angrily and told Baze he hadn't changed the other night, but she knew it wasn't true. With the exception of the night of Drink A Date, things had been pretty good. Baze had been pretty good to her.
Math looked taken aback. "Maybe he has, but you still deserve better."
"Baze isn't perfect. And neither am I. But we're better together, you know?" Cate said defensively.
Math's face fell. "You really love him, don't you?"
Cate sucked in her breath. How could she love Baze? He'd only been back in her life for a month! That was all it took. Cate knew in her heart she had fallen for Baze. She would never admit it to Baze. She would never forget the way he'd rejected her in high school. She sure as hell wasn't going to give him another opportunity to do that to her. She nodded slowly.
"Then why aren't you taking his calls?" Math asked.
"There's a thin line between love and hate. What he said to me the other night, it hurt. I'm angry. But it doesn't change anything," Cate tried to explain.
Math nodded dully. "If it makes you feel any better, Baze has been an absolute bear. He's in a bad mood all the time." Matt met Cate's gaze. "He misses you."
Cate smiled slightly. It did make her feel better to know she wasn't the only one who'd been absolutely miserable. At least Baze was suffering just as much as she was.
Baze was waiting up on the couch when Math got back from his date. "How was your date?" He practically spat out.
Math studied his friend. Instead of answering, he asked, "Do you love her?"
Baze raked a hand through his hair. "We haven't been together that long."
"I didn't ask how long you've been together. I asked if you love her," Math retorted.
"I don't know. I have feelings for her. I've never felt like this before. I want to be with her. When I'm not with her, it hurts," Baze said. He smiled slightly.
Math met Baze's gaze. "She loves you. She wants you."
Baze lit up. He reached for his cell phone to call Cate then dropped it. He wrung his hands in his lap nervously. He didn't want to call her. He wanted to see her. He grabbed his keys.
Math stopped him. "Don't hurt her."
Baze made a face. "I'm not gonna hurt her."
Cate had barely changed into pajamas when she heard the doorbell. She sighed. All she wanted to do was crawl into bed. It felt like this night would never end.
Cate hesitated when she saw Baze on her doorstep. She opened the door uncertainly. "What do you want?" She asked tiredly.
"You," Baze said simply.
Cate felt slightly annoyed as he pushed past her uninvited. She followed him into her living room.
Baze's ocean blue eyes bored into Cate's chocolate eyes. "I want you, Cate. I'm sorry for what I said the other night. I didn't mean it. I was just jealous that you were going out with another dude. I want to be with you."
Before Baze knew it, Cate's lips were on his. She tore at his clothes. They both wanted each other. Needed each other.
