A/N: Waaaater!

Chapter 9

Bambi wasn't sure how to respond to the question, so she did the next best thing to responding.

She stood up and left, murmuring something about how all men are the same. She hoped that it would confuse him enough to make him drop the subject, at least momentarily.

When he didn't instantly follow her, she figured that her plan must've worked and moved to go to the bathroom where Nikki was. Girls going to the bathroom together was just one of those things that boys rarely questioned.

When Bambi shut the bathroom door behind her, she slumped against it and let out a sigh of relief.

"Well, hello Bambi. Why do you look so frazzled," Nikki's voice cooed from the sinks next to Bambi. She peered her head around to find Nikki fixing her hair- as if it needed fixing.

"Oh you know, almost told Bobby that I love him again. The usual," Bambi muttered dejectedly, walking over and sitting on the edge of the sink, facing Nikki.

Nikki smiled knowingly, as she was one of the few people who knew about Bambi's feelings for Bobby.

"Oh dear, you seem to be doing that a lot lately. Perhaps it's not entirely unintentional," Nikki teased, not even bothering to hide the satisfaction in her voice. She liked Bambi and Bobby together. She often urged Bambi to share her feelings.

Bambi rolled her eyes, but couldn't help thinking that her words had some weight behind them. People rarely gave Nikki credit for it, but she actually was quite smart. She just very rarely sounded like it.

Lately Bambi's mind had been screaming at her for a reprieve of this torture she subjected herself to. She couldn't bear to distance herself from Bobby and she'd rather have the relationship they have now than nothing, but it was getting harder and harder to keep her feelings to herself. Especially when he was being as blind as he was earlier.

"Well it needs to stop happening. He's not stupid and if I keep accidentally letting it slip or hinting at it, he'll figure out how I feel eventually."

"Now would that really be so bad?" Nikki asked, shooting Bambi a wise look, something she couldn't quite pull off.

"Yes," Bambi deadpanned.

"Now hold on a moment. Think about it, Bambi," Nikki began, including a dramatic pause, "If you told him, he might start to think of you that way and you two could get together."

"Or," Bambi countered, "he could tell me what I already know and our relationship would end."

"I don't think he's as in love with Georgia as you think he is."

Bambi cocked an eyebrow at her friend and gestured for her to explain.

"Well, if you think about it, they hardly spend time together and you two spend every day together like 24/7. You have slumber parties. He takes you out on dates. You practically live out of each other's rooms. You're constantly sharing jokes, or trading looks, and frankly, he doesn't look at her like he looks at you. I think he's just confused," Nikki concluded.

Bambi wanted to absorb and swallow every word that Nikki said, but the reasonable part of her told her not to build up hope because she couldn't handle the heartbreak.

Seeing the look of confusion and sadness on her friends face, Nikki added, "Oh, well what do I know anyhow? We should probably get back out there before the boys think we've run off together."

"Was that an option?" Bambi teased.

Nikki giggled and replied, "Why, of course. You know that you were my first choice to marry."

Bambi answered, "I won't tell Frank if you won't," before winking at Nikki mischievously.

Nikki giggled again and concluded, "Deal!"

The two girls walked out of the bathroom arm in arm. When they returned to the table, they were met with joy, from Frank to Nikki, and confusion, from Bobby to Bambi.

Bambi studiously avoided Bobby's questioning eyes as she took her seat in-between Bobby and Frank.

"Well, I've kept you three long enough. Do you want me to drive you back to the theater?" Frank asked, either not noticing or choosing to ignore the awkwardness between Bobby and Bambi.

"Sounds good, Frank," Bambi answered, for herself and her reticent friends.

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Frank paid the check and drove them to theater, he and Nikki keeping up an engaging in conversation the entire time. That's more than can be said for the backseat of his police car though.

Bobby and Bambi sat in complete awkward silence. Bambi tried to look like she was listening to Frank and Nikki, but she kept finding herself watching Bobby from the corner of her eye. He still looked confused.

Choosing to put an end to the silence between them, Bambi stated, "You never answered my question by the way."

Bobby looked up at her, surprised at her having spoken to him at first, but soon becoming confused again as he inquired, "What question?"

Lowering her voice so that the two up front couldn't hear her, Bambi said, "It was about your behavior at lunch. You thought I was in love with Cioffi, which I'm not, but that doesn't explain why you were so miserable."

His eyes widened slightly before he furrowed his brow, obviously thinking over what his answer should be.

After a moment, he rolled his eyes and answered, "Oh whatever. I'm not going to even bother lying to you. For whatever reason, the idea of you loving Frank made me a little jealous. Don't ask me why though, because I can't explain it."

He watched her for a moment, trying to gauge her reaction, before turning in his seat and facing front, effectively ending their conversation.

She hardly noticed that thought, because she was still caught up on his words.

He was jealous?

A/N: tired…