Shards of sunlight peaked through Joe's heavy violet curtains, casting an
eerie glow in the room. Slowly Joe drifted into consciousness, revitalized
from the first restful sleep she'd had in ages. Becoming more alert, she
came to the realization that she was not only sprawled out on the floor
half-naked, but that she was sprawled out on the floor with Ephram. A wide
grin crept across her face as she watched him; her head nestled on his
chest. As much as she wanted to lie there and enjoy the peace, she had
bills to pay, meaning showing up to work was a must. Careful not to wake
Ephram, she slipped into her clothes, and continued to prepare for work.
Just as she started the coffee maker, she heard Ephram stir in the living
room.
"Good morning," Joe smiled, "Sleep well?" Ephram studied his surroundings, not sure what to think.
"Yeah," Ephram nodded, "Except your snoring kept me up."
"What? I so do not snore," Joe denied the accusation. Pouring herself a cup of coffee.
"Yes, you do," Ephram replied, "You always have."
"Seriously? I snore?" Joe questioned glumly.
"Well, it's a cute snore," Ephram grinned, getting up to join her in the kitchen.
"Yeah?" Joe said, putting down her coffee as Ephram wrapped his arms around her.
"Yes. Cutest snore ever, I swear," Ephram laughed, before planting a kiss on her lips.
"Well then I guess I can tell you that you talk in your sleep," Joe responded, "Last night you said something about George Clooney I believe."
"Whatever you say," Ephram rolled his eyes playfully.
*@*
"Joe? Earth to Joe!" Joe heard someone shout. Reluctantly she opened her eyes and sat up strait.
"I'm not paying you to sit around day dreaming," Her boss reminded, handing her a box of assorted liquor to unpack.
"Sorry, I've just got a bit of a dilemma," Joe explained, "Mind if I ask your advice?"
"Shoot," She replied, wiping down the bar.
"Well, there's this guy, and I really like him, but recently, I got back together with this other guy, who's been the love of my life since I was a kid. What should I do?" Joe asked hastily.
"You really love the second guy?" She responded, studying Joe's expressions.
"Yeah," She nodded, "Madly."
"Then you have to dump the first guy," She shrugged, "Not a hard decision hun."
"But the thing is, they're roommates, and friends, and I don't want to get in the way of their friendship," Joe sighed; she just didn't know what to do with herself.
"But if you and this other guy are really in love, don't you think he'll understand?" She did make sense.
"I hope your right," Joe frowned, thinking up what she'd say to Chase.
*@*
"Hey," Alicia greeted Ephram with a kiss on the cheek as she joined him on his walk back to the dorm, "Where were you this morning? I thought we had plans to go out for coffee."
"I uh.slept in, sorry," Ephram quickly replied.
"Where? I stopped by your place and Chase said you were out all night," Alicia said raising an eyebrow.
"I was at a friend's house," Ephram shrugged, "Look Al, we really need to talk."
"About what?" Alicia asked, running a hand through her jet-black hair.
"Us," Ephram explained, "I uh."
"There's someone else isn't there!" Alicia shouted, causing a few people to stare in the process.
"No, there isn't, I just wanted to uh.ask if you wanted to go home with me for winter break," Ephram lied, but at least it was a believable lie this time. A wide grin formed on Alicia's face, as she leapt up to hug Ephram. Inwardly, Ephram hoped Joe was doing better with breaking up with Chase, than he had with Alicia.
*@*
"Any luck?" Joe asked Ephram between kisses.
"No, I tried to tell him I wanted to break up and I ended up inviting her to come home with me for winter break," He explained quickly, before they tumbled onto the couch, "You?"
"None here either, I tried to talk to him but he has a term paper due tomorrow," Joe answered, "Hold on, your taking her to Everwood?!?"
"No, but I chickened out, and it's all I could come up with," Ephram elaborated, "Plus, I'll break up with her way before then."
"Wimp," Joe muttered, "Sexy, irresistible wimp."
"I am, aren't I?" Ephram laughed, pulling Joe closer to him. They were suddenly interrupted by the sound of Chase's voice.
~*~
"Ephram, you home?" Chase yelled as he unlocked the door. Stunned, Ephram nearly rolled off of the couch, catching himself before he fell. Joe sprang to her feet, and frantically tried to smooth out her clothes.
"Joe? What are you doing here?" Chase asked, confused.
"Well, I uh, came here to see you silly!" Joe offered.
"But I never even gave you my address," Chase replied, cocking an eyebrow.
"I uh, looked you up," Joe nodded, putting on her best innocent face.
"I'm unlisted," Chase frowned.
"Alright, that's not important. The important thing is your term paper. How's that going?" Joe said, trying not to sound so rushed.
