Hi folks! You'll be happy to know that we are back in New York with Ryan and Kelsi again! And it's Halloween! The part about 'aerial dance' is a bit random but I promise it will have some significance later! I started taking silk and trapeze classes this year so maybe I'm just a bit obsessed. Who knows! This one is quiiite dialogue heavy. I'm not sure if it's really as well written as some of the previous chapters. If anyone had feedback on this then geez it! (Non-Scottish translation = Please give me it)
Anyhoo, thank you again for reading and reviewing. Special shout out to the lovely guest that went to the effort of reviewing. A great example that you don't need to be a member to comment on a story :) Please do review. Good/Bad feedback is ALWAYS useful!
Enjoy :)
Kelsi
My pay-check cleared! Dinner tonight before the party. I'll come down and get you in an hour. Can't wait to see your costume ;) Love you! xxx
Kelsi grinned down at her phone. One of these days she was going to insist that Ryan actually ASKED her on a date rather than just telling her a time, but she wasn't complaining. It was Halloween and Ryan had spotted a restaurant in the city that was offering three courses for the price of one if the customers came dressed up. It was still quite pricey though and it had all depended on Ryan's unpredictable boss clearing the money in time. Dom was planning to host a Halloween party in her dorm later on and Kelsi had a feeling it was going to be a bit of a mad night...
Suddenly excited, Kelsi leapt over to her wardrobe and dug around for her costume. Ryan was paying for the meal not just because old habits die hard but because she was also worryingly low on funds. Therefore, she had opted to make a Halloween costume herself rather than buy an expensive one in the city. Using one of her old dresses and a pile of glitter, she had managed to fashion a twinkly woodland fairy costume. It wasn't the most original idea, and with a mom and brother in the art industry it seemed a bit pathetic, but frankly she was thankful to have had the resources to do anything at all. She squeezed into the outfit and had a look in the mirror and was surprisingly pleased with the result. A complete costume for under ten dollars! All she needed was her wings, which were currently drying on the kitchen table, then she could start on her make-up...
"Hi Jen." Kelsi chirped as she entered their common area. "Have you seen my… Jen?"
Her small room mate was sitting on the floor in the middle of the room. She was wearing a white ripped T-shirt, blue shorts and was painted green all over. Kelsi also noted that the purple in her hair was gone and instead it was black all over. It wasn't any of these things that concerned Kelsi though. Jen's back was to her, but she seemed to be hugging her knees to her chest. She turned to face Kelsi and she could see where tears had made tracks through the paint on her face.
"Jen… what…"
"I'm the hulk." Jen replied, her voice thick from crying. She gave Kelsi a glum look and lifted her fist half-heartedly into the air. "Hulk smash…"
"I… I know." Kelsi replied, approaching her tentatively. "I was going to ask what was wrong."
Jen scowled and rubbed her eyes, smudging the paint around her eyes. If she hadn't looked so upset Kelsi would have laughed. She looked like some sort of green panda in reverse. Instead she crouched down next to her and gingerly put a hand on her shoulder.
"I thought you were seeing Laina." Kelsi stated, hoping that this wasn't too intrusive. Jen just nodded, a few more tears falling from her eyes. Without another thought Kelsi hugged the girl close, not caring about the green paint that was likely to rub off on her. Jen didn't hug back, but she rested her head against Kelsi's in what Kelsi could only hope was gratitude.
"She wasn't just someone you were sleeping with, was she." Kelsi said softly.
She couldn't see Jen's face now, but she felt her head shake and her body shudder with more tears. They sat like that for a few minutes as Jen let her tears flow freely. It wasn't necessary to speak. Jen wasn't a gushy person and Kelsi knew her room mate well enough by now to know she just needed someone there. Having said that, she felt like she had to do something. She couldn't just leave Jen there in the state she was in. Then it came to her. The one thing that makes EVERYONE feel better.
"What?" Jen muttered as Kelsi jumped to her feet.
"We're having a tea party. A Halloween tea party." she explained as she put the kettle on.
"The Hulk doesn't drink tea." Jen replied seriously, though Kelsi could see the corners of her mouth twitching.