"Fine," Chase answered. He studied the apartment, taking note of the odd situation. What would his roommate, and his girlfriend be doing together? "Guys, did you really think I wouldn't figure it out?"
"Wait, you know?" Ephram questioned, a shocked expression covering his face. "It's so obvious," Chase sighed, "You two are throwing me a surprise party for my birthday next week. I promise to pretend surprised during the party." Joe and Ephram shared a confused glance as Chase turned away to put his bag in the kitchen.
"His birthday is coming up?" Joe mouthed to Ephram, who just shrugged in response.
"You caught us Chase," Joe laughed, "We were planning your party. Guilty as charged."
"Wait, Ephram, why is there lipstick on your neck?" Chase inquired, pointing to the crimson lipstick mark on his roommate's neck.
"What lipstick? There's no lipstick," Ephram denied, slapping his hand over the mark.
"It looks a lot like your shade Joe," Chase said narrowing his eyes, "Is there something you two would like to share?" Mentally, Joe kicked herself, "I knew I should have just worn gloss".
"Chase, I was meaning to tell you," Joe replied, "Ephram and I got back together the other night. I'm sorry I didn't tell you sooner."
"Man, how could you forget the key rule," Chase scolded Ephram, "Bros before Hoes dude."
"I resent that!" Joe shouted back, restraining herself from smacking him.
"I'm out," Chase announced grabbing his coat and leaving.
"Well.it could have gone worse," Joe shrugged, trying her best not to laugh.
*@*
Alicia nearly ran towards the apartment. She had been so happy about Ephram's invitation to Everwood, that she had already went out and bought all new outfits. At the same time, an angry Chase stormed out of the apartment, heading in the separate direction.
"Hey Peewee," Alicia greeted slyly as she passed him.
"Going to see Ephram I presume," Chase said unamused, "Well, a word of advice, don't waste your time."
"What are you talking about?" Alicia questioned, her voice turning from playful to serious.
"I just caught him with my girlfriend," Chase stated. "Are you serious?" Alicia asked taken back by his comment. Chase nodded. "Oh my god. I can't believe it."
"Believe it," Chase sighed, "Nothing is sacred anymore."
"So where are you going?" Alicia asked, forlornly.
"Just out, to blow off some steam," Chase explained, "Wanna come?"
"Sure," Alicia nodded, "You know what they say. Misery loves company."
A/N: Thanks guys, for all the great reviews! I know it took me forever to update, I just needed time to find my muse. Please, review all your thoughts/comments/ideas, I love to hear them. Also, if you like to write, and have a knack for it (I know a lot of you do!), and are interested in co- writing a new fic with me, please email me at Ocstarryeyed@aol.com or IM me at Ocstarryeyed or OCDarkSlayer13. Don't forget to review!
"Good morning," Joe smiled, "Sleep well?" Ephram studied his surroundings, not sure what to think.
"Yeah," Ephram nodded, "Except your snoring kept me up."
"What? I so do not snore," Joe denied the accusation. Pouring herself a cup of coffee.
"Yes, you do," Ephram replied, "You always have."
"Seriously? I snore?" Joe questioned glumly.
"Well, it's a cute snore," Ephram grinned, getting up to join her in the kitchen.
"Yeah?" Joe said, putting down her coffee as Ephram wrapped his arms around her.
"Yes. Cutest snore ever, I swear," Ephram laughed, before planting a kiss on her lips.
"Well then I guess I can tell you that you talk in your sleep," Joe responded, "Last night you said something about George Clooney I believe."
"Whatever you say," Ephram rolled his eyes playfully.
*@*
"Joe? Earth to Joe!" Joe heard someone shout. Reluctantly she opened her eyes and sat up strait.
"I'm not paying you to sit around day dreaming," Her boss reminded, handing her a box of assorted liquor to unpack.
"Sorry, I've just got a bit of a dilemma," Joe explained, "Mind if I ask your advice?"
"Shoot," She replied, wiping down the bar.
"Well, there's this guy, and I really like him, but recently, I got back together with this other guy, who's been the love of my life since I was a kid. What should I do?" Joe asked hastily.
"You really love the second guy?" She responded, studying Joe's expressions.
"Yeah," She nodded, "Madly."
"Then you have to dump the first guy," She shrugged, "Not a hard decision hun."
"But the thing is, they're roommates, and friends, and I don't want to get in the way of their friendship," Joe sighed; she just didn't know what to do with herself.
"But if you and this other guy are really in love, don't you think he'll understand?" She did make sense.
"I hope your right," Joe frowned, thinking up what she'd say to Chase.
*@*
"Hey," Alicia greeted Ephram with a kiss on the cheek as she joined him on his walk back to the dorm, "Where were you this morning? I thought we had plans to go out for coffee."
"I uh.slept in, sorry," Ephram quickly replied.
"Where? I stopped by your place and Chase said you were out all night," Alicia said raising an eyebrow.
"I was at a friend's house," Ephram shrugged, "Look Al, we really need to talk."
"About what?" Alicia asked, running a hand through her jet-black hair.
"Us," Ephram explained, "I uh."
"There's someone else isn't there!" Alicia shouted, causing a few people to stare in the process.
"No, there isn't, I just wanted to uh.ask if you wanted to go home with me for winter break," Ephram lied, but at least it was a believable lie this time. A wide grin formed on Alicia's face, as she leapt up to hug Ephram. Inwardly, Ephram hoped Joe was doing better with breaking up with Chase, than he had with Alicia.
*@*
"Any luck?" Joe asked Ephram between kisses.
"No, I tried to tell him I wanted to break up and I ended up inviting her to come home with me for winter break," He explained quickly, before they tumbled onto the couch, "You?"
"None here either, I tried to talk to him but he has a term paper due tomorrow," Joe answered, "Hold on, your taking her to Everwood?!?"
"No, but I chickened out, and it's all I could come up with," Ephram elaborated, "Plus, I'll break up with her way before then."
"Wimp," Joe muttered, "Sexy, irresistible wimp."
"I am, aren't I?" Ephram laughed, pulling Joe closer to him. They were suddenly interrupted by the sound of Chase's voice.
~*~
"Ephram, you home?" Chase yelled as he unlocked the door. Stunned, Ephram nearly rolled off of the couch, catching himself before he fell. Joe sprang to her feet, and frantically tried to smooth out her clothes.
"Joe? What are you doing here?" Chase asked, confused.
"Well, I uh, came here to see you silly!" Joe offered.
"But I never even gave you my address," Chase replied, cocking an eyebrow.
"I uh, looked you up," Joe nodded, putting on her best innocent face.
"I'm unlisted," Chase frowned.
"Alright, that's not important. The important thing is your term paper. How's that going?" Joe said, trying not to sound so rushed.
"Fine," Chase answered. He studied the apartment, taking note of the odd situation. What would his roommate, and his girlfriend be doing together? "Guys, did you really think I wouldn't figure it out?"
"Wait, you know?" Ephram questioned, a shocked expression covering his face. "It's so obvious," Chase sighed, "You two are throwing me a surprise party for my birthday next week. I promise to pretend surprised during the party." Joe and Ephram shared a confused glance as Chase turned away to put his bag in the kitchen.
"His birthday is coming up?" Joe mouthed to Ephram, who just shrugged in response.
"You caught us Chase," Joe laughed, "We were planning your party. Guilty as charged."
"Wait, Ephram, why is there lipstick on your neck?" Chase inquired, pointing to the crimson lipstick mark on his roommate's neck.
"What lipstick? There's no lipstick," Ephram denied, slapping his hand over the mark.
"It looks a lot like your shade Joe," Chase said narrowing his eyes, "Is there something you two would like to share?" Mentally, Joe kicked herself, "I knew I should have just worn gloss".
"Chase, I was meaning to tell you," Joe replied, "Ephram and I got back together the other night. I'm sorry I didn't tell you sooner."
"Man, how could you forget the key rule," Chase scolded Ephram, "Bros before Hoes dude."
"I resent that!" Joe shouted back, restraining herself from smacking him.
"I'm out," Chase announced grabbing his coat and leaving.
"Well.it could have gone worse," Joe shrugged, trying her best not to laugh.
*@*
Alicia nearly ran towards the apartment. She had been so happy about Ephram's invitation to Everwood, that she had already went out and bought all new outfits. At the same time, an angry Chase stormed out of the apartment, heading in the separate direction.
"Hey Peewee," Alicia greeted slyly as she passed him.
"Going to see Ephram I presume," Chase said unamused, "Well, a word of advice, don't waste your time."
"What are you talking about?" Alicia questioned, her voice turning from playful to serious.
"I just caught him with my girlfriend," Chase stated. "Are you serious?" Alicia asked taken back by his comment. Chase nodded. "Oh my god. I can't believe it."
"Believe it," Chase sighed, "Nothing is sacred anymore."
"So where are you going?" Alicia asked, forlornly.
"Just out, to blow off some steam," Chase explained, "Wanna come?"
"Sure," Alicia nodded, "You know what they say. Misery loves company."
A/N: Thanks guys, for all the great reviews! I know it took me forever to update, I just needed time to find my muse. Please, review all your thoughts/comments/ideas, I love to hear them. Also, if you like to write, and have a knack for it (I know a lot of you do!), and are interested in co- writing a new fic with me, please email me at Ocstarryeyed@aol.com or IM me at Ocstarryeyed or OCDarkSlayer13. Don't forget to review!