"Oh yes he does."
Ryan
"Ta-da!"
"That. Is. Horrifying." Ryan said, looking at his room mate incredulously.
"I know!" Mitch replied gleefully. "Some of the acting students did it for me!"
That made sense. Apparently from using stage prosthetics and make-up, one half of Mitch's face looked like it had been torn off, showing what appeared to be a terrifying portrayal of exposed flesh and bone. In addition to this he had numerous gashes and stitches up his arms and he had even shaved half his head to add to the effect. Ryan wasn't particularly squeamish, but even looking at him was making him feel a bit sick…
"What are you supposed to be?" Mitch asked, looking at Ryan with a puzzled expression. At least, that's what Ryan thought his expression was. It was honestly hard to tell through all the gore…
"Ok forget the what. Maybe think 'who' I'm supposed to be…" Ryan said suggestively, pointing down at his outfit. Mitch stared at it for a few seconds then shook his head. Ryan tapped his umbrella on the floor for effect, but still nothing.
"No I still don't… You're just wearing a raincoat man."
"GENE KELLY. I'm Gene Kelly!"
"Oh… him."
"You don't know Gene Kelly." Ryan said disappointedly. Mitch shook his head guiltily and Ryan sighed. He knew his room mate had seemed to good to be true.
"He's in 'Singing in the Rain'."
"Hence the raincoat!" Mitch announced proudly, as if he had solved an exceptionally difficult problem.
"Hence the raincoat." Ryan said in despair, making his way to the door to leave. It never ceased to amaze him how some people had managed to get through life without having seen 'Singing in the Rain.'
"This isn't over. Next movie night is a Gene Kelly marathon…"
"Yeah whatever. Mind if I walk you downstairs? I want to show Kelsi the face." Mitch said excitedly. Ryan considered Mitch's frightening visage, his brow furrowing in concern. There was no doubt that his girlfriend would be terrified. However, it could also be hilarious…
"O.K." Ryan said slowly. "But don't expect any good feedback."
"Hopefully not!" Mitch replied cheerfully, strolling out the dorm with Ryan. They made their way down to Kelsi's dorm, but not without Ryan, and any other passers by, starting in alarm every time he so much as glanced at Mitch's horrific face. Kelsi was going to freak out…
"Don't be surprised if she throws something at you." Ryan warned as they approached her door.
"I can't wait to see her face." Mitch said eagerly, with a wicked grin that Ryan couldn't help but return. He had found a perfect partner in crime in Mitch. They knocked and waited with baited breath for an answer. There was no response. Ryan knocked again., this time a little harder. Still nothing. He suddenly realised that this felt familiar.
"It's open." said a small voice from inside." Ryan felt a jolt in his stomach from the memory. The last time this had happened, his girlfriend had been on the other side of the door in just a towel.
"I… I need to do something." Ryan stammered, looking wildly for an excuse to leave. "I'll come back later…"
"Nah man she needs to see the face!" Mitch grinned pushing the door open.
"Mitch, no!" Ryan wrung his hands in panic as he saw Mitch freeze in the door frame...
Then he realised what he was seeing. A fairy and the Incredible Hulk sat cross legged on a fluffy rug, with a large teapot, two mugs and a plate of biscuits between them. They both took one glance at Mitch's appearance and recoiled in horror. Kelsi, screamed loudly and covered her eyes. Jen just grimaced and said "Gross…". Ryan couldn't help notice that the make-up on her face was smudged and her voice sounded a little hoarse. Had she been crying?
"Weirdest tea party ever." Mitch murmured, his face, what they could see of it, completely bemused.
"Is it gone?" Ryan laughed at Kelsi's comment as she peeked through her fingers then instantly hid behind them again.
"Hey it's just me. Good old Mitch." Mitch joked, going over to Kelsi and flinging an arm round her, putting his scarily made up face right in her line of vision. Kelsi pulled her fingers away slowly. Ryan instantly burst out laughing at her expression as she took in Mitch's appearance. She looked like she was in pain.
"Tea for the monster?" Jen asked, a timid smile breaking through her mournful expression.
"Yes please!" Mitch replied, sitting himself down and helping himself to a biscuit. Ryan caught Kelsi's eye. One look told him that dinner could wait. They needed to be here.
"Tea for Gene?"
Ryan beamed at Jen as she held the teapot expectantly over a mug.
"You knew who I was!" he said ecstatically, nudging his way into the 'tea party'.
"Of course! What sort of idiot doesn't know who Gene Kelly is?" Jen replied as if this was the most obvious thing in the world.
Ryan swung his head round to look accusingly at Mitch who let out an indigent "pfft!"
"You don't know who… Oh I don't know if Mitch is allowed to join the tea party." Kelsi said, giving him a look of mock disapproval. Though Ryan had a feeling that his scarily made-up face was the reason rather than his unfamiliarity with Gene Kelly.
"Oh great there's three of you." Mitch grumbled, ignoring this comment as he munched on a biscuit.
"He has agreed to watch 'Singing in the Rain' next time we watch a movie." Ryan added teasingly. "So he's off the hook."
"I don't remember actually agreeing to that…" Mitch replied with a frown, folding his arms stubbornly.
"Yeah Ryan doesn't exactly ASK people to do things." Kelsi quipped.
"Yeah!" Jen replied, her face a little brighter than before. "Apparently poor Kelsi was given no choice over who she was going to Senior prom with."
"Well it's never failed." Ryan grinned, catching Kelsi's eye. He saw her eyes flit to Jen then back to him. She didn't say anything, but he could read her expression.
Thank you
Kelsi
"So I'm pulling and PULLING these wild cat trousers Nothing's happening."
"Meanwhile my legs are pretty much burning."
"Then two of our friends just barge in and on of them says…"
"Oh, we'll just leave you two alone."
The group (or tea party) collapsed into laughter. Mitch comically choked on his tea and Jen gave him a big thump on the back. It was nearing midnight but no one had made a move to go to Dom's party. They had talked non stop since Ryan and Mitch had arrived and by this point they were pretty comfortable. Kelsi had even stopped wincing when she looked at Mitch's face! They hadn't moved from the floor, preferring to lounge in varying positions rather than move up to the table. Kelsi knew they were merely distracting Jen and that she wouldn't just cease hurting tonight, but she seemed a lot better for the moment. Kelsi didn't think she'd ever seen her room mate smile so much!
"How did you end up as the 'mascot' anyway?!" Mitch chuckled. "You're always telling me that dancers are athletes."
"Well someone convinced me it would be a good idea." Ryan said, giving Kelsi a mock glare.
"And he's TERRIBLE at basketball…" Kelsi murmured wickedly to Mitch who burst out laughing again. Ryan seemed completely unfazed. He just stuck his tongue out at Kelsi and sent a smirk Mitch's way.
"Well at least I get some exercise… Mitch. The minute you hit thirty you're going to have a heart attack…"
"Apparently I have a 'bad diet'" Mitch explained to the girls, rolling his eyes playfully.
"Bad diet doesn't cover it!" Ryan stressed. "You basically live on crisps and chocolate. I don't get why you're so skinny…"
"Drumming." Mitch said incredulously, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.
"Your drumming does look like a bit of a workout." Kelsi added fairly. Anything she had seen Mitch play in his and Ryan's dorm was so wild and fast-paced that his arms had seemed to blur. With his thin limbs and wild hair (though he planned to shave the other half of his head after tonight) he reminded Kelsi of 'Animal' from The Muppet Show.
"Right. Drumming." Ryan smirked, clearly unconvinced by this theory.
"Ok, one, if DANCING is a legit form of exercise then so is drumming. And TWO…" Mitch emphasised, as Ryan opened his mouth in protest. "…. We settled this with arm wrestles the other night so the argument isn't even valid."
"So you guys just sit in your dorm and arm wrestle." Jen grinned. "Gee you guys are cool…"
"You have tea parties, we arm wrestle." Mitch said with a shrug. "Anyway, Ryan won on the right side, but I'm left handed so I won on the left."
"Basically we're evenly matched." Ryan said.
"And THEREFORE drumming is a perfectly good way of exercising." Mitch concluded smugly.
"Do you do sport or dance or something?" Ryan abruptly asked Jen. She looked at him in surprise.
"Sort of…" she said slowly. "Why?"
"You look sort of… I don't know how to say it without sounding… I mean you're obviously…"
"Muscly." Mitch said bluntly. "'You know, like… broad."
Jen raised her eyebrows, her face a mixture of amusement and offence.
"No no no." Ryan said hastily. "Not… not BROAD. Just… sort of… strong."
Kelsi giggled as she watched the guys floundering, but she did see what they meant. The muscles in Jen's arms and shoulders were very defined. She seemed to have quite an athletic build (it wasn't hard for Kelsi to notice when Jen strolled around in her underwear half the time) and she had also noticed that she often left her dorm wearing gym clothes. She had never asked what for but she assumed she worked out a lot.
"Not in a butch way." Mitch added hurriedly. "Because, obviously not all lesbians are butch."
"That is NOT helping." Ryan muttered, giving Jen a pained look of apology. Kelsi watched in amusement as Jen smirked and waited patiently for them to be silent.
"It's ok, I know what you mean. Though you've got some SERIOUS word vomit." she added to Mitch who looked sheepish. "Seriously, you live in new York. You're going to get a punch in the face some day…"
"Maybe that'll teach him a lesson." Ryan sighed while Mitch nodded grimly in agreement.
"So… what do you do?" Kelsi asked, trying to get them back on track.
"Uuh yeah, I'm taking some aerial dance classes. You know, silks, trapeze, that sort of thing." she said casually. Kelsi looked at Ryan in confusion but he was beaming at Jen. She looked to Mitch who, to her relief, looked as clueless as her.
"That's amazing!" Ryan said enthusiastically. "No wonder you're so strong! Where do you do class?!"
"They run it at NYU, I'm surprised you don't know about it. A lot of the dance students here go."
"Is SOMEONE going to explain what this thing is?" Mitch cut in loudly. Kelsi nodded in agreement. Aerial… dance? Ryan and Jen shared a look, obviously unsure how to explain it.
"Maybe we should ask youtube."
Five minutes later, the four of them were crowded round Kelsi's laptop, watching a video of Jen's 'aerial dance'. Kelsi couldn't believe what she was watching. The video, which took place in what Kelsi assumed was the dance studio at NYU, involved Jen climbing a long strip of material (or 'the silk' as she called it) then doing a routine that involved wrapping the silk round her and holding her in various positions. Sometimes she rolled and tumbled towards the floor and caught herself at the last minute. It was exhilarating to watch! Every time she did one of these moves, Ryan, Kelsi and Mitch would let out little exclamations of fright before she caught herself an inch from the floor.
"This is amazing." Ryan breathed, fixated on the video. "You're really good." Kelsi added with a smile. It was a whole other creative side to her room mate that she hadn't seen before. Jen smiled back graciously.
"Jen… are you right or left handed?" Mitch asked as the video ended.
"Right handed." Jen said suspiciously.
"Great! Let's see if you can take Ryan!" Mitch said excitedly, bounding over to the kitchen table to make a space.
"Oh no, I'm not getting involved in your weird testosterone fuelled game." Jen laughed, holding her palms up in protest.
"Yeah I'm not arm-wrestling a girl." Ryan laughed.
Kelsi saw Jen's eyes flash and gulped. She and Jen still had a lot to learn about each other, but she knew her well enough to know that Jen would sensitive to that sort of comment. Ryan caught her eye at the same moment and fumbled for words.
"I mean…"
"Changed my mind Blondie. Let's go." Jen said determinedly, stalking over to the kitchen area and throwing her elbow down on the table and challenging him with her eyes. Mitch whooped and eagerly sat at the table to watch while Ryan positioned himself opposite Jen dejectedly.
"I'm about to be humiliated." he said to Kelsi in a low voice.
"You're an Evans." Kelsi reminded him with a small smile. Ryan searched her face nervously.
"That's literally all the advice you have for me isn't it?"
"Pretty much." Kelsi giggled. "Good luck!" She kissed his cheek lightly and sat down with Mitch, considering that this was the last thing she thought she'd be doing on her first Halloween in New York. Ryan placed his elbow on the table and reluctantly grasped Jen's hand. He looked at Jen apprehensively and she replied with a wicked grin that made Kelsi nervous FOR Ryan. She was sure she saw him gulp… Mitch counted them in and both their hand sensed at the same time, shaking in the centre of the table. Although both faces were scrunched up with the effort, their hands remained central with no one gaining the advantage. For the first minute or so, this was riveting and Kelsi and Mitch dutifully kept their eyes trained on the pair. However, ten minutes in it began to get a bit old…
"Maybe you draw?" Kelsi suggested timidly. She was trying to remain interested but it was getting late. Mitch wasn't even watching them anymore. He was slouched forward, his head resting face down on his arms. The odd soft snore told Kelsi he was nodding off. "No!" Ryan said in a strained voice.
"I can… I can beat her. She's tiring."
Kelsi took a look at Jen's face. Her hand was shaking, but, while Ryan's face was red and shining with sweat, her green face looked almost bored.
"I don't mind if we draw." Jen said with a cheeky smile.
"Yeah I bet." Ryan gasped, using his other hand to wipe his brow. Jen caught Kelsi's eye and what she did next made her realise that they would be good friends. Jen gave her a small smile and looked back to Ryan, letting her hand slowly fall under his.
"Aaaw man I just got too tired." Jen said with a sad shrug. "You win Blondie."
"What! What!" Mitch said suddenly,looking around blearily as his head snapped up from his arms.
"I… I do? I win?" Ryan looked at his released hand in confusion.
"Yeah, good match though." Jen smiled, holding out her hand to Ryan. Ryan shook it, but still looked a little perturbed. What he didn't see was the small wink that Jen sent her way. Kelsi wasn't sure if Mitch had noticed what was up or not but he cheered and clapped Ryan on the back anyway.
"Wow that was a bit too much tension. I'm knackered." he said, stretching and letting out a big yawn. "Coming?" he added to Ryan.
"Sure." Ryan pulled Kelsi over to him and gave her a soft kiss. "Thanks for having us over."
"Thanks for being here." Kelsi said sincerely, her words heavier than they seemed. One look in Ryan's eyes told her that he understood and was happy to have sacrificed their date to help out her friend.
"Congrats on the win Jen." Mitch said with a little salute.
"Yeah… What?" Ryan said, frowning.
"Thanks for coming over guys." Jen said quickly. "I really appreciate it. Who knew a tea party could make you feel better about being dumped." she said with a grimace. It was the first time Jen had mentioned what had happened in front of Ryan and Mitch but they just smiled kindly in response.
"Any time." Ryan said sincerely, before following Mitch out the door. Just before the door closed after him, he turned and mouthed 'I love you!' to Kelsi. She managed to quickly mouth a reply before the door closed behind him.
"Ugh, how am I going to get this paint off?" Jen exclaimed, looking down at herself in dismay.
"I'll tidy up in here." Kelsi offered as she grabbed the mugs from the floor. "You might need a long shower…"
Jen nodded and disappeared into her room. Kelsi continued to potter around the room, tidying up bits and pieces. Obviously a broken heart couldn't be fixed with one tea party, but for the moment, Jen looked at least a bit happier. They maybe didn't know each other that well, but in Kelsi's opinion, if they were living together it was their responsibility to look out for each other. She smiled as she remembered the water and painkillers Jen had left for her after her first college party. They were going to be fine. Jen emerged from her room again, towel in hand, but instead of going straight to the bathroom she made a beeline for Kelsi. Without saying anything she gave her a small tight hug. Kelsi was surprised but hugged the small girl back, happy to be a source of comfort. Jen pulled away then giggled.
"I got green on you." she grinned, before making her way into the bathroom.
Kelsi rubbed her cheek happily. Yes. They were going to be fine.
